nubo

I agree with Extreme 1 on this ,It doesn't matter if it's a kid or not they all have to learn what's right and what's wrong. If you let them go, then the deer from your favourite heard start missing at odd times of the year. We as hunter's pay for this every year so why shouldn't they .First you approach the Family then you watch for them, It doesnt bother me that they like to live on wild game but if they don't pay as we do or go by the rule's we do then they aren't part of us as hunters and law biding citizen's .We can't make special rule's for them because we feel sorry for them.
Pat_Ely I do agree with your opinion as long as it's roadkill or along those lines
nubo

akbound

Why aren't the parents buying groceries? Beer money? Crack money? Money on toys? Or are they that destitude? That would be the first question I'd want an answer to! (And if the parents aren't willing to provide it to me....as the game warden....I'd bet they'd provide it to child protective services.)

Next......if a man and/or woman are proud people....say too proud to accept assistance so they can eat....that's fine. But any father or mother "too proud" to insure their children have food to eat......is false pride. If you don't want "help" and are willing to go hungry....fine! But to impose that on your children is not pride......it's neglect. With all of the assistance, (private and governmental)......"the no food on the table argument" doesn't hold water. Any "man" too proud to accept assistance to insure his children are not going hungry......is proud enough to insure there is food on the table even if it requires working two or more jobs. (And is certainly "too" proud to be breaking the law.....or they have given up the "moral high ground" of their entire "too proud" argument.)

During the "great depression" and prior to the existence of public assistance programs that were designed to "prevent families from falling through the cracks".......there may have been validity to "that argument". But that is no longer true.

I have personally known a couple of handfuls of people that have "tried to use that argument" to justify "poaching". And I can honestly say that in every instance that I knew about....those families had more than one firearm. More than one automobile. Several TV's, entertainment devices, etc. in their home. In more than a couple of cases.....they had enough money for necessities like cigarettes, beer, etc. And frequently.....they had more "toys" than I did. ATV
's, boats, etc. In other words....if they had chosen to spend their money on FOOD......there wouldn't have been a problem!

Set the kid straight. Give him a recorded warning.....visit the parents and attempt to "find the problem".......and if all else fails. Write the citation...and notify any pertinent agencies as required to resolve the problem. There are legal and ethical ways to resolve difficulties!

P.S. By the way....teach them how to start, plant, and care for a garden!

bearklr

Well said Akbound !

Tomster

Since we don't know why he is doing this, I would try to find out. Also, how many of you break the law every day?? I'd say almost all of us do. Do you drive at 55 mph while in a 55 mph zone or do you push it up to 65 to 70? You know you are beaking the law but yet you still do it. We want to get to our destination faster and we know we can get away with slightly higher speeds while not getting a ticket. Do you drive closer to other drivers than you should?

This child is feeding his family by living off the land. If it were me, I would give him a warning and bring him some food. If he still does it, bring them some more food. This will increase his respect for the law while giving you a good feeling of helping others. Get your local church involved. Find out which one they go to. Many churches will assist those families in need of food.

T

Charlie P

If I was a game warden and came upon a kid out hunting to feed his family I'd proably put him in my car dig in my pocket and buy some groceries and take him home.

Then I'd see what was going on in that place and if needed call the DSS in to check on the home.

If they are in such dire straits Dad should be the one hunting not some kid. If Dad and Mom are scum bags the kids need to be taken out of the home. If neither can work due to illness or injury there are programs to help.

Akbound, Very nicely put.

Charlie P

Under law the Game Wardens are mandatory reporters to the DSS.

dog1

j3k2c1,

Let me ya'll 2 more cases, both actually happened.

1. My uncle and his mother (my grandmother) looked after several thousands of acres for an individual. The landowner gave them permission to do anything on the land they wanted. My uncle no longer could hunt (age and health) so he made him a couple of bird traps and when he and my grandmother wanted some quail to eat they would catch only enough for a meal. The local DNR Officer found the traps, destroyed them and told my uncle he would write him a ticket if it happend again. My uncle only traped the birds when they were not breeding, nesting, etc. This happened 30 yrs. ago. What would you do?

2. Some wealthy land owners had several cypress ponds on their property, which was duck magnets. They hired a man to bait the ponds each year for duck shoots. They would invite their friends, doctors, layers, business men, etc. The officer caught them shooting over bait and they had over the limit. This happened 2 or 3 times and each time he was told by his superiors to let them go or it was his job. This outraged the officer, but he did what he was told. This happened in the last 10 yrs. Is this right and what would you do?

dog1

Stump_MN_Hunter

I 100% agree with akbound on this one. Taking game out of season seems to be the "norm" for the family. Do you think it will stop because somehow...someway the family gets a little extra $$ to put food on the table(if that's REALLY the case)? I tend to disagree. That family needs to learn how to ask for help. Example...here in MN(if hunting the correct areas), I'm able to shoot 5 deer. I wouldn't shoot that many becasue I don't know what the heck I'd do with the meat of 5, but if there was a family that needed meat....heck ya I'd shoot 5 and donate it to them. Heck...I'd even cut it up for them. It wouldn't cost them a dime. And I know atleast 5-10 others right now that would shoot their limit of 5 if need be and give it to them.

Tomster,
To try and compare the taking of PUBLIC game out of season or even in season and taking over-limits and speeding IMO is extremely far fetched. By speeding, I simply run the risk of getting a ticket. I'm not depleteing a public resource.

JagMagMan

I agree with Akbound!
The kid has learned to break small game laws, whats next? Big game and then maybe holding up 7-11's?
I also agree, find out whats going on in that home!
I've heard of the "hunting to survive" argument before! If that is OK, then just where does it stop? armed robbery, shop lifting?
as far as big game goes, in most places you can take enough game IN season to last most of the year.

As to the other two situations,
1. Uncle was breaking a game law, and the officer did him a favor by giving him a warning! Let one person break the law, why not everyone!

2. This officer had two choices, do as he was told, or go over their heads, as high as he had too! His superiors would be fired, and possibly be fined too.
The wealthy hunters would be fined and possibly have a little imbarrassment if this hit the local news!
A similar situation happened in my area a few years back. Several prominate people and elected officials were caught on tape at a local shooting resort shooting way more than the limit of ducks and geese. Not only were they fined, they lost their hunting and fishing rights and were publicly embarrassed too!

Charlie P

A good friends family wasn't doing well about ten years ago. It was Christmas time,no presents etc. Well he decides at least were going to have a tree. Goes out on State land and cuts a christmas tree down. When he got to the road with there sits a DEC cop. He gets arrested and fined and his name in the paper on Christmas day.

I said "why didn't some money I would have gladly loaned/ gave you some cash" he just shrugged his pride wouldn't let him.