I hate to hear stories like that. It is true that stories like this turn people off of hunting abd give tree huggers more ammo to use on real hunters!!

That's infuriating. The next time I heard shots I'd be calling the police. Confronting the kids(reckless kinds with guns) may not have been the best idea though. I'm a firm believer that what comes around goes around and hopefully these kids learn the hard way.[:@]

I think that when they get caught, cause I am sure they will. That they should be thrown in jail for at least 5 years and given a nice fat fine.

Been out for early MZ season last couple days. Saw for my self the doe they shot. Roughed her up pretty bad. I will spare the details but it was not good. Besides the obvious ignorance, stupidity, and lack of respect, the other part that bothers me is since I hunt there I fear people in the area will associate this crap with me or hunters like me. We know the police officer assigned to the area (he's an avid hunter) but he's been out as well. Haven't talked to him yet to see if there is anything he can do. Probably not though.

First, I totally agree that it was a very stupid thing and the kids should be held accountable and punished. Both poaching and cruelty are crimes and should be punished.

But we also have to think about what kind of punishment - 5 years in jail? NEVER being able to have a gun or hunt again for the rest of their lives? I hate to say it, but kids, ESPECIALLY teenage boys, make huge mistakes because of pure stupidity and immaturity. I would be extremely embarrassed to admit to some of the mistakes I made, but will mention just one: DWI on many occassions. I've never been caught, and, fortunately for myself and the public, learned what a serious and stupid mistake that was before I hurt myself and others. There are others also. So stupid I can't believe I was ever that stupid, but it was also more than 25 years ago.

The only point I'm making is that it is a stupid mistake and one that should be punished. But I also think that it represents one of many "typical" stupid mistakes young men (and women) make and it is my belief that it does not represent the way they'll act as adults. Punish yes, but appropriate for the crime. If you assume it is not an indication of committed criminals, but instead an indication of sheer immature stupidity, the punishment should focus on that.

To me, while a financial penalty (loss of weapons and/or vehicle used in crime plus a fine of some sort) is appropriate, the best thing to do is NOT to throw them in jail or make some sort of lifetime loss of privelidge. I think it would be better for them, as well as the rest of us, to make their punishment benefit true hunters and wildlife - public service in the name of fish and game, for instance. What is jail going to do other than get them to make friends with real criminals when what they are (at this point) is more than likely just a couple of stupid kids, not committed criminals.\

Now repeat offenders, or older offenders - that's a different story.

In some ways I can agree with that, but the loss of hunting privileges until they turn 21 and some kind of "real" community service like clearing land for the DNR with "house arrest"- no outside privileges outside of school or work without an accompanying adult should do it for me. I did IGNORANT stuff as a youth, and I still thank the Lord I made it to (responsible?!) adulthood. Never used firearms,though. As a gun owner, that's the worst part of their crime - the ammo that "real" hunters like John Kerry and Charles Schumer get out of this to ban our guns. But do be careful in confronting them. They show no mercy to living things, and they're just as maybe cruel enough not to want to leave any witnesses if cornered. (oh, yeah-when in doubt EMPTY THE MAGAZINE!!)

You asked what were these kids thinking? Well the answer to that is that they werent thinking at all.

I hate hearing these things it makes me so mad back when I was 13 on are farm we had a lot of deer an alot of big bucks but there was one that was bigger than the rest he was 16 points an wood have went boone an crokit me an my dads friend hunted this deer for 5 years the just last year when bow season came in I shot this monster buck an my arow when just under the spine an we never found him then about two weeks befor gun season me an my cuz brandon seen this deer an we seen were I hit him in the back he hadnt healed all the way but the night befor last years gun season there was a truck going up an down the road with a spot light I called my grandpaw an he said let it go its just nabor kids spotlighting looking at the deer well about 2am i hurd a gun shot an i looked out my window an seen the same red truck that had been driving up an down the road parked in my field I put my close an walked down there the plats were ohio an I got down there an there was these two men i have never seen befor an they had shot that big buck I ask wut do u think you are doing an they said well this deer has been riping up my year an the gamewordan said that they could shoot it well my dad is marryed to the gamewordans dauter so I said let me go call the gamewordan an as i walked to the house they shot me in the back of my right leg an drove off left the deer an i had to crawle to my house to call 911 an they came tolk me to the hospital an ask me so questions about the guys an still these guys that shot me an my world record buck are out there running free