I hate that I see this stuff “often” as I’m at the farm often & I do pay closer attention than the “average guy”. I might be better with my head in the sand. We’ve busted a pile of em & this is all across the state. & I do believe it still happens all over the state. I know it does.
The 2 we had going on over the last 2 seasons…. Dudes using thermals out of trucks with suppressors. Chased some dudes, got some plates & got that one handled. The other one…. We found several bucks in our area off the road - not “recovered” that still had the crossbow bolts in them. Found others im sure was same but no bolt in them. Clearly- dead silent- crossbow out the vehicle window…. Hard to catch.
So far- we screened every drop of road we can. Some redoing it after county or power company cuts or sprays into my place further than they should.
Put cameras at any spot a person could pull in. If they go on me- they will be on camera. My signs are legit - big custom steel signs that spell out the cameras & consequences.
The one part im doing this year…. I got a dozen flash cameras. I’ll put em in me but angled to road. Get license plates with at least a few of them. Here’s the key- I want people to see the flash. If someone takes a camera or did anything - they get pinched with another camera they won’t see. At a very minimum- it’ll let guys know they on camera. If something does happen- I likely will know the truck & plate # (I’ll have so many cams I’ll get the plate).
Whatcha think & what else can a guy do? Is this overboard?!?!?? Some might say so!! But overboard is the only way I roll & I will do whatever it takes to stop criminal garbage like this. Easier than anyone thinks though too….. screening is almost one & done. Running some extra cams - say it’s a “grand” to do it- fine. All this is minor in my view if I can stay on this or nip in the butt. If I lost 3-4 bucks a year cause I didn’t do it- not ok With me. Very worth it to screen & put surveillance out. Not that big of deal to be honest. & yes, we patrol hard & we are lucky we do. The problems of past are mind boggling bad.
Dude I talked to last week with a “big tract” about an hour from me says he loses no less than half dozen bucks a year to poaching: “10+ is common”. Buddies in Monroe co had countless headless bucks last year. We busted one guy by me who pled guilty to 47 bucks in 1 year. This garbage has to stop or be stopped and it can be- to a large degree.
The other thing we clearly need is more law enforcement & harsher fines/penalties. I do realize the trespass fee went way up and we also fine people BIG if buck is over xyz score. We need a lot more of this. Egregious poachers need massive consequences.
That’s my tactics this year in a nutshell. What else u all suggest?
The 2 we had going on over the last 2 seasons…. Dudes using thermals out of trucks with suppressors. Chased some dudes, got some plates & got that one handled. The other one…. We found several bucks in our area off the road - not “recovered” that still had the crossbow bolts in them. Found others im sure was same but no bolt in them. Clearly- dead silent- crossbow out the vehicle window…. Hard to catch.
So far- we screened every drop of road we can. Some redoing it after county or power company cuts or sprays into my place further than they should.
Put cameras at any spot a person could pull in. If they go on me- they will be on camera. My signs are legit - big custom steel signs that spell out the cameras & consequences.
The one part im doing this year…. I got a dozen flash cameras. I’ll put em in me but angled to road. Get license plates with at least a few of them. Here’s the key- I want people to see the flash. If someone takes a camera or did anything - they get pinched with another camera they won’t see. At a very minimum- it’ll let guys know they on camera. If something does happen- I likely will know the truck & plate # (I’ll have so many cams I’ll get the plate).
Whatcha think & what else can a guy do? Is this overboard?!?!?? Some might say so!! But overboard is the only way I roll & I will do whatever it takes to stop criminal garbage like this. Easier than anyone thinks though too….. screening is almost one & done. Running some extra cams - say it’s a “grand” to do it- fine. All this is minor in my view if I can stay on this or nip in the butt. If I lost 3-4 bucks a year cause I didn’t do it- not ok With me. Very worth it to screen & put surveillance out. Not that big of deal to be honest. & yes, we patrol hard & we are lucky we do. The problems of past are mind boggling bad.
Dude I talked to last week with a “big tract” about an hour from me says he loses no less than half dozen bucks a year to poaching: “10+ is common”. Buddies in Monroe co had countless headless bucks last year. We busted one guy by me who pled guilty to 47 bucks in 1 year. This garbage has to stop or be stopped and it can be- to a large degree.
The other thing we clearly need is more law enforcement & harsher fines/penalties. I do realize the trespass fee went way up and we also fine people BIG if buck is over xyz score. We need a lot more of this. Egregious poachers need massive consequences.
That’s my tactics this year in a nutshell. What else u all suggest?