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Where is the DNR when you need them?

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Lioness

Guest
Last night around 9:30 I was watching TV and heard three gun shots right outside my window, looked out and saw a vehicle stopped in the road and the driver was out looking around. Then he got back in his vehicle and drove off. My husband went to get the truck to see if there was any blood. By the time he was ready to drive down the road the vehicle came back to see if they had hit what they shot at. After watching them look around on the road for a minute my husband went down to meet them. The idiot was stupid enough to stop and talk to him. The shooter(with his little girl in the vehicle)admitted to shooting at a deer and then proceded to tell him that he had just been dumping some deer bones off at our neighbors house which is a small acre of property up against the farm we watch over, so it is not hard to figure out whose ground the deer bones are going on. Then to make you laugh even more he told my husband his name and where he lived, what a moron. We called the DNR but could get no answer, then we tried the "stop poachers" number where no one ever answers the phone. This morning we stopped on our way to work and there are shell casings on the road and pools of blood. Real nice that another deer is running around wounded or dead because of a poacher and nice values to teach our younger generation. The officer called back today and said that there was really nothing that could be done now but he would go talk to him just because he such and idiot for admitting it and then letting us know his name and where he lives. Maybe that will be enough to stop the stupid SOB and let him know that he is being watched. Just thought you would all enjoy a nice poaching story. I didn't sleep very well after the whole incident because next time he might hit our house or one of our dogs and this kind of stuff makes me very angry after all the time us honest hunters spend in the woods.
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Funny thing is some poachers think no one cares. Why am I not surprised to here the DNR respond with, "nothing could be done now". Why not? What are we paying them for?
Welcome to the site, Lioness
Hunt on All4s
 
Let's be careful about critisizing the DNR guys. Although there are lots of times I wish they could do more to catch these low lifes I think they are doing everything within thier power. Let's face it, I'm sure they take pride in thier work just like everyone else and am sure they get frustrated when they know someone is doing something stupid and can't quite bust them for whatever reason.

Maybe us hunters need to somehow start putting some pressure on our state legislatures to increase the budget for the DNR, specifically for more LE.

Here's an example: The NE four counties has 6 officers to cover the whole area. There's no way in hell they can cover the whole area well. And the low lifes know that. I've said before on different post's, we need to carry cell's with thier numbers and local cops numbers on them and not be afraid to call when we see something.

We can make the biggest difference, but it would be nice to have more CO's.
 
Your right Moose, I should have said (some) DNR. I know most do their best and have some good friends who are among them but to say "nothing could be done now" is just wrong.
Hunt on All4s
 
Moosehunter- It was a great idea in another post so I looked up my local CO's cell & put it in mine for the next time I see something funny. I'm wondering if I missed something here- the guy shoots a deer after dark, gets caught/admits what he did, who he is, where he lives- and they can't do anything? If you are willing to file the complaint, why not?
 
A lot of poaching cases are dropped because the witness refuses to testify (for whatever reasons - don't want to rat on their neighbors, afraid of retributions, etc) In most situations if the witness is willing to go to court the C.O. has a good chance of making a bust.
I know when you call our C.O.'s cell phone, if he's off duty his voice mail message gives you an alternate number to call for a wildlife violation in progress. Maybe this is not the way it is statewide??
 
Lioness, it does seem odd that he didnt feel anything could be done. Did your husband tell him that you would testify? I'm in law enforcement and I would have filed on him in a heartbeat if you were willing to testify in court. It might not hurt to call your C.O. back and try that angle, especially if this idiot has been a problem in the past.

You guys are right, more people need to get involved because there are very few eyes trying to watch a whole lot of country out there. Sadly, the majority of people just grumble and look the other way. Its as if the C.O.'s are the boogyman or something and they are afraid to call.

I was talking to my C.O. the other day about this and this is what he said "I'm always happy to get calls, but if I dont get any calls I just go work pheasant hunters because other wise its just a long shot in the dark".
Makes sense, if people dont let him know where the problem areas are he could set for weeks in the dark and see nothing by just trying to guess.
 
If one of the reason's peole don't turn others in is because they don't want to go to court to testify, or are afraid of retaliation, they may want to concider this.

I bet most poaching cases get settled without the offender even setting foot in court. They hire a lawyer and plea bargain and plead guilty to certain charges and thier done. And Law Enforcement does not have to divuldge thier witnesses.

It would be nice to see Blindsow check in on this one.
 
We talked to the neighbor last night and he kind of denied that the guy had been back there and said that he hadn't seen anything, but there were deer bones laying in his yard. Then we drove around the house to where there is access to our farm that we watch over and there were tracks from a truck driving in, people tracks and the track of a deer being dragged out. When we got home we talked to the DNR about it and he is going over there to investigate today, pulling the guys background and seeing what tags he has purchased. Both of us are willing to testify and give this guy exactly what he deserves. Our officer said that he could work on matching the tire tracks and also try to shake down the neighbor to see what they can find out. There have been alot of odd things happening around our place lately(bags of Meth making tools,dumped couches ect.) and maybe they are all linked together somehow. Our neighbor has hinted he knows who it is but he is scared of them. Hopefully the law will come through and make an example of this low life.
 
...two questions popped into my head when I read the beginning post...was the slob within 200 yards of your house?...did the officer see the shells on the road and could they be verified as slugs?...these two violations - shooting within 200 yards of an occupied building without permission and firing a shotgun shooting slugs from a roadway (which includes the ditch) - do not need witnesses to testify for citations to be written (if I remember correctly)...if either of these can be supported by the slug shells on the road and the slob admits to being there I have hard time believing nothing can be done - But I am not a CO...

...yes, I agree it would be nice to have more CO's...usually Iowa averages roughly a CO for every 2 counties (not enough)...however, this year there are 13 enforcement positions that are vacant and will not be filled until July if they can find the $$ (doesn't look good)...most of a CO's pay comes from the sale of licenses and tag fees...that's one of the biggest reasons I support most raises in licenses and tags...the money comes back to help the true sportsmen & women...
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...but we as outdoor enthusiasts can help by being the watchful eyes for the few CO's that are out there...looking the other way whenever we see a violation is just as good as condoning the action...

...I gotta go my wife needs the Tide Box I am on!...
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A little update on the situation. The DNR officers found the shell casings and the blood all over the road. They went to the guys house and he had two landowner tags and a paid tag. Plus, he had already filled one landowner tag, funny thing is he owns no ground. He denied shooting at a deer he said he was shooting at a rabbit in the ditch. Then he got a little mouthy so they took his four guns and his remaining tags. They are going to link the casings to one of the guns. We haven't found the deer yet but are going to look tomorrow for it. Can you say busted!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
Glad to hear it Lioness
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Hope they keep the guns and also take away his hunting rights. Maybe this will be a kickstart to the landowner having to prove they actually own land..
 
Excellent, that is just how this kind of thing is supposed to work. Good job to you and the DNR. I'm bumping this back to the top for everybody to read!
 
Poaching is a problem where ever there are deer and people. Very few get caught, very few incidences get reported. You should be in the big woods of northern Minnesota sometime. It's litterally looked at as a family tradition up there. I personally have zero time for it. I do make the calls. It was once said the if you are not part of the solution, then you are part of the problem. This is so true for poaching. Enough of turning the other way. Time for all to get involved. Way to go Lioness! Thats a great example and we should ALL do our part.
 
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