Buck Hollow Sporting Goods - click or touch to visit their website Midwest Habitat Company

More poacher problems

dbltree

dbltree

Super Moderator
I know some feel that shining is not major problem when it comes to poaching...but our law enforcement reports tell the real story.

Local poaching case

Many papers like our local one are not online and most of you are not aware of the convictions of people caught shining with a loaded weapon in the front seat.

Deputies and troopers also report a serious problem and have caught a number of people "shining and shooting" this fall
crazy.gif


It's a problem that I feel needs to be addressed. Talk is cheap though...
smirk.gif


Shining


On the subject of bucks being killed in the TG season...
confused.gif


TG illegal kills
 
Talked to a buddy last week and he said two guys in Madison county were picked up for shining (on my buddies land) and had loaded rifles in the trucks. They didn't have any deer on them and all they got fined for was having a loaded gun in their vehicle.
 
I am glad to see that they were caught and will be help fully accountable. I think that it is also important to publish the case in the news to send the message to other poachers that they are being watched and that the game wardens, hunters, and land owners will catch up with them.
 
Dbl.
I know it has been debated before and I do not want to steal your thread but just because someone shines does not mean they poach.
Just because someone has a gun does not make him anymore of a killer.
I take my boys out and shine at night just to look at the deer. That's all.
I do not feel compelled in the least to poach a deer by doing this.
We also have a problem with poachers in our area also. After that snow in November we saw 4 blood drags leading to the road. I think it is a problem everywhere.
Risto
 
Seems the one guy called the DNR and turned himself in after shooting the deer, took his medicine like a man. Mistakes are made, but he did the right thing. There are a lot of people who would have walked away and hoped no one else in the group said anything.
 
When I worked down in southern iowa last fall, I couldn't believe all the guys that would admit how they used to run around when they were younger shining and shooting everything that moved. One guy said he was going to buy his kid a spotlight and a rifle when he turned 16. Southern Iowa has a major problem that is for sure. I hunted a lot last fall in southern iowa, and it seemed every night right at last light, rifle shots would echo throughout the country, maybe they were just shooting coyotes, but I highly doubt it.
confused.gif
 
[ QUOTE ]
I hunted a lot last fall in southern iowa, and it seemed every night right at last light, rifle shots would echo throughout the country, maybe they were just shooting coyotes, but I highly doubt it.


[/ QUOTE ]

I go down and bow hunt my uncle's farm every year. I'm always hearing rifle shots when there. As a side note we found 4 deer with their heads cut off on his 180 acres this year??? My cousin said he was going to talk to the Lucas Co. CO but I've never heard what it ever lead too.
 
Good post Paul! I have this number in my cell.....and I have used it.

TURN IN POACHERS!
tiplogo.gif
 
It is sad when younguns do things like this.They need to understand what ethics are and it seems they are learnin it the hard way.
 
The three racked up a total of $43,146 in fines and damages.

I'd say they learned the hard way, real quick.
waytogo.gif

Thanks for the post Paul.
 
Found a large body with no head Nov.8 almost 1/2 mile off the road on my property.
mad.gif
Sounds like they have to catch them in the act to do anything. Guess I need some trail cameras.
 
[ QUOTE ]
just because someone shines does not mean they poach.


[/ QUOTE ]

Of course not and I'm not implying that such is the case.

The hard facts are that a few "thieves" are stealing a resource that is very very important to everyone of us...and they are using legal shining to "rob" us
crazy.gif


I know we've talked about the this many times and while I would prefer not to enter in to arguments with my friends, I feel we have to do something...to call for a change that will help law enforcement better deal with this issue.

That may mean some sacrifice from honest law abiding sportsmen who enjoy recreational shining.

Saying that "it's not a problem" or expecting officers to sort thru untold numbers of legal shiners to catch the bad guys isn't going to cut it anymore.

I did some searching to see what other states use in regards to dealing with shining. Look this over and see if we can find comprimise to allow some recreational shining but curtail it during those times when it's easiest for poachers to rob us.

[ QUOTE ]

It is illegal to use an artificial light, including vehicle headlights, to locate wild animals at any time during November and all other days of the year between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m.


It is illegal to use an artificial light on a highway or in a field, woodland or forest while having in your possession or control a bow and arrow, firearm or other device capable of shooting a projectile.


Exception: This prohibition does not apply to pistols carried under the authority of a concealed pistol license or properly carried under authority of a specific exemption from the requirement of a concealed pistol license. This does not authorize the individual to use the pistol to take game except as provided by law.


An artificial light may be used from November 1-30 on property you own or property owned by a member of your immediate family if you do not have in your possession or control a bow and arrow, firearm or other device capable of shooting a projectile.


A deer hunter may use an artificial light one hour before and one hour after shooting hours while carrying an unloaded firearm or bow and arrow when traveling on foot to or from their hunting location.


See Nighttime Raccoon and Predator Hunting for artificial light regulations when hunting raccoon, opossum, fox and coyote at night.


Persons not possessing a firearm or bow and arrow while traveling on foot may use lights during dog training or field trials to follow dogs chasing raccoon, opossum or fox. A lighted pin sight on a bow or a scope with illuminated cross hairs may be used to hunt game during legal hunting hours.


Note: If you are using an artificial light to locate game, you must immediately stop your vehicle when signaled by a uniformed officer or marked patrol vehicle.


[/ QUOTE ]

Give me your thoughts on this. I don't expect all to agree and some will stubbornly insist on the status quo...but I'm not going to settle for that anymore.......
 
[ QUOTE ]
Found a large body with no head Nov.8 almost 1/2 mile off the road on my property.
mad.gif
Sounds like they have to catch them in the act to do anything. Guess I need some trail cameras.

[/ QUOTE ]

I found a headless deer Nov. 10 this year and called the CO. Since the deer had been dead 3-6 days, the CO didn't seem real big on the case. At first I was mad at them, then I started to look at "the big picture". There are very few CO's, they cover lots of ground, they get lots of calls: thus, they have to rank the cases according to which ones have the highest conviction chance and devote their time and limited resources to those. Yes, being a witness or having trailcam photos (as long as the low lifes don't streal the cam, too) will greatly assist the CO. I think my next trailcam will be IR.

I did my part, making the call and giving them alot of information. Unfortunately, most of the information was circumstantial. Still, if the CO did knock on a couple of doors, it might have served as fair warning and the culprits might not be so brazen next time.
 
What if someone purchases high dollar night vision binos (for recreational night watching/locating of deer) and accomplishes the same thing? Should that be illegal too? Otherwise it would be another avenue for folks that have money or are not afraid to spend it
smirk.gif


As long as you own the land, or have legitimate permission to hunt it, I do not feel that recreational shining should be illegal. If you have a firearm in your possession while doing it, you should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law however.

And this comes from someone that has never done it... It is simply a way to locate and identify deer on properties that you hunt. For those of us that can't afford to shell out the cash to buy 10 trail cams, or don't have the time to check them all, this is a inexpensive alternative means to the same end.
 
Dbltree,

I agree with you. Our CO's cannot even drive all the blacktop roads in their areas of coverage in one day, let alone sort out and pursue all the shining calls. A compromise law- no shining anytime a day/night during hard horn months- September thru January.
 
I agree with Paul on this subject. I would like to see them ammend the existing rules and put time and date restrictions on shining.

Considering the limited time and resources of our DNR officers I think it is just disrespectful to them to be out shining for recreational purposes. Just my opinion. I used to shine for fun, but quit doing it, it is just to hard to tell the poachers from the non-poachers.

Also, if you have the money to pay for fuel and the time to drive around at night shining than you probably can buy a cheap trail camera and find the time to check the pictures.
 
The problem is that until valuable time and resources are spent no one knows who is SHINING legally or illegally. I don't know about you guys but I try to keep a sharp eye for problems in my area. If I see someone hunting on my neighbors or the adjoining public ground I always try to see who it is and what they are upto. I try to determine if things are legit and if I don't feel good about it I can call the CO. If I see spot lights running the roads I try to see if it is coon hunters or something else. I have called a few times about spotlighters. The problem is that currently no one except the spotlighters can tell who is legal or not by just seeing a light. Then the CO must priortize and if he has checked legal shinner in the area before then he might not respond.
Where as if shinning were illegal then any light sighting would more likely bring the proper response. There are so few COs right now that they depend heavly on concerned people and the TIP line for information on illegal activity. If you don't know your local CO then after things settle down after deer season you should introduce yourself and make him aware that you want the same things he does concerning law breakers, and then stay in touch so he remembers who you are. Then if you call him to report something he knows that you are for real and it is good information. These guys are good people with a tough job so lets all help where we can. One way would be to restrict the legal use of spotlights maybe some what like stated above by Paul.
 
Well put guys! This is exactly right. These C.O.'s are spread so thin that this has to be changed. Last night when the situation I found warranted a C.O. He was in the southern part of the state helping with a situation there. I also recommend having the state patrols number handy as there is always one not to far away. Whan I called the Sheriffs office in attempt to find someone to help they returned my call back 20 minutes later insructing me to call the state patrol.
mad.gif
I was not amused!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top Bottom