Author Topic: Distasteful topic but I'm curious ! (Read 3693 times)

Country Boy · « **on:** December 22, 2005, 06:49:51 AM »

We have a lot of trouble with poachers around here sometimes I hear a shot sometimes not but the evidence is there,dead deer no head. What is the weapon of choice for poachers ? and why? I do see spotlights.sometimes. How do these guys operate. I would think they would make kills close to a road so as to get in and out quickly. Very hard to carch these guys. Just curious. :x

wink_man · « **Reply #1 on:** December 22, 2005, 07:50:57 AM »

The poachers weapon of choice has always been the 22 rimfire, for a variety of reasons.
Sincerely,
Garry

beemanbeme · « **Reply #2 on:** December 22, 2005, 09:52:39 AM »

The preferred weapon of the illegal deer hunters is the .22LR. The preferred weapon of the poacher hunters is a 12gauge loaded with #6 shot. :grin:

Chuck White · « **Reply #3 on:** December 26, 2005, 08:09:37 PM »

I think that the weapon of choice would be something like the 22 Hornet, 218 Bee, etc!

No recoil, low noise, good trajectory, and pretty good energy out to 150 yards or so!
A deer hit in the ribs with a Hornet isn't going to go too far!

Poachers will usually work in groups of 2 or 3!
Once the shot is fired, one or two will get out of the vehicle and take care of the deer, while the driver just drives around for a while!
Then the driver will come back and the others will load the deer, jump in the vehicle and leave!

Big Wenger · « **Reply #4 on:** February 10, 2006, 07:45:43 AM »

Poacher gear in my part of the country consists of a beat up old truck, a .22 magnum, a spotlight, a twelve pack of Busch Light and a total disregard for ethics, safety and the law. They drive around shining fields until they see eyes reflecting light. If they are at least 10% sure that the eyes belong to deer, they fire. Poachers are tough to catch because they operate in remote areas late at night.

flintlock · « **Reply #5 on:** February 10, 2006, 08:12:02 AM »

We had a problem with road hunters a few years back...Called the game warden, gave him a key to the gate and a general idea as to what was going on...After 3 years of the decoy and catching 17 different road hunters we no longer have a problem...

rickyp · « **Reply #6 on:** February 11, 2006, 05:30:48 AM »

so of the high tech road hunters are using a 22 rimfire and one of the night sights you can get from cabelas. the night sights give the road hunter a real advantage as they can see in the dark with out a light, it makes it easy to spot a DNR agent in the field or his truck. If they really want to go high tech and have a lot of extra money they can get a thermal image scope this would show the hot spots from the motors and if it is just a decoy it would show that as well, it would make the DNR agent stand out like a sour thumb as well as his truck.

Don Fischer · « **Reply #7 on:** February 11, 2006, 10:18:13 AM »

Distasteful, but I too am courious. If a guy takes a shot at say, 350+ yds and gut shoot's an animal that runs off and is lost then goes ahead and shoot's another animal, is he a poacher?

I ask because we always seem willing to pass judgment on what we percieve as illegal shooting but mum's the word if it can be called legal.
Yet in both case's an animal is lost. One to a guy that may be feeding his family and one to a guy that's stroking his ego! Just a thought!!!! :roll:

rickyp · « **Reply #8 on:** February 11, 2006, 10:28:08 AM »

you are now getting into a different ball game what is legal and what is considered ethical.

Don Fischer · « **Reply #9 on:** February 11, 2006, 10:52:54 AM »

Not really. In the 350+ yd shot above, the deer died but wasn't recovered. Was the second deer poached?

Yea, it's also about ethic's! I find it distrubing that so many people are willing to shoot at extream range just because they can. If they made a law tomorrow that you couldn't shoot beyond 200 yds, you think that would stop many people? There's quite a difference between shooting at a piece of paper and a game animal at any range. Everybody is upset if their pet rifle won't put all their :wink: bullet's into say, 1" on paper. But with an animal break'em down then use a finishing shot seem's acceptable.

I mention this only because I believe as a group that hunt for sport, we really ought to be more critical of ourselves. Seem's like nobody is willing to pass ethical judgment's on another for fear they'll do the same to us!

MGMorden · « **Reply #10 on:** April 11, 2006, 05:45:42 PM »

Quote from: Don Fischer

Distasteful, but I too am courious. If a guy takes a shot at say, 350+ yds and gut shoot's an animal that runs off and is lost then goes ahead and shoot's another animal, is he a poacher?

I ask because we always seem willing to pass judgment on what we percieve as illegal shooting but mum's the word if it can be called legal.
Yet in both case's an animal is lost. One to a guy that may be feeding his family and one to a guy that's stroking his ego! Just a thought!!!! :roll:

I wouldn't call that poaching. Technically in my state hunt zone there is no limit on the number of deer you can kill per season (there is a 2 per day limit on public land, though no such restriction is on private lands). Wasteful yes, but not poaching.

Poaching is more like people hunting out of season, or hunting at night. I know of a lot of people are here who do both. For some God-awful reason or another it became a "tradition" around here to go hunting on July 4th. A lot of people do it, and a lot of them get caught (good on em I say). I also know a lot of people who night hunt (1 of which has a spotlight on a tree and a cornpile setup in his yard so that he can shoot them out of a window in his living room. Just keeps the gun sitting on a table pulled up to the window. And these same idiots somehow think the "gubment" is doing them wrong when they try to pass additional regs on hunting (we've already got some of the least stringent laws in the country, but they just can't help but mess it up).

Most of them even have the gaul to argue with the Game Warden's when they're caught shooting the fake deer.

Sadly I'm related to many of the offenders, but I like to think that I rose above that particular behaviour.

statelinerut · « **Reply #11 on:** April 12, 2006, 01:16:08 AM »

Quote from: Don Fischer

Distasteful, but I too am courious. If a guy takes a shot at say, 350+ yds and gut shoot's an animal that runs off and is lost then goes ahead and shoot's another animal, is he a poacher?

I ask because we always seem willing to pass judgment on what we percieve as illegal shooting but mum's the word if it can be called legal.
Yet in both case's an animal is lost. One to a guy that may be feeding his family and one to a guy that's stroking his ego! Just a thought!!!! :roll:

You have a good point Don, but I have do agree that if it is legal in your state to shoot a deer and not find it and you can then shoot another deer then we have to side with the law. But I firmly believe that the hunter shoulder exaust every avenue at his disposal to recover that first deer. I know of way too many hunters that claim to have lost deer that if they would have just taken their time would have found the animal. Shooting the animal is only half the job of harvesting game. Finding it is the other half. More people I believe need to elevate their blood trailing and tracking skills a lot more when it comes to finding their animal. Its all about patience and responsibility. Every hunter is going to lose an animal in the woods sooner or later, but it should not be for the lack of effort on the hunters part.

Now to the poachers. They are breaking the law, whether it be feeding their family or not. They can get a license just like the rest of us and chase thier game fairly and ethically like the rest. I have no respect or compassion for these scumbags :evil: I have worked the past two years on the road I live on in assisting the game warden here in catching poachers shooting from the road. And we have caught quite a few in doing so. I say to hell with them all and take away their right to hunt. Thats just my two cents.

corbanzo · « **Reply #12 on:** April 12, 2006, 03:30:40 PM »

I would say don't take a shot at 350 yards unless you know you can connect with enough power to make sure the deer doesn't go that far. If you hit it, you should be tracking it long before you take another shot.

NONYA · « **Reply #13 on:** April 12, 2006, 11:50:46 PM »

"Poaching is more like people hunting out of season, or hunting at night. I know of a lot of people are here who do both."mg.MG your entire family may be a buch of poachers but why would you say that we members of this forum are? :roll:

MGMorden · « **Reply #14 on:** April 13, 2006, 09:03:59 AM »

Quote from: NONYA

"Poaching is more like people hunting out of season, or hunting at night. I know of a lot of people are here who do both."mg.MG your entire family may be a buch of poachers but why would you say that we members of this forum are? :roll:

When I said "here" I was refering to my physical location, not the forum. Have you ever heard of context? :roll:.

And no, my *entire* family is not composed of poachers. My dad nor my brother are. About half of my uncles on my dad's side aren't. My No one on my mothers side hunts illegally (that I know of). I'll not lie though, there are a lot of people in my family who do. It's sort of the way things go though. Every family has it's trouble makers. When 90% of your relatives live in the middle of the woods, they make trouble in the woods.

NONYA · « **Reply #15 on:** April 13, 2006, 03:42:31 PM »

You know for certian that these people are poachers and you have done nothing about it? :roll:

MGMorden · « **Reply #16 on:** April 13, 2006, 06:18:50 PM »

Quote from: NONYA

You know for certian that these people are poachers and you have done nothing about it? :roll:

That's not my place to do anything about it. I have no sympathy for them when they're caught (and many of them are), but I'm not going to go running off and trying to get them punished for it. Hell most of the game wardens (several of whom I know quite well), even though they will write them a ticket in a heartbeat if they catch them, will lose a lot of respect for someone who "tattle tales".

NONYA · « **Reply #17 on:** April 14, 2006, 12:04:18 AM »

If your game wardens have that kind of attitude its no wonder your family members dont get caught when they poach,you can call the state police if your wardens are unwilling to investigate reported crimes,IF they do get reported,wich I doubt,sounds like YALL are quite comfortable with the idea,you wont turn in poachers but you dont hesitate to complain about them,what a joke....

victorcharlie · « **Reply #18 on:** April 14, 2006, 02:04:57 AM »

Didn't the sheriff of Nottingham want Robin Hood for poaching the kings deer?

Wasn't the sheriff the villian?

Ironic......isn't it?

MGMorden · « **Reply #19 on:** April 14, 2006, 04:11:40 AM »

Quote from: NONYA

you can call the state police if your wardens are unwilling to investigate reported crimes

I didn't say they were unwilling to investigate anything. I said they will loose respect for the person who coming running to them screaming about how whoever else is doing this. They setup fake decoy deers to catch the poachers all the time, and they will go check out anything someone tips them off about.

After they check it out though, they're going to view you as an ass for not minding your own business.

NONYA · « **Reply #20 on:** April 15, 2006, 12:12:11 AM »

Your wardens are FOOLS if they actually hold that opinion of people for terying to stop poaching,sure your not related to these wardens? :eek:

MGMorden · « **Reply #21 on:** April 15, 2006, 01:27:09 AM »

Quote from: NONYA

Your wardens are FOOLS if they actually hold that opinion of people for terying to stop poaching,sure your not related to these wardens? :eek:

That's one of your opinions, which I've learned to place little value on.

And no, I'm not related to them. I think early on in my posts in this thread I suffficiently established that I'm related to a good bit of poachers in this area, but it's a common problem, and a lot of people do it. The % of my relatives that engage in it doesn't seem to exceed the % of the popluation around here doing it.

Of course, it's not that you were actually trying to make a logical conclusion, just a sorry attempt at an insult.

NONYA · « **Reply #22 on:** April 15, 2006, 10:08:31 AM »

If I was trying to insult you I would say you are just as bad as your poaching family cuz you do nothing to stop it,thats call accountability to a crime but Im sure you already know that.None of my family poach but if they did they would get turned in and busted,I guess you folks have a different set of ethics that allows the breaking of game laws,but you preach about what is right and wrong online.You are a hypocrite and a poor example of a sportsman,I hope you all get caught. :wink:

corbanzo · « **Reply #23 on:** April 15, 2006, 06:14:38 PM »

Quote from: NONYA

you are just as bad as your poaching family cuz you do nothing to stop it

You can't say that. People's business is their own damn business, there are things that members of my family do that I don't agree with, and I might mention it, but that's their life. If that's how they want to live it, it's up to them, and they should pay the consequences. Saying someone is a criminal because they are related to criminals is a barrel full.

And I'm not saying that poaching is permissable, poachers take away from regulated population control, hurting game populations, and also take away from the value of our sport as a whole. The main problem that I have with poaching is the waste, to get part of the animal quickly, and waste a lot. If you kill something, you should eat all the meat off of that thing.

MGMorden · « **Reply #24 on:** April 15, 2006, 08:45:25 PM »

Quote from: NONYA

I hope you all get caught. :wink:

"You all"? I wonder what the heck I'm gonna get caught doing. I've already said I don't have any sympathy for those who do get caught, but I'm not going to go turning in every violation I know of. I'm not a game warden, and I'm not some prissy little snob. If the are caught then they are caught.

Quote from: NONYA

If I was trying to insult you I would say you are just as bad as your poaching family

You'd have to do a lot more than that for me to feel insulted. I'd have to value your opinion first before feeling offended that you held a negative view of me.

NONYA · « **Reply #25 on:** April 15, 2006, 08:55:38 PM »

If you have knowledge of a past,present or ongoing criminal act you are guilty by association if you do nothing to stop it even though you know it is a crime.Do whatever you think is right but I wouldnt hesitate to turn in someone who poaches game,family or not,just because you have the asame last name its OK?Game wardens depend on people giving them info in order to do thier job,they cant be everywhere,they need the publics help to control game crimes.Yourattitude towards these crimes is "hey if they dont get caught who cares",not the attitude of an ethical hunter.How can you sit by,do nothing,but discus it on an internet forum?I would be ashamed to tell people my family poaches,you seem to enjoy it.Defend them all you want,defend your wardens,defend your attitude towards it,its all BS,if you had an iota of ethics you would do something about these activitys. :wink:

MGMorden · « **Reply #26 on:** April 15, 2006, 09:19:54 PM »

Quote from: NONYA

If you have knowledge of a past,present or ongoing criminal act you are guilty by association if you do nothing to stop it even though you know it is a crime.

Only in areas with so-called "good samaritan" laws (which very few areas in the country do). Otherwise you are in no way required to intervene to stop a crime. Guilt by association is not a crime in almost any area of the country (though it is a logical fallacy discussed in virtually every logic textbook). I think what you're looking for is "accessory after the fact", and this only applies when an effort is made to prevent someone from being caught. It has nothing to do with not turning them in.

Quote from: NONYA

I would be ashamed to tell people my family poaches,you seem to enjoy it.

Hmm. Must be your reading comprehension problems kicking in again. My first mention of this at all (emphasis added):

Sadly I'm related to many of the offenders, but I like to think that I rose above that particular behaviour.

Yeah, that really seems like I enjoy it (BTW, this statement used a tactic known as sarcasm). Just so you're aware, most of the time when people say:

Sadly <statement>.

It usually implies regret in making the statement.

Also, the phrase "like to think I rose above" usually implies disapproval. Just thought I should clear those up before you make those same mistakes again.

NONYA · « **Reply #27 on:** April 16, 2006, 02:32:12 PM »

You arnt doing anything to stop it,you are just as guilty as they are in my book,your lucky your family dont live around here,people dont put up with that crap around here,family is no excuse.I hope they get caught and if could do something to speed up the process i would,poachers steal from the law abiding public and I have no mercy for them or thier closed mouthed familys.Next time you mention hunting ethics go to a mirror and lecture yourself about them,you need it.

MGMorden · « **Reply #28 on:** April 16, 2006, 04:25:04 PM »

Quote from: NONYA

You arnt doing anything to stop it,you are just as guilty as they are in my book,your lucky your family dont live around here,people dont put up with that crap around here,family is no excuse.I hope they get caught and if could do something to speed up the process i would,poachers steal from the law abiding public and I have no mercy for them or thier closed mouthed familys.Next time you mention hunting ethics go to a mirror and lecture yourself about them,you need it.

Luckily "your book" doesn't count for anyting outside of your own opinions. I guess we're just going to have to accept that we hold a very low opinion of each other and leave it at that.

NONYA · « **Reply #29 on:** April 16, 2006, 04:57:15 PM »

You hold a low opinion of me for criticizing your lack of respect for the game laws by not reporting an on going poaching situation?Your opinion means didly to me,when your family gets caught I expect you will go down with them,I seriously doubt someone with your opinion of poachers gives a darn about the law,if you had an inkling of hunting ethics you would take steps to stop the poaching,you dont have to involve the law to stop it,from what you tell us the law in your part of the country dont give a darn anywhoo.How bout we agree you are ignoring the fact that it is your responsability to help stop poachers and you have chosen to ignore it,and that I have a low opinion of.