Poachers

[jon_norstog]

My family sort of evolved from subsistence hunting and fishing to where we are all "fair chase" hunters who abide by F&G laws, even if it means not getting an animal. Our grandfather, same name as mine was a true subsistence hunter in North Dakota during the Depression. He hunted, fished and grew a big garden. Dad said they ate a LOT of prairie chickens and jack rabbits, as deer and such were pretty much cleaned out.

Grandpa helped get out the Norwegian vote for Bob Moses in '38 and expected to be rewarded with a fat job in Bismarck. They gave him a job as game warden for McKenzie County. Set a thief to catch a thief .. he was supposedly a pretty good warden, too, as he was a very active person.

jnj

[Sako]

Its not your deer togor so why worry about it. I thought democrats believed in sharing.

[Griff Murphey]

Here in Texas the game wardens have anamatronic deer with video cameras and they are pretty tough on road hunters. I hunt private ranches only and I actually had a man and a woman drive past my parked car on the ranch road and drive up to see if there was anything to shoot in my pen. Before I got out I videoed the license plate. At the time they were doing a lot of oil exploration seismic testing and a lot of those guys had access to the ranch. I had a Benelli 12 ga (for turkey!) when I got out of the blind. Never actually saw a gun but by the looks on their faces I am sure they had one, the guy said he was with the drilling people gave he a load of BS which the ranchers confirmed later nobody was supposed to be there. I let them go because I had a video of the license plate but there must have been something hokey about the license as it could not be traced. Anyway the ranchers were not real happy with the whole deal. The criminal trespass laws here in Texas have been strengthened a good deal and as far as I know it's a felony to be on private lend with a gun as long as there is a "posted" sign up pretty much anywhere.

[Art]

With some exceptions poaching in Texas is a misdemeanor. What other misdemeanors to you think ought to result in the loss of firearms Togor? I personally think the loss of hunting privileges, and very possibly your boat, car, firearms, vehicle a heavy fine and possibly massive restitution fees ought to be enough.

Frankly I don't think some felonies ought to result in the loss of firearms, especially a lot of false statements and writings violations and other process crimes like Misprision of a Felony should result in the loss of firearms privileges either, unless connected to another more serious offense that's a crime of violence, aggravated felony or crime involving moral turpitude.

This is pure gun grabbing rhetoric, and frankly disappointing.

[lyman]

Out today with the wife hunting for & spraying garlic mustard on the part of our property that we haven't brought under fire management. Labor of love with me lugging a backpack sprayer through the thorns and briars.

We came across a large headless deer carcass, taken last fall/winter, judging by the look and smell of it. A fair guess would be that it was taken out of season, wounded on the public lands next door and then tracked on to our property. By no means the first carcass we've seen around here from an out-of-season hunt.

In the old days, when the king was the government, poaching on the king's land could be punished by death. We're kinder and gentler now, but I see nothing wrong with poachers losing their firearms permissions in an administrative action. Maybe even for life. Losing hunting licenses obviously doesn't matter to them, but maybe risking gun access will make them think twice, if the prospect for being caught a second time is a trip to prison. Of course the bleeding hearts at the NRA will claim this is far to severe a sanction, and yes it would never happen. But I spend a lot of time year round on that public land, and there isn't a trail sign on it that hasn't been used for target practice. Say what you will about the tree-huggers, but they seem to wear less on the public lands.

interesting comment,

never seen or heard of the NRA complain about a poacher sentence or conviction,

got any evidence, link or ???

[clintonhater]

I personally think the loss of hunting privileges, and very possibly your boat, car, firearms, vehicle a heavy fine and possibly massive restitution fees ought to be enough.

"Loss of hunting privileges"? Are you kidding? What's that to a game thief? What's "enough" is loss of their miserable worthless lives. NOTHING is lower than a poacher!

[dryheat]

Ya gotta link, you got any evidence? The NRA is above that. That's why when you ask God to save your mom from cancer it doesn't work.
Poachers are...well, Good Ol Boys. Me being the devils advocate kind of gets it. They're country. Their daddies worked all their lives to make a little ranch work. And it's beautiful. Books have been written about the folks who went thru hell to make a living off the land. Then; there's the well bred descendant who is the BBOC in the small town,and god bless him he has some history, but that doesn't mean he gets to take his jeep out into the country and slaughter whatever he see's.
Probably not real accurate.
But some one is taking game illegally and not only that, they waste game and resources(an elk left to rot and a hundred yr. old juniper cut down for firewood) and, well, I know I'm a bleeding heart about this stuff, but it pisses me off.

[togor]

I posted a long reply on this yesterday in the 2A section on Doug's thread.

I think CH has a damn good point--if someone is breaking game laws, what do they care about a license, or possibly even a fine? Rich guys and speeding tickets, right? Pay the fine, have your lawyer make the points go away. Poor guy, hunt, drive, without a license.

Some states (more than I thought) have felonies on the books for extreme cases of poaching. As far as I can tell, the NRA supports monetary fines for poaching. I cannot find any NRA position, one way or the other, on the subject of making poaching a felony.

I see a lot of headless deer, and hear guys shooting out of season. By nature I am not a hard core "rules" guy but something about poachers really goes against my grain.

[shadycon]

I'm not getting into the NRA argument: But one night a few years ago I saw a light in my woods behind my house. I got my 12 gauge and fired one shot at the light. Who ever it was, beat feet and didn't stop. I use blanks for such fun!

[togor]

Another one that rubs me the wrong way is the apparently unwritten rule for some when hunting on public lands:

ALL SIGNS MUST BE USED FOR TARGET PRACTICE

[Mark in Ottawa]

Allen: Good pun. It took me a minute to understand the reference, even though my wife often eats poached eggs

[bdm]

Low Life Trash that is what they are

[Roadkingtrax]

Togor, NRA membership isnt like a professional license. If you get a DUI, or get convicted of poaching, you dont have the requirement to report the crime to the governing body.

Other members in good standing could however, seek a quorum with the state NRA representative, and request guidance for a member not in good standing.

[clintonhater]

Togor, NRA membership isnt like a professional license. If you get a DUI, or get convicted of poaching, you dont have the requirement to report the crime to the governing body.

Even if there was such a requirement, how would it be enforced? When I joined in 1959, the requirement was that new members be recommended by a current member, though even that could obviously not guarantee bad apples would be kept out.

[Roadkingtrax]

Even if there was such a requirement, how would it be enforced? When I joined in 1959, the requirement was that new members be recommended by a current member, though even that could obviously not guarantee bad apples would be kept out.

Likely only by a system of self or peer reporting. I dont think the NRA is this exclusive affiliation, it may have been a long time ago. You send your $35, they send you a card and 12,000 pieces of junk mail.