POACHERS!!!
sheepslam
6/30/06 4:13pm
What do you guys think about poachers? What if you know them, does that make a difference. Would you tell on them?
4,794
What do I think about poachers or poaching? Can't stand it, I'd love to turn in a poacher. Here in Utah if you turn in a poacher, you may end up with a Limited Entry Tag.
Here is our blurb about poaching.
Don't do it, and if you know someone who is/does. Put and end to it. Just like any other illegal crime or act. The hunting world would be a millions times better off without poachers.
Honest hunters who put in for hunts year after year suffer from people who purposley break the rules and harvest game without a tag. But there are times when things happen that shouldn't be considered poaching.
A friend of mine took his daughter on a limited entry duck/goose hunt on a national refuge. She was 12 and it was her first qaulity hunt with many chances to shoot. After a couple hours and a few ducks, some fog rolled in as it often does on the Columbia River. Visibilty was reduced dramatically. Since all species of ducks were open season, they felt somewhat safe in shooting any duck that came into decoy spread. As often happens, a bird came in silent and lit just outside the landing area they perfectly designed . Just as dad notices, she has already shouldered, and as he shoulders, she fires. Dad is happy and proud of her and she has that "Wow I did it" look on her face, perhaps she was even surprised at herself. It was her second "duck". The dog spashed in the water at the sound of the shot. After a nonchalant retrieve, the dog drops a dead cormorant at my friends feet.
Now before anyone starts a sermon about target ID, let me just say that I'm sure we all know why this happened, so we don't anybody stating how wrong the father was. As mature hunters, we don't need to cover that ground as it is mutually understood. No one felt worse than he.
My question to all is "What would you do if this was your daughter?" and "Is she a poacher?" Shooting a federally protected bird on a federal refuge must carry some pretty heavy conseqeunces. It may even be a felony. "What if you know them, does that make a difference. Would you tell on them?"
As far as killing the Cormorant up here in MN, at Leech Lake, State DNR and Federal Fish and Wildlife officials are killing Cormorants by the thousand and destroyning nests. Why? becouse Leech Lake one of the top Walleye lakes in the US is now short of Walleys becouse of the over population of Cormorants.
About poaching, it seems to me there are more 4 wheelers every year running the rims and ridges after Muledeer. I can't call it hunting but there are a lot of deer killed this way. Poaching happens in many ways and I hate all of it.
mnmt