Poachers
- Thread starter dr
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Deck78
Well-Known Member
We are covered up with several "usual suspects" that bait, hunt across lines, trespass etc and I tried at least a half a dozen times to get a call back from our local TWRA officer before the chaos of the season started and he's never bothered to call me back so I just gave up. Our county is just plain tough and I don't blame the wildlife officer. He's got his hands full
Very few locals hunt legally in my county. It's just tradition to poach and all the kids are taught to poach. I know a 4 year old that shoots deer at night in the backyard, with help of course. Our game warden actually gave up, so that's no help. Enforcement wasn't doing any good and was causing him and his family lots of problems in town so he basically retired in place so he could have peace in public.
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I'd be persistent about reporting it, every time. Did the officer contact you by phone yet?
The leading GW we have now (Cumberland county) will definitely check up on reports of poaching. He's definitely on our side, and doesn't waste any time, or miss any opportunities to follow-up.
I reported some issues last year, and he checked into them. Then, he went back again this year and caught them in the act....wrote citations, since it was just after season last year.
WestTn Huntin man
Well-Known Member
The problem in many counties isn't enforcement. The courts way to often don't give stiff enough penalties.
I've caught poachers on cam a couple times. Also had cams and even a stand stolen. People suck.
Rageman
Active Member
There is some tva land I hunt well two different lands probably 45 50 miles apart that it hasn't been unusual for years to go and find button heads laying around are yearling does and you think hmmm maybe they just didn't want to take the carcass home to clean which is possible but I also think it's because they didn't want to check em out either place every year it goes on just pull up to the gates and It stinks of 3 or four day old deer and as many as 5 laying around there every year
Gobble4me757
Well-Known Member
Prosecute when you catch them. You get a reputation that keeps other locals off your land.
Safari Hunt
Well-Known Member
It's hard for a CO to be in several places at once. How many city police officers and county deputies do you have in your county? How many COs are in your county? There is a property south of Cleveland that has a big sign in the gate: Trespassers will be shot. No warning given.
This is so true. Prosecuted a poacher who shot / bucks on our property in Chester county. Had photos of him dragging both out with his 4wheeler.
He received 2 $150 fines.
Take pictures and any evidence and send to all wildlife commissioners They will get notice It helped me and if you can get one of the regional directors emails. I know the wildlife officers are covered up. I also pointed out that they can use game cameras also.
That is the problem. He got to hunt for $300. Cheaper than if he leased the land. Not much of a deterrent.This is so true. Prosecuted a poacher who shot / bucks on our property in Chester county. Had photos of him dragging both out with his 4wheeler.
He received 2 $150 fines.
Safari Hunt
Well-Known Member
That would require a raise in license fees. Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency is entirely self-funded and does not receive one penny from the state general funds. They also receive funds through the Pittman-Robertson Act and the Wallop-Breaux Act. Those are funded from taxes on firearms, ammunition, fishing tackle and archery tackle.
Had good luck in Bradley County but it seems that the trespassers have more rights than landowners. They usually won't prosecute unless it's a slam-dunk, its my word against his, better have a lot of proof.
Safari Hunt
Well-Known Member
I see trail cams on the GW shows, both landowner and the GWs.
Not saying I am better than anyone but I have never poached anything; just doesn't even seem gratifying to me. As, I'm sure, most of you feel the same way.
The GW's that I deal with in two adjacent counties are top shelf. Never had any issue that I called them on that they didn't promptly respond. I know they have a lot of ground to cover but both are great to work with.
I used to have a similar sign off to the side of my front door. It read, "No trespassing or solicitors. Violators will be shot. Survivors will be shot again." Don't know that it worked but we sure didn't get any door-to-door salesmen for several years.
Rageman
Active Member
Them boys got shottys better not
Rancocas
Well-Known Member
I hear shooting around here day and night. A few years ago I came across 7 deer carcasses, all within a few acres area. The heads were missing on two of them (probably for the antlers) the rest of them were does and they had the backstraps and hams removed. That is all. I think I know who did it, but I have no proof.
Many years ago, back in the 1970's I was a LEO, just a patrolman, a street cop, but I often liked to help out the local game warden. There were two local families that were known to be notorious poachers. We would see them driving the back roads very slowly and spotlighting deer. However, when we surprised them and searched their car we could never find a gun.
After a couple years of this finally Ray (the game warden) was in the right place at the right time. Ray was on foot and when he saw the car and spotlight approaching he stepped off into the woods and hid. He stayed quiet and out of sight as the car full of that family, dad, mom, and kids, slowly passed. Mom was shining the spotlight.
Then, 50 yards behind the car, along came the oldest boy, walking silently on the dirt road in the black of the night. He carried a rifle.
Many years ago, back in the 1970's I was a LEO, just a patrolman, a street cop, but I often liked to help out the local game warden. There were two local families that were known to be notorious poachers. We would see them driving the back roads very slowly and spotlighting deer. However, when we surprised them and searched their car we could never find a gun.
After a couple years of this finally Ray (the game warden) was in the right place at the right time. Ray was on foot and when he saw the car and spotlight approaching he stepped off into the woods and hid. He stayed quiet and out of sight as the car full of that family, dad, mom, and kids, slowly passed. Mom was shining the spotlight.
Then, 50 yards behind the car, along came the oldest boy, walking silently on the dirt road in the black of the night. He carried a rifle.
BigAl
Well-Known Member
Reported a neighbor twice for hunting at night over a corn pile. Never heard back from game warden. Pretty sure the corn pile is still there.
shirtshirt
Well-Known Member
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I had a friend that buys his deer license on the app the first day he hunts. We met up opening day in 2019 and he said "I gotta buy my license". I told him he should do it the day before….or month before…but yeah, but it. He shot a buck and I helped him track it - good blood trail and the buck ran about 250'yards. Anyway, I helped him drag it to the truck etc…. And he took it to a processor. He went to get the check in number for the deer and realized his license purchase had not gone through. So he bought the license and checked the deer.
A month or so later a green truck shows up in his driveway and the guy has questions. He invites the guy in to his house and the TWRA agent ends up slapping him with a poaching charge. Says he saw in the system a license purchase and checked deer within minutes of each other. My buddy says yes, that's exactly what happened, tells how he made an honest mistake. TWRA agent said that's not how it works and he's gonna have to explain it to a judge. He just finished up the court case….two years later.
I'm all for the rules (and told my buddy he was an idiot), but it seems TWRA should put more resources towards catching individuals spotlighting and shooting 8 deer.
A month or so later a green truck shows up in his driveway and the guy has questions. He invites the guy in to his house and the TWRA agent ends up slapping him with a poaching charge. Says he saw in the system a license purchase and checked deer within minutes of each other. My buddy says yes, that's exactly what happened, tells how he made an honest mistake. TWRA agent said that's not how it works and he's gonna have to explain it to a judge. He just finished up the court case….two years later.
I'm all for the rules (and told my buddy he was an idiot), but it seems TWRA should put more resources towards catching individuals spotlighting and shooting 8 deer.
RobDooley
Well-Known Member
it is illegal to spotlight period
dogsled
Well-Known Member
We (and the adjacent landowners) have trespassers frequently, but normally before gun season. I don't think they want to run into armed hunters. I have had to run a few folks off during turkey and bow season. The sheriff's department has basically said they are NOT going to do anything about trespassers.
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Kritter Gitter
Well-Known Member
Thats why we need a state DNR!
Yep. They are not on my land, just near by.
megalomaniac
Well-Known Member
Jeez, he paid, (or tried to pay for) for license, tagged the deer, etc... I never buy my kids licenses until the first morning we actually hunt. OOS fees are insane, and with my kids you never know if they are going to wake up or not when we come up to the farm. But I also screenshot proof of the license after paid for just in case it hasn't made it to the central TWRA computer system.
