Poachers

[jetwrnch]

I poached an egg once. Never again.

 

[Rageman]

I poached an egg once. Never again.

Them boys got shottys better not

 

[Rancocas]

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.

 

[BigAl]

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]

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.

 

[RobDooley]

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.

it is illegal to spotlight period

 

[dogsled]

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.

 

[Kritter Gitter]

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.

Thats why we need a state DNR!

 

[dr]

Prosecute when you catch them. You get a reputation that keeps other locals off your land.

Yep. They are not on my land, just near by.

 

[megalomaniac]

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.

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.

 

[megalomaniac]

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.

Gotta give thise guys props! Making family memories together!

 

[Gravey]

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.

Common sense, well mine anyway, says if he wanted to be a poacher he would've just taken it home and cut it up without buying a license and checking it in.

 

[Carlos]

Common sense, well mine anyway, says if he wanted to be a poacher he would've just taken it home and cut it up without buying a license and checking it in.

It seems to me like your buddy may have been waiting until he killed a deer to buy his license.
He learned the proper way to go about things, and I know it sounds harsh, but he deserved the ticket, will know better next time.

 

[Rancocas]

it is illegal to spotlight period

Different state, and different times.

 

[dsam]

The problem in many counties isn't enforcement. The courts way to often don't give stiff enough penalties.

The best thing to do if you catch them on your property is put them at gunpoint, threaten the eating chocolate out of them, and if they want to get stupid beat their ass! If they go to law enforcement then they just admitted to be trespassing and poaching! LOL

 

[rifle02]

It seems to me like your buddy may have been waiting until he killed a deer to buy his license.
He learned the proper way to go about things, and I know it sounds harsh, but he deserved the ticket, will know better next time.

Yep. You supposed to have a license before you're in the woods carrying a weapon. You need to have a license whether you kill anything or not!

 

[timberjack86]

Yep. You supposed to have a license before you're in the woods carrying a weapon. You need to have a license whether you kill anything or not!

Easy mistake with everything digital now.