Tragic News: Poachers are Destroying Oregon's Deer Population

Status
Not open for further replies.
It isn't the government poachers are stealing from - it is the people. It is regulated so the resource is available to the people.
Click to expand...

That is really it in a nutshell. If ODFW is not able to effectively manage our wildlife populations, then everyone loses, including future generations.

.
 
There have been 2 or 3 "cougar-in-the-subdivision" in the last year. Unfortunately, someone will have to get seriously hurt before attitudes will change.
 
We do not know if that is what is really happening in Oregon but it is likely with the shape of the economy.
Click to expand...

I think that you are right about that point. I do think that the poor economy here is indeed a factor.

Oregon's official unemployment rate has been stuck for almost a year and a half, hovering at 10.5% It is clear to me that the state is manipulating the numbers for political reasons in order to keep them lower than what they really are, as it is unnatural for the rate to stay that consistent for so very long. There is no precedent for it in history.

My own bank, which used to be the biggest privately owned bank in Oregon, failed a couple of months ago. Cost the FDIC a ton of money to cover everyone's accounts. The state's unemployment department also immediately removes people from the ranks of the unemployed, if they don't stay in communications with the department. So if someone's benefits run out, and they no longer stay active at the department's website, they get automatically dropped. No checking is done whether they have actually managed to get a job or not.

I see so many politicians talking about how important it is to do something about the economy, yet, I truly see NOTHING being done that will do something significant that could actually make a difference.

I certainly don't see the economy improving any time soon. And because of that, significant poaching may be with us for some time.

.
 
davlandrum:

Checkout Oregon Field Guide on Oregon Public TV tonight at 8:30pm.

Tonight's show is titled: "Living with Wolves"

Will be interesting to see if this program is fair and balanced, or not.

.
 
I don't know anything about the "regular deer harvest" in Oregon. But unless it is very small, I have to call "show me" to anyone that made that claim.

I find it very hard to believe that poachers could take more deer or even as many as regular deer hunters.

Concerning the wolves, yes if they aren't a problem now they will become a problem soon. Just ask the managers of Yellowstone and the surrounding elk states. My solution to a single federal judge relisting is another lawsuit and believe me I hate lawyers and lawsuits. However, wildlife (imo) belong to the state's where the wildlife reside. We have individual state laws regarding the wildlife as it should be. The federal judge who relisted wolves as endangered has violated state's rights and his decision should be overturned. The only way that is going to happen is if states' like Oregon, Wyoming, Montana, etc band together and sue the federal government over this issue.
 
1st-The Wolves. Problem with the introduced wolves is they are not the native gray timberwolf but the much larger canadian gray wolf. They have been a shock to the ecosystem, they are no more a part of the native animal population than the pythons in Florida.

2nd-Poaching, There is no way that poaching on such a large scale is being done by poor, hungry, victims of the economy. It's being done by criminals. I guarantee the poachers aren't driving around in gas saving Honda Accords, they're in big F-250's and K2500's guzzling gas and throwing beer cans out the window. It is much cheaper and legal to go to the grocery and get some spam than driving around poaching. There are plenty of jobs out there. Maybe not high paying, but pay enough to prevent starvation!
 
I've been hunting almost 40 yrs.Been in alot of hunting clubs & hunted private land & national forests.I have never poached a animal nor will I ever. But I know it happens all the time.I also dont put a lot stock in what you read on the web that a govt.official said I'll do my own research before I go throwing blame at somebody for stealing MY DEER as stated above.I donate a deer or two every year to feed the hungry & those people sure seem proud to have it.OH NO I hope I didnt steal YOUR DEER TOO.:confused:
 
wolves and hashbrowns

What do wolves and Waffle House hash browns have in common?


Both are best when\

Scattered, Smothered and Covered :D
 
I grew up in eastern Oregon (a little town out side of Ontario called Vale, mostly known for high school foot ball) I use to hunt deer in the "bulla" (forgive the spelling) area.

I have not been back in some time. Now coming from Idaho I am not surprised that there are Wolves in Oregon. Are the deer really being hurt that bad? I know that you would hear about poachers every year but I have a hard time believing that poachers are taking more deer than the regular hunters.

I would not fault some one that was truly starving from killing a deer but unless things have gotten so bad that there is mass starvation then I cant imagen a few deer taken to feed a starving family doing as much damage to the herds as they are describing.
 
The wolf issue is not anything affecting game at this point in time.
Click to expand...

They will and your state needs to get into active hands-on management now before you end up behind the curve like we have been here in AK.
 
We have a huge coyote problem here in NY. We are getting a lot of stories of big cats and wolves but as of yet there has been no hard evidence. Our Coyotes average weight is 30-40 lbs but I personelly have seen one a friend trapped in Indian Lake NY that weighed 63lbs, that is a huge coyote. The say that our yotes are bigger because they have wolf DNA in them ? We have an open season but it doesn't stop most people from taking them year round. I also know that if most people around here saw a big cat or wolf they would just shoot it and bury it.
 
Cowboy_mo - of the radio collared deer in a study. Read the link, it will make more sense.

Big P (and others) - when I was stationed in MD, I also donated meat through FHFH because the bag limit was liberal enough to do that.

Oregon is basically 1 deer per year. You can apply for a second tag, but I have only gotten drawn once in the last 5 years.

I absolutely freaked out when I saw what the bag limits are in the east!:eek:
 
Is poaching becoming a bigger problem where you live?

Poaching, in the far SW parts of OK and in the E/SE parts of OK are a problem.

The poaching, from a state official that was in SW OK, told me that the majority of deer poached were big bucks, its very flat and open terrain. They use airplanes a few times a year in that area to try to catch the poachers, and when they are caught, it is not pleasant for the offender. I have hunted in this area, and I know there are a great many good bucks, and tons of deer in general.

The poaching, here-say only, for the E/SE OK region is for the does for meat.

The poaching that happens in central/western OK that is the most disturbing, and this I have seen firsthand, is the deer that are taken for sometimes, no reason that is apparent. There are times these deer are left to rot after taking the back straps and antler. This is tribal land and the wardens that see deer hanging from trees at different times of the year cannot do anything about it. The only LE allowed on tribal land is BIA.

I cannot say whether or not I agree with poaching for food, because legally it is wrong, but until I am placed in that person's shoes that had to poach for food, I truly don't know. Morally, I would be more inclined to believe a person was taking table fare if it was a doe, rather than taking bucks. If I were to have to make the assessment, I guess I would have to look at the whole picture. What kind of vehicle was it transported in, what kind of home was it taken to, and so forth. The reason for my duality, if I were to see someone taking even a doe in a vehicle that cost $35K+ and going to a $175K+ home, I going to have to call bull-butter and IMO, they just wanted a "kill".
 
Sure, there are some areas with backwoods families which are right at destitute. But they have food stamps and food banks available. Stipulating some sort of refrigeration, I fail to see how their poverty could justify poaching more than (guessing, based on my own family's consumption in the past) a half-dozen deer a year.

I don't believe we have that many rural poor who are so destitute that poaching numerous deer is any true necessity.

So if there is any notable amount of poaching going on such that herd numbers are visibly declining, I really don't believe it's "poor folks".

I have a bit of a problem believing that poaching bucks will lead to a notable decline in herd numbers. Does? A different matter.
 
I agree with that. The only people I can recall ever going hungry or gettin the lights shut off were chronic inebriates. I do believe in a no fault taking of game in theory if needed but things do have a way of working out so I may never have to take a game animal.

Some folks would find food stamps distasteful and I think it may be good to issue cheap hardship tags to the poor. In that way poaching could be lessened while conservation efforts would still be effective. Pipe dream, I know.
 
Who is the person stealing from when they "poach" a deer to feed their family. The government? What man has a right to say you can't take an animal that was put on this earth for our use. If it is for a reason like feeding your family it is not wrong. Stealing from a farmer or a store is a different thing totally, that is someone else's work and lively hood you are stealing. Animals have been here for our use as long as we've been around, it has just been in the last 100 years or less that the government started telling us how we could use their deer. I know there has to be regulation on hunting and I agree with that completely but in a situation like stated above there shouldn't have to be regulation. I don't know if you have kids or not but if you do try and tell me there is anything you wouldn't do for their survival and well being.
Click to expand...

It's because of the affects uncontrolled hunting has on animal populations that our elected government now manages the wildlife for the good of "all". If someone breaks the laws of society by taking a deer illegally, then they are stealing from that managed society. If too many do it, then the deer become more and more scarce, and may suffer for years from the affects.

Since many in our society enjoy "legal" hunting, the poacher does, in affect, steal from society.

Saying that "it doesn't beong to anyone, so I can kill it and make it mine" is the ideology of a poacher...who is, BTW, a criminal according the the laws that govern our society.
 
A friend of mine mentioned that in some states (I think he mentioned some southeastern state) they offer discounted or free hunting licenses to low income people. Anyone know if this is true or what states this is in? Just curious. Seems like a good alternative or supplement to food stamps. I'd jump on the chance if I were in that position. I don't see any drawbacks to such a system set up in any state.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top