Whistle Blowers

I don't report minor traffic violations because the officer has to witness the action.
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You should move to TN then. All you have to do is go down to the courthouse and you can swear out a warrant for anything. Even traffic infractions. Plenty for a busy-body like yourself to do, knock yourself out. :rolleyes:
 
1. Morally bad or wrong; wicked: an evil tyrant.
2. Causing ruin, injury, or pain; harmful: the evil effects of a poor diet.
3. Characterized by or indicating future misfortune; ominous: evil omens.
4. Bad or blameworthy by report; infamous: an evil reputation.
5. Characterized by anger or spite; malicious: an evil temper.
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Many said King John was an evil tyrant for banning hunting from the surfs. The punishment was often death. Could the law be evil? When the state tells landowners how and when they can use their "private" resources I tend to think the state has gotten a little too big for their britches.

It sure looks like old Roy has a #5.

I'm not a proponent of poaching, but I am not going to call the hotline over someone providing food for their family off their own land out of season. Trespassers and spotlighters are another story.
 
In most states wildlife has never been seen as the land owners property! It was free to roam where ever it so pleased. So the idea that a land owner has special rights to the game which lives on his land....not... Sure he has the right to determine who hunts said game on his land but he does not actually own the wildlife. As far as hunting out of season to provide for your family I do not think anyone on this thread has indicated they would report someone they "KNEW" was hunting to provide food for their family and they knew the people needed it to survive. I do think there are a lot of people who hunt out of season and use the excuse well I am hunting food for my family to justify it. My question is how many are hunting it that really do not need it to survive but do so just because they can? Those are the ones I would report. In other words if I knew someone who was hunting out of season even though it was for the meat but they had the ability to provide for their family without taking wildlife out of season I would treat them just like I would any other poacher.
 
In most states wildlife has never been seen as the land owners property!
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That's the justification for the law, but political forces shape what I would consider the landowners "property." All domesticated animals had to come from somewhere. I have a problem with the government does on private land when it comes to selective breeding by the land owner (bringing out desired traits in a line of deer.) By issuing proclamations on how constituents can hunt the government limits landowners from managing toward the goal of a superior genetic herd buy culling those animals that don't meat the criteria. - pun intended.

My question is how many are hunting it that really do not need it to survive but do so just because they can? Those are the ones I would report. In other words if I knew someone who was hunting out of season even though it was for the meat but they had the ability to provide for their family
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I don't like the idea of a welfare dept. for a hardship hunting license even if I might qualify.
 
The other consideration is someone shooting a deer (for example) for food does not normally shoot a 8-point buck when a doe would suffice.
 
"Those who don't know history..."

There was a time when unlimited hunting had reduced the numbers of various game populations to very low levels. Deer, ducks, geese, turkey...Commercial market hunting had ended the existence of the Passenger Pigeon.

Nationwide, hunters as a group said a collective, "Oops! We gotta do something!" While not overnight or on just a weekend, call the timing roughly the beginning of the 20th Century.

And we--or your great-granddaddies or granddaddies--got state legislatures to create wildlife agencies. Hunters' input created, generally, the fundamentals of today's management.

Hunting licenses, regulations, ownership of game animals, excise taxes on firearms--all those came about as a result of hunters' lobbying efforts.

We did it in order to have game to hunt. You always gotta remember that without a surplus from which to harvest, there would be no hunting.

About the money: Aside from the state licenses, there are the funds generated by the Pitman/Robinson tax and the Dingell/Johnson tax. These are paid by the manufacturers, and built into the price of the shooting/hunting gear you buy. FWIW, Cong. Dingell (D-Michigan) is the one who coined the term, "Jack-booted thugs", on the floor of the US House of Representatives.)

History. Always think history. Wikipedia can be your friend. It's easier for Olde Pharts like me; I'm almost to that point of, "Hell, I was there." :)
 
I grew up in Northern Michigan and during the late 70's early 80's the auto industry was tanking and effecting about everything else around it, Machine shops, small parts manufacturers, truck drivers etc...

I had a good job but got laid off after 4 years, got another one and same thing... 5 times that year. Compound that with having just gotten married and now having a baby on the way. Things were looking kinda bleak. On & Off unemployment between jobs paid the car payments, rent and bought some food, but with no insurance we were paying cash for the OB visits. Unfortunately we made too much money to qualify for welfare. The OB even gave us a huge break since he had delivered me!

Our parents helped out as much as they could, fed us a couple times a week and sent home canned goods every time we saw them. Our Dad's both worked for the Auto corps and suffered their own financial problems.. charity begins at home but sometimes it can only go so far.

My best friend was also in the same position as we were. But they didn't have any family to back them up. The local church helped but could only do so much, (some kind of by-law in their organization). He decided that before he let things get worse he'd get some meat. It worked out the first time but a couple month's later (5 people eating and 1 deer) he needed to do it again.

Somebody saw the fresh hide in the trash and turned them in. The DNR and the local prosecutor went for broke and threw the book at him. I showed up at his hearing as a character witness. He got a year in jail and when the judge sentenced him to it he smiled at the judge. When asked why he was smiling his reply was "now I don't have to worry about feeding my family since we'll now qualify for welfare and food stamps".

Not everything worked out for them but they made it through the year with the family intact. He got out on early release, did his probation and they moved to Texas where he started a construction company and last I knew they were doing ok.

I ended up joining the Navy, they can't lay you off, you've got a contract. By the way once I did join up I have to say it is still a sad state of affairs that until you reach a rank of E-5 our young military family's will qualify for food stamps and other assistance. But that's how we made it.

That all said I didn't take too much issue with his decision as I knew how much he agonized over it. Kill a Doe and ultimately how many deer have you killed, 12-16 fawns that she might have had? Kill a buck and how many fawns would he have sired, dozens a year? Did he steal a deer from me, Nah, I don't think so. The number of deer killed on our highways is significantly higher than even a record harvest for hunters every year. Don't believe me just check with the insurance companies that pay out for all the car accidents caused by deer. If I knew of another family in the same situation today I don't think I could turn them.

I do take issue with the casual poacher, the one who doesn't need the meat to feed his family, just got hungry for a fresh steak. Not the legal one he got during hunting season that's still in the freezer. Poachers killing multiple animals for sale. Poachers that kill because they say the animal was a nuisance, there are other ways to relocate the animals and not just wipe out a few. I would call on them.

To the guy who shot his deer the day before or the day after because he was afraid someone else might kill (his) trophy, probably not, but I'd not hunt with him again.

A shot before or after legal hours again probably not, could just be a coon hunter or such. Maybe somebody shooting a fox or opposum in the chicken coop.

A Poacher that's shinning in mine or my neighbors back meadows and hoping to get away with it will most certainly be called on. That's poaching and disturbing my peace!

Ok enough on the novella.
 
When the state tells landowners how and when they can use their "private" resources
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How can they be private, when the deer are free range? If you are high fenced, then yes they are your "private resources".
Do you really consider every deer that jumps on to your land as "your" private property? 5 mins later it will be on someone elses property and I guess be their property?

As far as poachers, we can shoot them if they are armed and on our property here in Texas.

As far as the guy in Florida, been there and have lived there. Are you just partial to the taste of venison and poaching? You are over ran with hogs (10+ times as many as deer) and they are open season. Also, don't think much of a state (or its laws) where you can use dogs to track and hunt down any game animal. This includes deer.
 
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