Rhino Posted June 8, 2010 Report Share Posted June 8, 2010 I agree with John here too. I agree that someone poaching any deer should pay a penalty but not $15K for any deer. If I understand Iowa's restitution law the fine for a doe is $1,500. It's not that much in MS but I believe MS is too soft on poachers. The last time we caught a trespasser (during turkey season) some years back I heard through the grapevine they only fined him $200. If you're interested in reading Iowa's restitution law it's on page 18 in the link to the regs below. http://www.iowadnr.gov/law/files/huntingregs.pdf Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ethan Givan Posted June 8, 2010 Report Share Posted June 8, 2010 We arrest crackheads every day and will never see that kind of time, even on a second offense. If the consequences were harsher then it might stop some of this crap. I agree with John here too. I agree that someone poaching any deer should pay a penalty but not $15K for any deer. If I understand Iowa's restitution law the fine for a doe is $1,500. It's not that much in MS but I believe MS is too soft on poachers. The last time we caught a trespasser (during turkey season) some years back I heard through the grapevine they only fined him $200. If you're interested in reading Iowa's restitution law it's on page 18 in the link to the regs below. http://www.iowadnr.gov/law/files/huntingregs.pdf $1,500 is way too low IMO for a doe. If the fine isnt enough so that the poacher can not justify risking it then they will take the chance. As far as the guys poaching these big bucks, unless the fine is ALOT more than what they can make off of the racks, they will continue to do it. Thats the way I see it. Slapping their wrists never has worked and never will. Maybe $15K is a little over the top but you get my point. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redkneck Posted June 8, 2010 Report Share Posted June 8, 2010 I understand your point completely. Al is also right that our state is too soft. Honestly in my countless times hunting year after year, I have never been asked for my license until last year, and that was in a road block miles down the road from the camp (I think he was looking for deer that were under the A/Rs, we have no tags here so does are almost always a legal possession). I was a little put off by his suggestion that I was hunting just because I was wearing camo! lol..... Our GW's are underfunded, and stiffer fines would buy more fuel for sure for them to get out. I guess the flip side is that I've always hunted in well-respected clubs that went well above the legal requirements for deer and the GW's sorta left us alone. I know I'm off topic, but we need to correct folks behavior and make it sting, but not send them to the pokey for being stupid and shooting a nanny out of season. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doc Posted June 9, 2010 Report Share Posted June 9, 2010 I for one don't have a problem with the restitution penalty law. Ohio is not the only state that does this. Good or bad, states known for growing big antlered bucks have become targets for scumbags targeting only the big bucks for profit. These scumbags go about killing them any way they can, day or night. There's a big market out there for selling racks. The bigger the rack, the more $ it's worth. It's mostly behind the scenes, black market style but you can go to Ebay and see some for sale. There's virtually no market for small racks. Several years back I was in Iowa and one of my friends was livid over the number of big bucks that had been killed in the area and the scumbags just cut off their heads and left the rest. I took a short ride with him and saw 5 from the road myself. I talked to him later that winter and around 100 dead bucks with their heads cut off were found in and around his county. Something had to be done to discourage these black market rack poachers. Prior to the next season, Iowa passed a similar restitution law based on gross B&C score. I know the same thing has been going on in Kansas too. Two years ago 2 scumbags were caught with a bunch of heads. One had bucks stacked up in a shed like cord wood. Didn't hear what their ultimate penalty was. All the deer are owned by the state where they are located until they are killed within the laws of the state and reduced to possession by a licensed hunter. If a state sees the need to do make laws to protect part of their herd because it's being targeted by rack poachers, I don't see a problem with it. To understand the specific problem some of these states are having, you really need to have a better understanding of what's been going on before they passed these restitution laws. Who the heck is buying all these deer heads and what on earth do they do with them? Are these hunters who hang them on the wall and then take credit for them? Doc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhino Posted June 9, 2010 Report Share Posted June 9, 2010 Who the heck is buying all these deer heads and what on earth do they do with them? Are these hunters who hang them on the wall and then take credit for them? Doc I'm not part of the ivestigation that was looking into this so I don't know the details. Can't say who all the purchasers are but like I said...it's no problem finding some for sale on Ebay. At least some of them are antler collectors. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redkneck Posted June 9, 2010 Report Share Posted June 9, 2010 I think some folks just collect them, some use them for decor in restaraunts and stores, some are probably bought by guys that told their wives they were going on a hunting trip, and really went to Vegas for a week! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhino Posted June 9, 2010 Report Share Posted June 9, 2010 I don't understand reasons for being an antler collector (except for the bucks you kill yourself) anymore than I understand the reasons for being a baseball card collector. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wildthing Posted June 9, 2010 Report Share Posted June 9, 2010 Glad he got caught...the unfortunate part is that in all likelihood...he'll be out in the woods somewhere this year hunting again. He obviously has no regard for ethical sportsmanship...so why would a hunting ban slow him down now...it won't. It'll take angry, vigilant hunters to keep the game commissioners informed on this guy for the years to come. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doc Posted June 10, 2010 Report Share Posted June 10, 2010 I wonder how many guys buy the antlers or mounts and then claim them as their own? I'll bet there are some. This phobia that everyone seems to have developed over antlers can really drive some frustrated people to do some real wacky things. A lot of guys feel like complete failures if they don't get a buck. Now theres a lot of hunters that feel like complete failures if the don't get a buck of trophy proportions. Sure, that sort of thinking could probably set up a market for that kind of illegal activity. The Saturday morning TV shows have really done a number on the general mind-set of hunters. Everybody now carries the expectations of trophy racks as their measure of success or failure. It's a shame. Doc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redkneck Posted June 10, 2010 Report Share Posted June 10, 2010 antler envy...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AceArcher Posted June 11, 2010 Report Share Posted June 11, 2010 When does Ohio bow season open up? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest TennesseeTurkey Posted June 11, 2010 Report Share Posted June 11, 2010 Hate to see he's not getting jail time for this.... seriously, he's poached more than 10 times, only 10 times he was caught! He wont stop hunting/poaching.... He didnt have a license or tags whats going to stop him from doing it again? I say take ALL of his guns and gun rights too... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AaronS Posted June 15, 2010 Report Share Posted June 15, 2010 Dang it!!! I bowhunted Adams County, OH last fall. That big boy could have been mine! Throw the book at that s.o.b.! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maytom Posted June 26, 2010 Report Share Posted June 26, 2010 Does anyone remember a hunter named Noel Feather? He was some sort of a celebrity type, as well as selling many products bearing his name years ago. Well, he tried pulling off a similar stunt and got caught as well. Talk about a fall from grace!! Glad that they fined the guy heavily and banned him for life from hunting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flintlock1776 Posted June 27, 2010 Report Share Posted June 27, 2010 The fine is good. Remember, 'if you can't do the time don't do the crime'. I actually hope they do collect the $23K. With 10 convictions I wonder if even the fine and banning will stop this piece of crud. If he ever does it again, which almost seems likely, perhaps they should put a monitoring bracelet on his ankle. I don't know what happened to Feathers. Nor Gregg Ritz. All poachers. Sad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doc Posted June 28, 2010 Report Share Posted June 28, 2010 With that many offences committed, there should be some sort of "Habitual Offender" status that violators reach where they automatically have a healthy prison sentence tacked on. There is no reason to allow that kind of flaunting of the law without leveling some very serious consequences. And I'm not talking about measuring the offence based on the trophy quality of whatever they poach either. When you hit 10 convictions of any sort, it's time to raise the bar significantly on penalties. Doc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ruttinbuc Posted June 28, 2010 Report Share Posted June 28, 2010 It can be a severe case of compulsive addictive behavior. There are a lot of addictions and some of them are taken to the extreme. We certainly see what the antler craze has changed a lot of deer hunting into. Regardless, why someone poaches questions the criminal mind. Like you say Doc, there should be a "Habitual Offenders" status for these repeat offenders. It might help in stopping or at least slowing the slobs down. Should there be a psychoanalysis after so many offenses Like a drunk driver who keeps getting behind the wheel after countless DWI's. Seems like nothing can stop a mental disorder. These people have to want to stop the addiction before they ever will. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buckmaster Posted June 28, 2010 Report Share Posted June 28, 2010 what a shame! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NC8point Posted July 5, 2010 Report Share Posted July 5, 2010 I read this story in a magazine I am just glad the guy got caught and hope it opens some peoples eyes up to how bad things like this can be for deer hunting Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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