"friend" of mine is poaching

[BuckKiller]

regardless if something is legal in one state and not in another, doesn't make it okay for someone to do it in the state where it's not. for an extreme analogy, if murder was legal in Wisconsin, but not here, would it be okay for someone to do it here?

Exactly! I know some people from different parts of the world that don't get some of the laws and refuse to follow them. I just give them a friendly reminder that I have the T.I.P. line on speed dial.

[Grant Pearson]

laws are laws and regardless if it's "okay" to do it elsewhere doesn't make it right to do it where it's not legal. A woman can be beaten in the middle east if her hair is showing. try doing that here. One the same token, just because something is legal elsewhere, doesn't make it right.

[deadeye]

Musky Buck, you do got a excellent point. If they were living off the meat I don't think I would say a thing. I have always thought that if you really needed the food to get by, I have no problem with someone taking a few deer. I don't even feel bad about saying that. I have been deer hunting for 8 years and got 1 deer to show for it, so someone else can have them (the deer that got away from me) if needed. I know that is illegal, but I guess you could call it civil disobedience in a sense (I would rather someone have food, than go hungry).

Since they are rocking brand new trucks I would definitly feel upset about that situation though. I think you will do whats right to you and I am happy to see that so many people are willing to take a little time and think about a tough situation like that. It isn't always cut and dry like it should be. Most people follow the laws and the people that go out and break them deliberatly, with such disregard, need to be addresed one way or another. Im glad to know there are so many people that would do the right thing.

Happy Holidays!!!

[HaveBaitWillFish]

Gatorhunter, thank you for all you do, I really appreciate it along with probably everyone else on this site. However, I am going to respectfully disagree with your comment about seldom do people retaliate. I know for a fact, I have a family member in the Judicial system. You will find an alarming number of cases in which it is a "retaliation". A case was recently heard in which a neighbor was charged with aggrevated assault because his neighbor allegedly blew grass clippings into his yard while he was mowing, the neighbor took it upon himself along with a garden rake, and hit the man in the face, tines first.

I would be very, very cautious in turning somebody in. Criminals don't think the same way as the rest of society. Just my $.02....Again thank you for everything you do.

[BLACKJACK]

People that are willfully breaking the law over and over even though they know its wrong are usually not the 'sharpest tools in the shed' and consequently probably don't have very high standards on what they consider revenge, instead of just yelling at you or ignoring you they'd probably resort to killing your dog, burning your shed, etc so I'd be very, very careful.

But with TIP being anonomous, a simple call next summer stating that hunters Joe and Tom on Farmers Jones property have been baiting/poaching for years would probably be effective. The CO's would have a heads up to watch that property, thats all you need. Make the call from a pay phone if you're really concerned.

[Black_Bay]

Y'all preach about "breaking a law", but are you on the phone if your riding with your friend to your hunting spot, your running late and he's speeding? Or the other one I asked and no one really answered......if your buddy is over and drinks a 6 pack and you have reason to believe his BAC is .08000000005, are you on the phone?

Get real.

If these people want to turn in the offenders great. It's their choice. If they don't because the offenders are friends or neighboors, or people that may make their lives miserable, that's their choice too.

Gotta love the emotion attached to someone breaking a game law(baiting), that's legal in um-teen other states......LOL

If I thought my friend had too much to drink I'd make sure they had a safe way home. I wouldn't let them leave and then call the cops. Nor would I call the cops on my speeding buddy. I'd ask them to slow down so we got to our destination safely.

I'm glad our game laws are so humorous to you.

[Hammer Handle]

Baiting is so stupid and should be illegal.

But, I see more and more people doing it for it "works".

Soon, people will put up a big pen and trap the deer until season opens, then shoot them.

Where is the sport?

[chub]

If I thought my friend had too much to drink I'd make sure they had a safe way home. I wouldn't let them leave and then call the cops. Nor would I call the cops on my speeding buddy. I'd ask them to slow down so we got to our destination safely.

I'm glad our game laws are so humorous to you.

WHAT??????? You would talk to him first? Why....... he is breaking a law. Why wouldn't you call and turn him in for endangering your life and the lives of others on the road? Thanks for making my point.

I don't find game laws "humorous" BTW. Some I find quite ridiculous however.

Let's take baiting for instance. So uncle Ed is hunting over a pile of corn, while you and little Johnny are hunting over your 1.5 acre "food plot" of corn and Mega 500 Miracle Super Trophy Antler Cabbage. Uncle Ed is baiting, but your not? LOL

Not gonna drag this any further off topic.

To the guys that are having the moral dilemma, do what you have to do. No need to listen to me or anyone else. Can't go wrong following your heart.

Hope y'all have a happy holiday season!

[Musky Buck]

There is always 2 sides to everything on every topic. I have no food plot issue because it helps so many other animals and birds and it creates better land and it certainly doesn't mean a slam dunk hunting near them. Think of the thousands of us who hunt farms, that doesn't guarantee success vs. the guy 2 miles back in the woods. Waterfowl baiting is illegal, no one argues that. Deer, then it's an issue. I have friends who create the ultimate in pheasant cover, corn strips,crp,sorghum,corn strips,more crp like cover,soybeans,corn,etc. and no one seems to find that food plot scenario being a problem. Watched a baited show last night and the guy missed with his arrow, the deer ran off a ways and came right back to the pile, then he got it and said what a great hunt. We can only go off of our own experiences and the 4 bowhunters that I'm aware of using bait this year were 20 for 20. That concerns me especially since this was in farm country and the deer could've opted for a 80 acre standing corn field less than 75 yards from where these guys were baiting. Happy Holiday's and be safe everyone ! MB

[Black_Bay]

Originally Posted By: Black_Bay

If I thought my friend had too much to drink I'd make sure they had a safe way home. I wouldn't let them leave and then call the cops. Nor would I call the cops on my speeding buddy. I'd ask them to slow down so we got to our destination safely.

I'm glad our game laws are so humorous to you.

WHAT??????? You would talk to him first? Why....... he is breaking a law. Why wouldn't you call and turn him in for endangering your life and the lives of others on the road? Thanks for making my point.

I don't find game laws "humorous" BTW. Some I find quite ridiculous however.

Let's take baiting for instance. So uncle Ed is hunting over a pile of corn, while you and little Johnny are hunting over your 1.5 acre "food plot" of corn and Mega 500 Miracle Super Trophy Antler Cabbage. Uncle Ed is baiting, but your not? LOL

Not gonna drag this any further off topic.

To the guys that are having the moral dilemma, do what you have to do. No need to listen to me or anyone else. Can't go wrong following your heart.

Hope y'all have a happy holiday season!

Yea I'd talk to my friend who was speeding because, in your example, they would be sitting next to me in the vehicle.

The original poster Pm Davis300 stated this is a "friend" sort of and he'd rather not be a "friend" with the nar-do-well. He's also conserned the guy will retaliate. What kind of a friend retaliates against you?

BTW you don't make a valid point. Basically you're saying a person should either turn in everyone they see breaking any law or not turn in anyone for anything. If that's the case the phone lines would be jammed with calls 24/7.

[skee0025]

If he did it this year and was successful, odds are he will do it again next year. Wait till the season is getting ready to start, call in a tip about baiting in that location and he will get whats coming to him.

[Joe15]

ok by they time this guys makes a decision on what to do the poacher will have taken 5 more deer so just make a decision and stick with it and do it

[jkjkoda]

Just remember that it is harder to do the right thing than the wrong. Your actions represents your ethics its just hard to do!!! <<<<Call TIP>>>>

[DuckDog]

Any update to this one?

[alwaysonthemove]

So what, he shot a deer in the metro with a bow. Probably saved the city or county money by not having to hire a sharp shooter to take the population down. I might not agree with shooting over bait. maybe you should just say hey you know it is illegal to hunt over bait.

Where I'm from it is better to be friends with your neighbors than cause conflict. Who is he gonna assume turned him in?? all his neighbors

[FCspringer]

OK slow down here It's abit early to asume anything, Gator must know the law, fill em in on how far you have to be from bait. I believe there is a law that alows baiting within a certain distance from where you are sitting maybe there far enough away. Check into that stuff first and make an educated decision. What is realy the fine print in the law, you know if its inches or a couple feet or so why bother. There has been some products that are OK to hunt over inthe past, I think you need to see if what they are doing is in fact realy breaking the law or not. Maybe you have I don't know. There was a law once where you could hunt I think 100' from corn piles or whatever. Not sure whats changed but I don't need bait the fields are full of corn anyway. And whats realy a big deal if we are talking feet and inches here when the next guy is sitting over a hundred acres of corn or a antler king food plot. No dif in my opinion. Don't take any unnesacary risks to yourself or family till you sort this out some more.

[WaitForIt]

No, baiting is illegal, period, dot. Doesn't matter how far away, etc. Lots of folks try to misread the regs to justify sitting near but not directly over bait.

It drives me crazy to hear people compare food plots to a pile of corn. Food plots nourish deer and benefit other wildlife ALL YEAR long whereas bait benefits (maybe) a slob hunter for a weekend.

Did you know that clearcutting a forest increases the available forage from 50 lb / acre (mature forest) to over 3000 lb/ acre? By your logic that should be illegal as baiting. Nonsense!

Turn the poacher in. It is a matter of right and wrong and if we tolerate those who do wrong we essentially are condoning the activity. A friend who I won't mention and I lost access to some PRIME hunting ground because we turned in two other guys that hunted the land who knew the owners - his kid sitting in a ladder stand over corn was prominently featured in local newspaper. Needless to say the owners sided with the other guys and we lost access to the land. Was it the right thing to do? Absolutely. Would we do it again? Absolutely.

[Here-Kitty-Kitty]

I totally agree.

[fishinphilth]

I would have a hard time turning in a friend, but a neighbor that I wouldnt care if I was friends with or not is a different story. I would talk to them about it. Let them know that they are in the wrong and their hunting PRIVLEGE'S will be taken away if they get caught. If they dont agree and keep doing it, then a TIP call is in order. They might find out it is you, but it is you that values hunting and the privlege of hunting and people that dont ruin it for people like all the FMer's out there.

IMO people like this guy are not in it for the hunt they are in it for the prize only. I personnally have had some great times hunting without seeing one deer, pheasant, duck, etc...

[FCspringer]

Well, I will add again that baiting, even if I have no need for it or don't it, it was LEGAL, Read the regs from previous years.You had to be 100' away. Recently you were able to use mineral licks ect. So just because some one does not like a law is not a good reason to condem another, this is america.Some would argue you should not be hunting..... Leave the animals alone ect. what do you say to them, will you stop hunting?

[FCspringer]

OK, I went on the DNR site and in new for 2008 you can find under Legal this, An area is considered baited 10 days after complete removal of the bait or feed.

Liquid Scents, salt,minerals,and BIRD feeders placed at least 6' above the ground are not considered bait or feed.

These Restrictions do not apply to food plots. So Any one who has there bird feeders less than 6' above ground and hunts out back must be baiting. NO? I never bought a lic. for riffle this year, but I raise and release Pheasants, I put out corn for them all winter. Never see a deer NOT ONE. I can prove it Come and look for tracks in the snow. My folks feed birds deer are in the yard all the time even during hunting season. All you have to do to comply is Plant a few rows of corn, pretty simple. So all I am saying is relax a little and look at all the facts and let the warden decide if these guy's are in fact breaking the law. It is there job, yes if you suspect it talk to them and let them investigate it and as for the rest, (confronting them ect.) don't get involved. Some people in the urban areas no offence, realy dont understand the facts at all about helping out wild animals on our property either. To say that a feeder or station or corn pile or whatever helps only a slob is just not corect at all in the real world. All wild life on our property bennifits from this anywhere from coon to squirls, rabbits, Pheasants, blue jays song birds on and on. And I again say NOT ONE DEER ALL WINTER never see em. Probably never will they yard somewhere else, I have game photo's of just about every other creature known to man though. So If you are useing a bird feeder are you Baiting? Not trying to get this going to a big heated arguement here, It is becoming a usefull productive post so please don't reply harshly I would like to see some more educated discution on the subjuct. Thanks for shareing and listening.

[Musky Buck]

All I know is we never used to need baiting as a legal way to take a deer and we certainly don't need it today to take a deer. Think about the baiting issue and for me it's a never because I don't have to get a deer, I hope to get a deer. So I'll never need bait. The next guy might feel like I have to get a deer and what's the best way to get one on it's feet in a clear area where I can shoot, deer need water,cover, and food so they bait. I saw this year for the first time what bait can do in agricultural areas. Bow hunters were 20 for 20 over bait. 4 guys 20 deer, very depressing. I saw the bait for the first time this year by their bow stands, in previous years these guys would get 3-4 deer bowhunting. All of a sudden this year they filled out. Same stands, same woods next to 80 acres of standing corn, the deer still preferred to eat off the shelled piles in shooting light in the woods. And don't throw the well other states allow it so what's the deal, did u ever think maybe we have it right and the other states have it wrong ? I'd hate to see the day in Minnesota where close to season it's gun, check, shells, check, blaze orange/clothes check, license check, boots check, watch shooting light check, bags of corn and sunflower seed check.

[LOTWSvirgin]

What are four guys going to do with 20 deer anyways??? Sounds like they just like to kill. Thats wrong in my book. one deer a year thats it.

[Musky Buck]

That's exactly what I'd like to know, 3 of the 4 own together a meat business. For them it is all about how much they get, whatever the limit is or whatever they are allowed to take. Their grandfather was like that also so they learned from him and must have agreed with that philosophy. I never saw a deer on that land this rifle season, not that the weather was great but that was a first. The farmer asked me how'd you do ? I said I didn't see any this year. He said he's noticed a lot fewer deer around the past few years. He said maybe I'll ask those 4 bowhunters how they've been doing the past few years, he did, and they didn't give him an honest answer, he said they said they got 3 deer. I just told the landowner there were a lot more gutpiles around then that, although they drug most of them by 4 wheeler to the road and gutted there so as not to ruin their goldmine, although closer to rifle season they didn't care as much because they knew I'd be in there rifle/musketing and then they let the corn piles get wiped out of there. All I know for sure if bait was legal and I chose to do it, I'd be taking a lot of deer off other properties because I could feed them way off the road in secluded cover meaning the already have's would have even more deer on our land, now they roam many parcels on the way to or back from feeding. 1 last poaching bit. I wish if caught poachers would lose their priviledges for life, I'm tired of our slap on the wrist U.S. of A

[Big Dave2]

I am guessing this happened in an intensive harvest area and they bought management tags to be able to shoot this many?