186" Poached in OH

[zdmiller]

Until it is your kid that they are fining 13000 from, and you end up footing the bill. I would like someone to tell me how they can justify a charge of 13000 for the bucks inherant natural value to the state, (I doubt it would have brought 13000 in revenue to the state). It's easy to point fingers at those kids and tell each other they should be strung up and made an example of, but they weren't selling dope, they weren't damaging anyones property(unless you want to make the case the deer was state property) and they didn't murder anyone. Maybe you should take a step back and imagine if they were your kids. I think everyone should take a step back and put things in perspective, this was just a deer.

[zdmiller]

I think there should be a punishment, but I don't think this steep of a punishment fits the crime. Hopefully, as you said, it will deter others at least in that area from attempting the same feat anytime soon.

[mrklean]

i wish our poaching laws were much tougher, people get off way to easy, a deer of a lifetime is taken and hes gets a 13000 fine, which will probably get lowered and some community service or something instead of jail, make examples of these people.

[Wanderer]

a) a Firearm that is unloaded, cased, and in the closed trunk of a motor vhicle (if it doesn't have a trunk, it must be in the rearmost portion of the vehicle)....

Soo... unloaded, in a case next to some shells by the door of the topper/tailgate???? Hmmm...

Just seems ironic to make that the specific legal space.

I originally thought you couldn't have a weapon at all to shine, but I suppose they need to leave a little wiggle room for when you are leaving the hunt for the night and your headlights wash a field and you pause for a bit to look at the deer standing out there.

The fine?

Don't do the crime if you can't do the time, or pay the fine.

[pinkfloyd4ever]

IMO the kids certainally knew what they were doing out there, like wanderer said 'if you can't do the time, don't to the crime.'

[hanso612]

I am very disapointed to hear of the choice these guys made.

Everytime a "hunter" makes a public display like this it sheds a negative light on all of us.

I have enjoyed viewing deer my hole life. Each and every year during deer camp we drive and look for deer until dark, not to help our hunt, but to pass the time of the long dark hours without resorting to drinking or card playing or other negative activities so often associated with the darker side of our sport. The wildlife we saw fueled our dreams and made sitting on stand during inclement weather more bearable knowing what was really out there.

The introduction of million candlepower spotlights 20 years ago made the drive even better-but poachers highlighted problems. So did insensitve spoters who shined homes and farmsteads.

The activity is enjoyable, ethical, and harmless to the resource. It allows children and elderly to enjoy seeing animals they would never have have the opportunity to otherwise.

Just as hunters feel atacked by antis criticising their behavior, as a legal shiner I feel attacked by those who wish to ban it in a selfish interest to protect a big buck just so they can shoot it later.

The problem is not with the activity, the problem is with the slob hunters who give us all a bad name.

So in my mind no fine is big enough for these jokers, but I'm also a realist and realize you can't get blood from a turnip and the big fine will ultimately hurt others more than just the shooters. Make criminals out of our young and you will see them act that in ways you don't intend. If the fine is so big it can't be repayed without causing the loss of hope you will force most perpetrators into a life of crime just to get back to even. Remember these are not the most scrupulous characters in the first place or they wouldn't have done what they did.

I urge all of you to see that spotting deer is a worthwhile activity and worth preserving. It is a activity steeped in tradition practiced by many law abideing hunters and non hunters alike and for that reason every effort should be made to stop the missuse of it. Hans

[KOTTKE]

I agree 100%. If your gonna do the crime be prepared to do the time. What would a collector pay for a rack like this?? How do we know there was no $$ involved with the taking of this great animal. Granted this is probably not for a serious collector, but there are plenty of folks that would pay big money to have this in there office show. Lock them up, this is a chance to show all poachers we mean buisness with our game laws!!!