Poaching reward
West Virginia
Several threads lately mentioned the problem with poaching in our state. I am curious. Do you think more people would turn or report poaching if there was a reward? What if when you purchases your license you could donate $1 to the poaching fund. Then that pot of money could be used as a reward to those who provide the info that leads to the arrest and conviction of a poacher.
Also, would you turn in a friend or relative if you knew they poached a buck.
I am not talking about the person that went out and shot a Doe to put meat on his family's table. Those folks, I send to the local CO to see about working with a farmer who has crop damage permits. I am talking about the folks who will shoot anywhere to get that big buck.
Let's talk about that guy that went out and shot a doe to put meat on his family's table.
The guy who shoots a deer illegally to feed his family is the same as those who shop lift from Kroger to feed their family. One problem for offering a reward is that the DNR Officers will have to make the arrest. Imagine how frustrated you would be if you turned someone in and nothing was done.
It is very hard to catch poachers and get a conviction. You almost have to catch them in the act I have been told. The ones we read about on here are easy. They admit it in fb. Lol.
It is very hard to catch poachers and get a conviction. You almost have to catch them in the act I have been told. The ones we read about on here are easy. They admit it in fb. Lol.
IDK, from what I've been told the majority of arrests are made from tips from other people. Sure it dosen't turn out to be 100%, but I think the do a pretty good job. I think very few cases are dumped in their lap wrapped up in a bow.
Yes, I think that is a very good idea. I know a lot of states that offer check offs for that and other things.
Yes I would turn in a family member and have done it before. Just last week I told my nephew who was hunting in Maryland that if he didn't shoot his does before he shot a second buck that I would report him.
I don't buy the story that people have to poach to feed their family. There are enough social programs to prevent that.
Now, I would believe that they make a choice to poach a deer to save money so that they have extra beer and cigarette money, or to save up for an atv or big screen TV.
It is hard to catch them, that is why I am saying if more people would turn them in for a reward, would it help. You know there are people out there who know someone who poached and just does not say anything.
maybe some of these guys who poach to feed their families, so they say, would turn in their buddies and use the reward money to buy some groceries
I will turn a person in regardless of a reward way I see it they are stealing from me
or for every one you turn in you get an extra buck tag.....
Kidding of course....
They could have a drawing once a year . Every time you turn in a poacher that is convicted you get your name put in the pot. If your name gets drawn you get a free elk tag for that year .
Everyone knows a poacher but nobody turns them in.
I know several that I hear talk at the local check in station but have never seen them do so I can't turn them in just based on what I hear. I had one riding the roads the other night at the cabin and called the game warden on him. They had Maryland tags and were spotlight. Thought about firing some shots at them but didn't want to go that far. LOL. The game warden came out but they were gone.
You have poaching at all levels. I've known several law enforcement officers (including DNR) that are avid poachers.
Well then turn them in. That is more important than turning in a regular citizen.
It does no good to post on here that you know this or that and not do anything about it. If someone knows for a fact that someone is poaching and you don't do anything about it then you share some degree of culpability in the crime in my opinion.
If I see my neighbors house being broke into and I don't do anything about it then what does that say about me?
Really? That is interesting. Wonder how you turn them in? lol
Simple, you call their superior officer, or just start at the top and report it.
Very rarely is someone caught red handed poaching. Usually they are caught by the CO putting together the pieces that they were provided. Say for example I report a small red pick, running the road by house, then someone reports they heard a gun shot and then saw a Red Toyota truck that sped off. The JR reports someone at the local check in talking about poaching, and they drove off in a Red Toyota truck with tag # 123456. Every piece of the puzzle counts.
Absoultely right. They are like detectives. Occasionally they get an arrest gift wrapped and set in their hands, most of the time they have to investigate and put a case together. That's what they do , that's what they get paid for.
I hope the officers in the other counties are more of a go getter than the ones i have reported thing too...
They refure to even come out and take a report
Otis, what I would do in a case like that is report the fact to their commanding officer. If that dosen't work then take it straight to the top to the top. There may be a reasonable explanation as to why they didn't show up, or maybe not, but as a citizen you deserve an answer.
I will say out our way, when I have called, there was no point in the CO coming out, as the poachers had already driven away, put he took the info over the phone. I try to get as much info as I can. Vehicle description, any window stickers, Time of day and location. If I can I try to get a picture with cell phone.
Well, i see it, will keep calling it in.....No chance of getting them if you dont call
" Well then turn them in. That is more important than turning in a regular citizen.
It does no good to post on here that you know this or that and not do anything about it. If someone knows for a fact that someone is poaching and you don't do anything about it then you share some degree of culpability in the crime in my opinion.
If I see my neighbors house being broke into and I don't do anything about it then what does that say about me?"
Far easier said than done. Try reporting your local game warden for poaching and see how far you get, plus what kind of fall out it has on you. Report a local Barney and find yourself on the craplist with every LEO in the area.
Besides, the "brotherhood" seldom will do anything against one of their own. Have you ever heard of a cop or even his wife ever having to pay a speeding ticket? Of course not, I've had them tell me it's "professional courtesy" that you don't give tickets to "brothers".
If I see someone doing it I will turn them in. But I am not calling the DNR to tell them someone if bragging about their budding killing deer at the checking station. Good point JB. here is another one. Try turning in a poacher and your house gets on the "to burn down list". Been there.
So the answer is to do nothing about it other than complain about it on bowsite??
I am 100% positive that if the head of law enforcement knew that his officers were breaking the laws that they are sworn to protect there would be swift action. Reports can be 100% anonymous if you want them to be.
If that is your position then you are part of the problem and not the solution to the problem. I just don't understand how people can complain about poaching then if they know for sure of poaching not report it??
If I see someone doing it I will call it in. But I am not calling the DNR because I "heard" someone killed a deer. I was threatened once when I called in a report for a guy shooting one in my field off of my mailbox. The game warden came out and later that night I got an anonymous phone call threatening my house and my daughter. The only thing anonymous about that report was the threat I received. And by the way no arrests were made. I am convinced the guys doing it saw the game warden ride up the road and just knew I phoned in the report. In the area I hunt in Pendleton county the officers know who the poachers are most of the time. It is catching them that is the problem. Again, If I see them doing it I will turn them in. On another note, I know this is not the way to handle it but one of my neighbors in the mtn. will fire shots over the vehicle when he sees em. He says that works better and the word gets around better than calling the game warden who comes too late. I kind of hated to take it that far. LOL.
I agree, just because someone heard "something" is really of no use.
Babysaph, your spot on with that they almost have to catch them in the act. I know that my brother and a couple of other hunters had been hunting a huge buck (scored high 160's) and it was poached by a Va. poacher in McDowell county last year. He states that he killed the buck in a certain/certain area and this was like this and that, no evidence what so ever on his part to back up what he was saying. Well, the buck would have had to travel over 25 miles as the crow flies in 3 hours, in the night in some extreme terrain, not to mention that he was caught on camera with a hot doe that night before he was poached. Well, it all came to a head and his daddy who has a lot of money and influence, hired a big time lawyer and well, you know the rest of the story... The DNR officer worked his butt off with the help of legal hunters to do what is right and then this weak judical system gets in the way. I hope it haunts him every time he looks at that deer.
There should be a section on the bow site that posts pictures of convicted poachers for every hunter to see. Sort of like the Wall of Shame.
I have a good friend that is an attorney and he said that how far a deer travels is almost irrelevant. Without a DNA sample of the deer it is impossible to say it is the same deer even though we all know it is.
"So the answer is to do nothing about it other than complain about it on bowsite??" Yup, pretty much
I agree about with babysaph on the deer ID. It would be about impossible to convict someone based on a deer ID from a game camera.
They did it in Romney this season. The story was posted here on on-site. Guy claimed he shot deer as a landowner.
Yeah, that has been done in several places with good solid convictions.
Those guys admitted to it. If they fought it they would win.
Ok I have some guys riding up the my road with a spotlight hanging out the window., imma shoot over their head to run em off.,
They might not hear that arrow go over their truck?
Well I'm driving along a road not to far from the house showing my family where a tornado hit not to long ago and end up finding atleast 15 deer over the hill so I snap a few pictures thinkin I might be able to get home make a phone call and hopefully take someone out there to show them but it looks or seems like we have nobody available on the weekends or does anybody know another number I can call
I don't know who the officers are in Mercer county.
What I do and it has worked for me is build relationships during the off season. Get to know the officers. I have the cell phone numbers of the officers in Monroe county as well as Logan/Mingo.
You should be able to call the 911 service center and find out who is on duty. There has to be someone on duty.
Talked to one already said he had a call on it a couple weeks ago and has been to the scene but nothing he can do with out a lead if I knew I could hide one of my cameras good enough and not have it stolen I would set it up myself
