Poachers slapped on the wrist
Wild Sheep
It seems rare that poachers are ever really given a fine that would actually be a future deterrent.3 guys here in WV just got fined $1400 for shooting an albino deer out of season from a vehicle and just left. It's a joke
Same in Kansas and the poaching has went full throttle the last two weeks.
Sad...should have hit them with $30k each....instead of what this works out to be @ $6k per ram.
That is sad to read about the Rams.
The fine is cheaper than a hunt----screwy
Good luck, Robb
that's a bargain.
if one was not worried about their reputation that is a heck of a good way to get a ram, but you would not be able to keep it.
This thread has given me cause to adjust my perspective. The fine for taking big game in Vermont is $1000 per animal. This includes wild turkeys. A $1000 wild turkey sounds like a big fine. Many of can walk in a neighbor's wood lot and field and have opportunity. When hunting where a guided hunt is approaching $10,000 to hunt legally then the $1400 fine does indeed seem like a slap on the wrist. Hunters should take heart in the fact our state governments put a high value on game animals.
Well now a days crime does pay. Poach, sell crack etc.... He'll even being a trader like Bo berg dal doesn't even land you in trouble.
No different than the guy who gets a slap on the wrist for DUI/DWI and has several repeat offenses. The negative repercussion related to this is far worst than any animal illegally shot.
Worrying about a poaching case is like tripping over a dollar to pick up a dime...
About 25 years ago I was a young prosecutor when I got handed a case involving an illegal immigrant who poached 13 turkeys - waited for them to walk on the road and then ran them over! The judge fined the guy $10/bird and let him walk. I called immigration and of course, even then, they were not interested in doing a thing.
Those fines seems substantial to me. Not truly fitting the crime I agree but at least they serve as a deterent.
Here in Virginia when the game wardens set up a "robo deer" at night and poachers shoot from the road the charge is only $150. Even worse is that the judge throws half of the cases out. Virginia needs to catch up with the rest of the country.
Sig you ever hear of Sodom And Gamorah? People have been wicked and making bad decisions for a long time. You will always have outliers in life but for the most part people are good
Fines should equal the cost of an average cost to hunt the species. Seems like an easy bar to set.
I agree with Sage Buffalo Those fines are definitely not substantial. A big horn hunt in Canada runs what nowadays? $30,000? They got to hunt and kill FOUR rams for less than that!
I wish every state would set up a system like Utah has. Turn in a poacher and if he is convicted you get a tag for that unit the next year! There's no honor among thieves so everyone knows even if they initially get away with it sooner or later someone will notice a big set of horns and turn them in! Great idea!
Sounds like a "sanctuary city" for poachers.
Not all that unusual nowadays.
Washington has a turn in a poacher system in place now but I think they give 10 preference points. Not 100% sure on this.
I agree with the fines equaling the price of the hunt and then a lengthy loss of hunting privileges on top.
Even better have the fine the same price as the auctioned Governers tag for that state, that would turn some people off real quick.
In my area , there are men that sometimes kill a doe out of season to feed his hungry family . I would help them get the doe home . But , if I see a man kill a big buck just for the rack and leave the rest lay , I would shoot him and leave him lay . They are the real poachers .
Those Mine rams are legendary...if they were to a allow selected hunting in the mine (which they should in my view) They would sell the tag s for 200,000 plus...Rams are dying of old age in there and are wasted
Guys: I doubt any of us would ever kill a human over a deer. Sometimes emotion speaks before reason kicks in. Lets all agree that we deplore waste of animals and strive to hold ourselves to high standards.
