[rogo]

I posted this question on another forum and was surprised at the responses I received. What is your opinion? Should the deliberate act of deer jacking be made a felony? I mean the person who takes a light and a gun and goes out in the darkness with the sole intention of killing a deer be charged with a felony. He or she would then lose their privelage of owning, using or possessing a firearm for life. As it is now all they get is a minute fine, maybe lose their hunting license for a couple years and turned back out to do it again. Somewhere there has to be a stopper for them to think about. Small fines and license suspension isn't working. A felony charge sure would make them worry about getting caught a little more.
At the least,a $2000.00 fine, 6 month in jail and permanet loss of license should be the minimum. Also couple with that, loss of weapon used,vehicle and any other equipment in their possesion at the time of offense. Anyone with them would be charged with a felony also.

How about it, what do you hunters think?

 

[Guest]

that would be alright with me but here's the flaw in your reasoning. they aren't hunters, they are criminals which means they don't care about the laws and will do it anyway. how many felons get caught with firearms? now how many don't get caught? got to hit their wallets and hard.

 

[Hunting Man]

Big time jail time and of course loose vehicle, firearm, and cash. Ronn's right their not hunters! They should be legal varmits for real hunters to take out.

 

[bowhuntin' soldier]

i agree with you all but especially ronn and if the money doesnt come then in the slammer they go maybe when they pay the fine cost of liscenses will go down:w00t:

 

[BruceBruce1959]

It doesn't matter what the Laws are for Poaching, If the Judge doesn't impose proper sentencing.
It's happening all over America, Crimes are being committed and Criminals are only getting their hands spanked.

 

[malnikoff]

While I think the A-Hole that jacks that big 10 pointer I'd been hunting for 2 years should lose his truck, gun, pay a fine, go to jail etc...I do know of folks here in WV that jack deer for meat. I have a hard time putting the screws to a man who works hard every day and has a hard time putting nutritious food on the table after he's taken care of the rest of his obligations. These are the folks that work for poor pay and don't look to Obama to bail them out so they take a deer every now and then because they need to feed their families. I've even seen these types of folks pick up fresh road kill to see what they can salvage. You probably can't draw a clear line based on need and motive. I'm not a liberal especially when it comes to illegal hunting, but I wouldn't want to be the judge hearing this case.

 

[Southern Man]

Poaching is poaching. I don't care if it's for meat or horns. People don't have to poach to eat, that's ridiculous. In case we've forgotten, there's a democrat in the whitehouse and a democratic congress. They're more than willing to feed you if you're hungry. And, anyone that will poach a doe will poach a buck, meats the same just a little more of it. I agree with Bruce, the laws aren't any good if the judge won't sentence them. In KY, you can lose your gun, truck, and whatever you use (including land) to poach if caught. And your rights to hunt. Seldom is that the case tho, judges won't sentence like that.

 

[joel the signman]

raise the fines and penalties for it but i don't it warrants felony status.I understand what malnikoff is saying i would have a hard time hurting the "working poor" but the types that do it for fun(they busted some kid up here who was riding into the state park and shooting deer at night with a 22 and leaving them to rot) he gets hammered with a huge fine and some jail time.to make him a felon though could ruin his chance to get a job in the future.

 

[BruceBruce1959]

Malnikoff, I understand your concerns for a family in need. No man wants to see his family go hungry
None of us want to see a family, friend or even a neighbor struggle to feed his family but there are legal
means to help the hungry and those in need.

If a working man can't afford a vehicle to get back and forth to his job and has to depend on public transportation (Bus, cab, etc)
Should that lead us to believe he might steal a car someday?

Poaching is a serious crime but in the Criminal Courts it's handled like a boy that stole candy from a candy store.
The big difference is a poacher understands right from wrong but chooses to poach without regard to
the laws or Risks he puts everyone under.
Does anyone know where a Bullet in the night goes?
Do you think a poacher cares?
Do you want to be killed or have a family member killed by a poachers stray bullet?

 

[Whitetail_Freak_Hunter]

Poaching is poaching anytime no matter day or night. You break the game laws and you are a poacher. My son and I while hunting 2 yrs ago, observed two shooters shooting at deer from an improved road. I got a picture of them in the act. The area they were shooting thru, had a road on the other side of the timbered area and they could have also killed some one driving by.

They denied their actions, but when their attorney requested to see the evidence under the rules of disclosure, they both plead guilty.

Got 2 convictions, license suspension for 5 yrs in 11 states, and a stiff fine. And the best part of all, they must both partake first taking Hunters Education and assisting with the Hunters Education program for 2 years.

 

[malnikoff]

Wow did I get on the wrong side of the conversation. Maybe my communication skills just suck. My point was addressing what I thought was the original question. Should it be a misdimeaner? or Felony? Heck, I never said it was right. Whatever the law reads in a particular state, so be it. I do my damdest to keep my nose clean, but I'd really like the opportunity to pull out my 357 and finish off some of those people riding around with cell phones up to their ears even though it is against the law for me to do so, but what they are doing is also against the law in our state. It doesn't become a felony if they have an accident and kill someone? It is still a misdimeaner. Make it a felony and a lot of soccer moms and pharmaceutical salesman will be doing some serious jail time... Maybe I should have gone trout fishing.

 

[Whitetail_Freak_Hunter]

malnikoff

No I did not mean you thinking should it be legal etc.. game laws will always be misdimeaner, unless of course they violate the Federal Game Laws and the taking of protected animals. Now if they poach game and then say cross state lines with them, you have a violation of the Lacy Act which then becomes a felony.

 

[Hunting Man]

With regard to cell phones, I wish they would automaticaly de-activate unless the car is in park or air bags deployed. Poaching is a crime and is a serious threat to legal hunters thus I really hate poachers. I probably went overboard on my last post but poaching really drives me up a wall.

 

[timberghost]

Maybe I should have gone trout fishing.

Poachers are bad news and need to be strung up......C'mon over we'll go trout fishing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Whitetail_Freak_Hunter]

Here is a file photo I have from Operation Rosebud that we call the Wall of Shame.

I was reading a hunting magazine yesterday, and it had a story about what is going on here in Montana, not only with random poaching but organized poaching on the large scale.

Here is some stuff on the matter:

http://fwp.mt.gov/enforcement/crimes/commercialActivities.html

http://fwp.mt.gov/enforcement/crimes/poaching.html

http://www.helenair.com/articles/2007/07/17/helena/000poach.txt

http://fwp.mt.gov/mtoutdoors/html/articles/2002/poaching.htm

http://blog.kingsoutdoorworld.com/2005/11/01/potential-montana-state-record-mule-deer/

http://outdoornewsguy.com/?tag=montana

This of course is not just isolated to Montana, but is far reaching to those who are even tempted to shoot a buck of a lifetime and then purchase the tag the next morning thinking they can skirt DNR hunting laws.

http://blog.mlive.com/citpat/2008/01/man_who_killed_24point_buck_di.html

 

[flexj]

I don't know why people get all worked up about this. It is stupid to not follow guidelines about hunting...it is easy enough. At least here in Oklahoma there is plenty of time to fill the freezer during regular hunting seasons, and deer are plentiful. I don't hear much about poaching around here, but when I do I don't get all worked up about it....

 

[Whitetail_Freak_Hunter]

I don't hear much about poaching around here, but when I do I don't get all worked up about it....

flex - Poaching is stealing and breaking the law. Most of these poachers, cut the head off of the animal they poached and leave the body, waisting the meat.

I'm sorry if that don't bother you.

 

[flexj]

Well...it doesn't bother me to the point of wanting to shoot the poacher :shocking:. I think that is a little excessive. Everyone seems so touchy about the little things now when in the long run it doesn't really matter. I think people need to let the law handle these things as they obviously have the means to do so. Don't take the law into your own hands or you are worse than the poacher.:wacko:

 

[Hunting Man]

Well I do agree with letting the law take care of the problem but it is our responsibility to report it if we see it and it should make everyone very upset that it does happen. Poaching is a crime, treat it as such! Hopefully the courts continue to increase the fines.

 

[wmi]

Hang them High!! Criminals always have an excuse. (I'm sorry , Momma made me do it) Whatever! Sure I believe you.