Poachers

[weekender]

Looking for some ideas here. We just have 100 acres to hunt and are constantly plauged with poaching. Some of them live close by and know when I'm gone and just have at it. One thing is certain, you can't hunt and chase poachers at the same time. Some of them know I have a bad leg and just run when they see me coming. I can't out run them. I have caught a few. But then what do you do? One time it was turkey season and the guy had on a full face mask. I approached him, he's got a gun, I got a gun. I could only see his eyes. We are a good ways from the road/truck. What do I do now? There we stand, I ask for his license, he says he don't have one. I ask for his name, he just stands there. I tried to make him at least feel bad telling him how hard I worked to have a place hunt and he had ruined it. I told him what he was doing was no different than walking in my living room and stealing my television. He is taking something I paid for by poaching. The next two I catch while they are loading the deer in the truck. I didn't think to get the license plate number and when I asked for their hunting license they said "screw you". I had left my phone in my truck so I said I would just call the sheriff and let him handle it. As I went back to my truck to get the phone, they spead away. Today Kay was hunting alone at about 12:00 noon. Here comes a man wearing full camo with a rifle over his shoulder. He gets within 20 ft of Kay before he sees her. When she ask him what he is doing, he says "I'm not hunting, I am just walking through". What is she suppose to do now? A woman in the woods with a armed man she doesn't know. He just walked off. Last Monday evening right at dark she came up on two vehicals of guys just coming off our land. She did get their license number.
Let me hear it.

[liv2fish20]

Make friends with the local Game Warden. He will tell you how to correctly post the land and he'll be happy to patrol it when he can. With it correctly posted you can press charges the first time, without having to give them a warning. Once his presence is known, they should slow up.

Ted

[Ace1st]

I think you need to make an example of someone soon. Take some time off from deer and turkey hunting and do some man hunting. Have your camera, your phone and the authorities number on hand at all times. If you can make an example of one, the word will get out and you will have half the battle won. Another idea is to get to know your wildlife officer, invite him to come hunt with you. If all works out, he'll keep tabs on the place for you and he could help out alot with your problem. His visibility will get noticed. Another idea is to figure out where these guys are parking, and Im sure you can figure out the rest. Gets really expensive for someone to trespass on my place. Good Luck, its aggravating as hell but don tfeel like the lone ranger. We got the same issues everywhere.

[offshore]

We have the same problem. Its tough to deal with. We have confiscated a few things they have left in the woods. We have taken down five tree stands, One had a muzzle loader at the base of the tree with a stand, One four wheeler we loaded onto our trailer. Each case we left a card with a contact number where they could collect the items. Well so far none have ever been collected. Its crazy people just don't care. The best thing to do is make a big presence known on all your property. You see someone don't approach them call the sheriff or game warden and press charges and follow through. We always have our phones and contact numbers with us while we are in the woods.

[netman9]

Opening morning my brother ran into a poacher with a taste for an AM drink. When confronted he said he was tracking a deer and got pissy that we were stopping him. We told him to leave his gun and we would help him track. He changed his tune about the track. Again he got pissy saying we were just renters, we replied wrong, then he said he had permission next door and was going to talk to that land owner. We told him that was a great idea and should do it ASAP! As he was leaving he complained that we ran him into a briar thicket which we replied he could leave the same way he got there. The bad part is we can't give our own ID in fear of a false warrant on us and try to hide our liscence plates of our vehicals parked in the center of the property. Very good friends with 2 VDGIF Officers and numerous police/sheriffs and frustated the way it is.

Something peaceful about being on a boat miles from the next, just wish the same could be done in the woods! Good luck with this issue.

[mikehalseyjr]

Make friends with the local Game Warden. He will tell you how to correctly post the land and he'll be happy to patrol it when he can. With it correctly posted you can press charges the first time, without having to give them a warning. Once his presence is known, they should slow up.

Ted

Ted is 100% correct, you must go to the local game warden office, explain the entire situation. They will help.

Good Luck.

Mike

[crappiekrazy]

Greg, I wish I had a good answer. I agree with the idea of a video camera and trying to get the local authorities involed. Popping some tires and investing in a taser gun also sound like good ideas, but may not be the way to go. Good luck and let me know if you need any help.

[Thin Blue Line]

I think you need to make an example of someone soon. Take some time off from deer and turkey hunting and do some man hunting. Have your camera, your phone and the authorities number on hand at all times. If you can make an example of one, the word will get out and you will have half the battle won. Another idea is to get to know your wildlife officer, invite him to come hunt with you. If all works out, he'll keep tabs on the place for you and he could help out alot with your problem. His visibility will get noticed. Another idea is to figure out where these guys are parking, and Im sure you can figure out the rest. Gets really expensive for someone to trespass on my place. Good Luck, its aggravating as hell but don tfeel like the lone ranger. We got the same issues everywhere.

Im with Ace on this one. I'm very familiar with the process so to speak and all I can say is a picture is worth a thousand words... Take good photos, document dates, times, license plates, and anything else that would distinguish the person and the acts on your land. The other thing is how you articulate it, the more details you can put together, no matter how trivial they will seem to you will help.

Good luck with this, it would burn me too to have someone not welcome enjoying the fruits of my labor.

PM me if you have any questions.

[TunaTeaser1]

Register the land. My buddy has had a bad time with dog hunters on his property so he has properly registered and posted the land. In order to legally hunt there, you must have a "registered lands entry permit" that is signed by the landowner.

Failure to produce this when requested by an officer lands you a ticket no questions asked.

Register the land and call the warden when you know they're on your property.

[brandon558]

Register the land. My buddy has had a bad time with dog hunters on his property so he has properly registered and posted the land. In order to legally hunt there, you must have a "registered lands entry permit" that is signed by the landowner.

Failure to produce this when requested by an officer lands you a ticket no questions asked.

Register the land and call the warden when you know they're on your property.

Do as stated here. Also put a well hidden trail camera to see if its the same trucks and what not coming in.Most guys that poach simply are pos rednecks who dont care. Popping tires and what not with these crazy bastards with firearms isnt a good idea. Your not gona catch them all but making an example out of a few will go a long ways. Sorry you have to deal with these fools like alot of us have. Good luck.