[Rembrandt]

For nearly 20 years we've had to put up with a neighborhood poacher. Drives around the area snipeing deer or anything that looks like a moving target. He's sneaky....authorities have been unable to catch him in the act. Has a garage full of racks that were taken out of season and with high power rifle (not legal here). He would routinely shoot a deer, not gut it, cut out the backstraps and antlers then leave the rest as coyote bait.

This past weekend he received his just rewards....got stopped for OWI, as the officer is making the arrest he pulls a handgun in his drunken stupor and waves it at the officer. Now he's facing multiple felony charges...won't be able to own a firearm, can't get a hunting license, or drive a vehicle. Only thing he'll be driving is a push lawnmower.

Somedays the sun just shines a little brighter....

[birdbustr]

I'm sure this joker will find a way to keep doing his old routine. That is, unless he get's turned in everytime he tries it. Glad he got caught. At least you won't have to deal with him while he's in jail.

[moosehunt]

Obviously, he's already an obvious criminal, and sadly, continueing to break the law and a few more (felony, not allowed firearms) won't bother him. He'll keep it up soon as he's free.

[ArmedBear]

Our state DFG has a tip line. Doesn't yours?

[MCgunner]

Operation Game Thief in Texas, forget the number. I know an outlaw type, though not THAT stupid as to wave a gun at a cop, drunk or sober. Good way to wind up 6 feet down. But, I never could figure how "hunting" while looking over your shoulder for fence riders was such fun. :rolleyes: He got popped for hunting off the road once, his kid did time for hunting in the national sea shore area of Padre Island. The federal boys really don't like that sort of thing. They used to (and probably still do) poach the big ranches down at the land cut for Nilgai. I think it must be some sort of redneck cultural life style thing or something. :rolleyes: Whole family is this way, except the wife whom it doesn't seem to bother. Add up the boats, guns, and vehicles they've had confiscated, I mean, you could go on a few legit Nilgai hunts. Stupid. I used to work with this idiot, have lost touch since we're both retired now. He might be in Huntsville for all I know.

[eliphalet]

Fish and game depts. have access to labs that can and will do DNA to compare a illegal carcass with a rack on a garage wall, or meat in a freezer.

[MCgunner]

You know, the "it's the people's deer" crowd could probably justify off season poaching figuring it doesn't belong to the government any more than the land owner. They yap about paying lease fees, they probably can justify about anything in their minds. :rolleyes:

[spectr17]

Nice catch but most of these type folks don't follow the law to begin with. A conviction won't stop this guy from poaching. He'll be back.

[Rembrandt]

.... A conviction won't stop this guy from poaching. He'll be back.

I'm sure he will be back, only now it will be easier to bust him a second time if he's not able to own firearms or a hunting license. The DNR and law enforcement folks have had complaints about this guy for years. Up till now he's been too clever to get caught. Occassionaly he'll brag privately to close "friends" about how he beat the enforcement people. It was just a matter of time.

[ArmedBear]

For nearly 20 years we've had to put up with a neighborhood poacher.

I'm still puzzled by this choice of words.

[BobCat]

MCgunner said, "Operation Game Thief in Texas, forget the number."

The number is 800 792 GAME (4263) - if you can remember the 792, the rest is easy!

[paintballdude902]

hes lucky he didnt get shot


sounds like good ridence to a rotten sportsman (actually not even a sportsman theres no sport in poaching)

[Rembrandt]

("For nearly 20 years we've had to put up with a neighborhood poacher")...
I'm still puzzled by this choice of words.
Don't want to get too detailed about it on the net....grew up with the guy and his family. Have vacant property that we feared would be vandalized or worse if he thought we turned him in. Enforcement people were few and far between. Stopping him was not their priority....only way they would act was if we provided the evidence to nail him or if they happened to catch him in the act. Hard to do when you live several hours away.

[nathan]

As for not owning a firearm, these guys usually are hilly billies out in nowhere. They can borrow or buy from someone FTF with no background check . They believe in all year round deer hunt for food. Hard to catch people like these in no man's land.

[moosehunt]

When it comes to food, I have a more open mind. I've been there, and admit I've done that. But you don't just take the loins and you don't have a garage full of racks. I don't condone it, but I have had to feed myself and family. If you haven't been there, you can't relate to it. Happily, far in the past. I doubt that Mr. Rembrandts "friend" needed food. There is a big difference between wanting to enjoy some venison and needing food.

[average_shooter]

Now he's facing multiple felony charges... can't get a hunting license...

As others have alluded to, doesn't seem like he was following the law and getting the licenses in the first place. Probably won't mean much to him now.

[Rembrandt]

As far as his poaching activities they still haven't got anything on him, this will certainly curtail his activity. The Feds weren't able to get Al Capone for all his crimes either....but they did stop him with the income tax conviction.

In the long run this incident may have worked out better.....we'll see.

[paintballdude902]

remdrandt- The Feds weren't able to get Al Capone for all his crimes either....but they did stop him with the income tax conviction.


does he also have syphilis.....jw:neener:

[nathan]

Game wardens know this but he is the only one assigned in several counties. What can he do, drive in the dead of night, he could end up being snipe from miles away . They usually let it go. They know a lot of hilly billy folks do that for food .

[TCB in TN]

Ihas never bothered me, for poor folks to pick off a deer here or there for the table, but idiots like that who just shoot'em for the backstrap and rack are a completely different story.

[BlkHawk73]

Ain't karma great! :neener:

[treeman800]

I have a simalar problem.
This guy shoots off his deck onto my propety and leaves em.
1 warden in a large county
no witness
no conviction

[buck460XVR]

Nice catch but most of these type folks don't follow the law to begin with. A conviction won't stop this guy from poaching. He'll be back.

sad, but true. Every area has a few of the folks that hunt with "pioneer" licenses and regulations. Remember the pioneers had neither licenses or regulations. Many of these actually get a thrill outta taking something illegally, even tho they are good enough shots and hunters to take game legally. Same with many trespassers...there are some out there with all kinds of land to hunt on, but they get the biggest thrill outta taking a buck from their neighbors land without permission. Very similar to those that work harder to stay on welfare than it would be for them to actually go to work.

[TEDDY]

what would a game camera do.could you install it secretly and take pictures.
I am installing a wireless security camera attached to a vcr and monitor on my garage.:uhoh:----:confused:-----:fire:--

[treeman800]

if you choose to use game cams be prepared to have them stolen/damaged/destroyed.
use ones with high mega pixel. and able to turn flash off mount 1 to catch bad guys and 2 taking there pictures as they destroy cam 1. I prefer to mount mine elevated to make it more difficult for bg. however a couple blasts from 12g will destroy them.
after losing a few the word has spread not to go there. I now use some dummies and some real ones.

[TehK1w1]

Poaching Nilgai is a BAD idea...the security guy for the ranch I work on is NOT someone I would want to mess with...and shots are always investigated.

[Guy]

Want some get some.

[Jaenak]

It's days like that that you want to call into work and take the family to a nice establishment and celebrate the downfall of a much hated individual.

[Art Eatman]

Dunno 'bout nowadays, but there was a time when a poacher on the King Ranch might not be seen again. Been a long time since I was down in that country, although mostly fishing the Laguna Madre...

[Buttermilk]

Art,
You remember the fence riders with the crossed ammo bandoleers holding a Model 94 Winchester propped against their hip? And riding some really good Cardinal bred King Ranch Horses? And the super high fines the courts handed down for poachers caught on the King Ranch? And 6 foot rattlers and 8 foot indigo snakes? And mad Santa Gertrudis mama cows that would get in your back pocket in a heartbeat?
Those were hard but fun days !!

[Art Eatman]

When you look at just who were the Powers That Be at beautiful downtown Sarita, I'd have to figure that cheap fines were not very likely. :D

A little over 35 years back I had the good fortune to work with John B. Armstrong some, and got to know Bubba Whitehead when he ran the west Texas operation out by Valentine. Real fine folks.

[KelTecian]

When I went to college, I loved 10 miles outside of the city limits. My neighbor was the county sheriff. I lived out there with 2 other guys who hunted as well. While hunting we would often see the Sheriff in his white dodge ram, STOP, step out of his truck(still on the gravel road) and sniping deer from the back of this truck. Then leaving the animal to lay for hours/days before retireving it. We also would hear fully automatic weapons come from his land/home. What can ya do? It was his land, so we let him be. 3 college kids didnt want to stir up any trouble in small midwest farmland.

But it was horses*^t! and made me angry!