Had DNR accuse me of poaching today

[bigdawgtrucks]

A guy I work with just had this happen last week. The CO told her that certain things will throw up a red flag in the computer and they have to check them out. They asked her a few questions and that was the end of it. They have to justify their jobs somehow right?

 

[42769vette]

i think the dnr has very dificult and needed jobs. most are hunters and hunting seson is right at there busy time of year. think about the number of calls dnr gets saying so and so just killed a monster i know it was poached because someone besides me killed it.

 

[bigdawgtrucks]

Its a government job, and that equals money. If they can bust your *** for something and give you a ticket they will. Just check out lake Monroe from Memorial Day till Labor Day. Before Memorial Day and after Labor Day you'll be luck to find a CO on the lake, but between those dates the lake is crawling with them waiting to hand out tickets.

 

[FordMan08]

Got any pictures or your deer and your wifes? Lets see em!

 

[E5RANGER375]

Its a government job, and that equals money. If they can bust your *** for something and give you a ticket they will. Just check out lake Monroe from Memorial Day till Labor Day. Before Memorial Day and after Labor Day you'll be luck to find a CO on the lake, but between those dates the lake is crawling with them waiting to hand out tickets.

YEP!! now days in the cops eyes you guilty until proven innocent in court, but you still probly did it in the cops eyes even when your found innocent. they just cant let anything go because they think they are never wrong.

i just hope you dont get harrassed from now on. i would have been pissed too, and told him to get the F off my property or told him your not gonna answer any questions. heck you dont even have to testify in court against your spouse if you dont want to. let alone to a monkey in a uniform

he cant arrest you on speculation, he didnt even have probable cause

 

[38special]

What ever happened to the presumption of innocence?

 

[AGarbers]

I am going to guess you live in the west central part of the state. Terra Haute - Rockville area? If so I think I know who Spanky is, and from my dealing with him, he's a good man. While I would be angry over the whole thing, I would remember that an ICO is between a rock and a hard place in many cases. If they don't do anything about a report, then they're lazy, if they do, then their a$$holes. Sounds like some anti-hunter, jealous neighbor, co-worker, or hunter reported it. I had someone report me for poaching during gun season several years ago, when all I was doing was walking to my tree stand on my property. The ICO had to come out and make a report. I felt bad for him.

 

[samot]

i just hope you dont get harrassed from now on. i would have been pissed too, and told him to get the F off my property or told him your not gonna answer any questions. heck you dont even have to testify in court against your spouse if you dont want to. let alone to a monkey in a uniform

ya. i wont let him harrass me, period.... I stood there & answered his questions this time, next time i wont be as friendly. i kick my self in the butt for answering the questions he did ask me. I should have just told him, look at the what the tags say, thats all the info he needs.

 

[Eddie]

A guy I work with just had this happen last week. The CO told her that certain things will throw up a red flag in the computer and they have to check them out. They asked her a few questions and that was the end of it. They have to justify their jobs somehow right?

From talking to CO's that I know one major red flag is where a hunter takes a buck, then later in the season their spouse or young child who has never checked a deer before buys a tag and brings in a buck that day or the next. It gives the appearance that the hunter killed a buck, then killed a second buck and had their spouse or kid tag it for them.

My understanding is that they just go investigate by asking a few basic questions like where they took the deer and what kind of gun or bow did they use. If the spouse or kid seems like they know nothing about hunting or gives answers that can't be true then the CO might dig a little deeper.

Best bet as usual is not to talk to the cops but it sounds like you and your wife did nothing wrong.

 

[samot]

I am going to guess you live in the west central part of the state. Terra Haute - Rockville area? If so I think I know who Spanky is, and from my dealing with him, he's a good man. While I would be angry over the whole thing, I would remember that an ICO is between a rock and a hard place in many cases. If they don't do anything about a report, then they're lazy, if they do, then their a$. Sounds like some anti-hunter, jealous neighbor, co-worker, or hunter reported it. I had someone report me for poaching during gun season several years ago, when all I was doing was walking to my tree stand on my property. The ICO had to come out and make a report. I felt bad for him.

your pretty close on the location.....
I agree he has a job to do, & i agree with him not being to bad of a guy, but he (IMO) should not have tried to provoke me to confess to killing my wifes deer then having her tag it. & that is what i told him, the way he did it pissed me off. thats when i told him to just come out & say it, stop this fishing expedition, just tell me what you want, im busy dangit.....
i would also assume that he would be viewing this forum

 

[samot]

Got any pictures or your deer and your wifes? Lets see em!

yes sir, thier on here somewhere. I think in the show us your buck thread.. Whats funny, after thinking about it, we took pictures of my wife with her deer in the woods rite after she shot it....
i found em for ya, & yes the rack on her deer was wider, pics are at bottom of the page
https://www.indianagunowners.com/forums/the_great_outdoors/70094-deer_hunters_photo_thread.html

 

[woodsie57]

Sounds like the sorta jerk that gives all public employees a bad name. Next time, don't talk to them. Drives them crazy.

 

[printcraft]

My buddy had a DNR accuse him of baiting.
With old rotten pumpkins.
Pumpkins that were not even on his property but the neighbors property.
Pumpkins that the neighbor had dumped at the back of his field!
Do deer eat pumpkins? I've never heard of it if they do.

 

[bigdawgtrucks]

I watched a show about moose in Alaska not to long ago. The moose were coming into town in the fall and winter, they would eat pumpkins off porches because of the lack of food. So I would think deer would eat them to.

 

[rhart]

Well I have been harassed by these guys before myself so I know how you feel. That being said however. I would say that more people tag deer they killed with thier wifes tag, then there are wifes that kill deer.This is a common problem in our state and hey if you are on the up and up, dont worry about it. I for one am glad they are following up a bit with some of these claims. I am not saying you did this but hey, it happens a lot. Obviously, someone let the DNR know that they believed you may have done somthing like this.
Also regarding this comment "even tho i have written permission to reduce the deer population on our farm anytime my family deems it necesary to save our crops"
I would like clarification on this because if this is true, I am absolutly mortified. I am fully aware of depredation permits and all, but never have I heard of open season to reduce the population as seen fit without limits and stipulations by land owners with written permission.
Thats my 2 cents, remember, you asked for it.
Good luck

 

[Greg.B]

I am fully aware of depredation permits and all, but never have I heard of open season to reduce the population as seen fit without limits and stipulations by land owners with written permission.
Thats my 2 cents, remember, you asked for it.
Good luck

Agreed, and addressed before in various threads. There always seems to be a lot of incorrect information and assumptions about depredation permits. No CO or WB that I've ever dealt with will give you free reign to shoot any animal you see, whenever you see it, as much as you might like to think you can "because gosh dang it, I'm the landowner, it's my land, and I'll do what I want on it cause it's no one's business!" Sorry, that's not how it works when it comes to wildlife; Yes, I know I'm probably going to receive some negative rep for what I'm about to say, but it's not just YOUR wildlife, it's EVERYONE'S wildlife, and the DNR's job is to protect it as best they can, while balancing herd health, numbers, damage levels, public opinion, etc. They've got a tough job...don't they? Especially when someone gets ticked because they're trying to DO their job...

Back on track...depredation permits state specifically what types of animals may be taken, how many, during what time period, etc. For reference, check the IN DNR Hunting Regs at DNR: Hunting Guide & Regulations, the DNR website section for managing deer damage at DNR: Managing Deer Damage, and the Permit Requirements for Wildlife Removal at http://www.btny.purdue.edu/ppp/newitem8.pdf

So, relative to all of this, why so harsh on this CO? Obviously, someone reported something suspicious to the DNR, and they are doing their jobs by following up. He came out, talked to you, and it sounds like he believes you. I guess I'm just not seeing the problem here....

 

[FordMan08]

YEP!! now days in the cops eyes you guilty until proven innocent in court, but you still probly did it in the cops eyes even when your found innocent. they just cant let anything go because they think they are never wrong.

i just hope you dont get harrassed from now on. i would have been pissed too, and told him to get the F off my property or told him your not gonna answer any questions. heck you dont even have to testify in court against your spouse if you dont want to. let alone to a monkey in a uniform

he cant arrest you on speculation, he didnt even have probable cause

If he were guilty then we would be praising the DNR for their extra efforts this far out of season. If you are innocent then just answer their questions and shake hands like men.

It looks as if they believed you and you are innocent. I believe they have a tough job and I thank them for what they do. They run into more armed bad guys in one season than a city cop does in his whole carreer.

On a side note, deer LOVE pumpkins.

 

[thecanuck]

I've talked to CO's before and at the end of each deer season, they go through all the recorded deer checked in and pull out any that are suspicious. Daughter's or wives first deer who's never hunted before, tagging a doe early Sunday morning and things of such matter. Unfortunately, 95% of the people they checked did not obey the law and were overharvesting and they can generally tell straight away. It's unfortunate and bad policy for them to come to your place of business and do that. They should do it in a more professional manner but I guess they feel that that's how they can catch people off guard the best.

 

[samot]

What ticked me off is, I shouldnt have to proclaim my innocence just because someone thinks or wants the law to think i & my wife broke the law. I could give 2 ****s if that guy thinks i poached the deer or not.
We went thru the chain of commands to go deer hunting, we each killed a dear, we tagged em & ate em. End of story. I will NOT answer any DNRs questions again. I will tell him to look at the tag & read it that is what it is for. There was absolutly no way he could have convicted me of poaching unless he seen me shoot 2 deer. He tried to verbally force me to confess to something i didnt do with his little fishing tactics, on my property & on my time. That maybe something you guys enjoy, I however do NOT

 

[rhart]

Deer will eat pumpkins. If the neighbor dumped them or spilled them there, that would fall under the "natural agricultural deposit clause". In other words, wouldnt stand up in court
And yes, Deer (and other wildife) are property of the state even if they are on your property. and they have a replacement fee for each if you take one illegally. A deer is $500.00 unless they raised it recently. And, if your hunting on your `farm as you put it, you shouldnt need a license in the first place