Headed out to Brookeville after work yesterday to find some tree rats. Hiked back a bit and sat in the woods enjoying the peace and hearing plenty of activity but not seeing much.
Ended up getting a nice big fox squirrel who all but presented himself to me on a tall stump 45 yards out. But that's not the point of the story. There was a group of two younger guys out there with whom I kept leap frogging. I'd stop to listen and watch, and they'd move past me. When I moved on from that spot, I quietly passed by to my next stop. All went well, quiet a bit of respect and appreciation shown.
On the hike out, our paths converged and we struck up quiet conversation. We talked about the squirrels, good dear hunting spots, and the one gentlemen's very nice shotgun. (He was carrying an old bolt action 410 with an internal 3 round magazine.) They had gotten a fox and a grey.
When we get back to the vehicles, I signed out and deposited my hunter report card thing in the box. They tossed the squirrels and guns in the bed of the truck and headed out.
My question is, isn't this poaching? Do they deserve reported? I'm all for privacy rights, but this is public land managed by the DNR.. I feel that following the rules they set forth to hunt the land is only right for the use of the land. (No-one else was signed in or out within 8 hours of my signature.)
Ended up getting a nice big fox squirrel who all but presented himself to me on a tall stump 45 yards out. But that's not the point of the story. There was a group of two younger guys out there with whom I kept leap frogging. I'd stop to listen and watch, and they'd move past me. When I moved on from that spot, I quietly passed by to my next stop. All went well, quiet a bit of respect and appreciation shown.
On the hike out, our paths converged and we struck up quiet conversation. We talked about the squirrels, good dear hunting spots, and the one gentlemen's very nice shotgun. (He was carrying an old bolt action 410 with an internal 3 round magazine.) They had gotten a fox and a grey.
When we get back to the vehicles, I signed out and deposited my hunter report card thing in the box. They tossed the squirrels and guns in the bed of the truck and headed out.
My question is, isn't this poaching? Do they deserve reported? I'm all for privacy rights, but this is public land managed by the DNR.. I feel that following the rules they set forth to hunt the land is only right for the use of the land. (No-one else was signed in or out within 8 hours of my signature.)