Is this poaching worth reporting?

[rbane3]

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.)

 

[SSGSAD]

At least make a call. Hunting w/o a license, is illegal ..... Just make a call....

 

[KLB]

Report what? Do you have names, addresses, license plate number?

 

[rbane3]

I didn't really think much of it at the time, honestly. Not enough to take notes about hair color, height, license plates. I'm not trying to be a "snitch." :-/

 

[SSGSAD]

I didn't really think much of it at the time, honestly. Not enough to take notes about hair color, height, license plates. I'm not trying to be a "snitch." :-/

NOT, a snitch, just trying to do whats RIGHT !!!!!

 

[KLB]

Then I am not sure what you would accomplish. Calling and saying, "hey I think someone was poaching" isn't going to do much.

Probably best to let it go.

 

[snorko]

They very well may have had licenses. If so, how illegal is it to hunt with a proper license but not fill out the station card?

 

[CBR1000rr]

I've never hunted Brookville so I'm not familiar with the process. I do hunt a DNR spot about 2 miles from my mother's house. I do my best to fill out all the info I possibly can and follow all the rules. I can't think of a time I didn't turn in my card unless I wasn't fortunate enough to come home with dinner. Even then, I sign in.

That being said, why would this be considered poaching? The cards at the DNR spot I hunt have nothing regarding an individual's licence. I may be wrong, but isn't that info used for tracking purposes? Is it a requirement to disclose the game you took? I know there are a lot of regulations on deer but squirrel seems pretty lax.

Forgive me for my ignorance here. I honestly don't know what they did wrong by not reporting the game they took. Did you verify they had a hunting license or did they volunteer that info? Again, I apologize for my ignorance if I'm missing something but I would like to know for future reference. I have no plans of violating any rules and would like to be educated on this specific violation of one exists.

 

[rbane3]

I've never hunted Brookville so I'm not familiar with the process. I do hunt a DNR spot about 2 miles from my mother's house. I do my best to fill out all the info I possibly can and follow all the rules. I can't think of a time I didn't turn in my card unless I wasn't fortunate enough to come home with dinner. Even then, I sign in.

That being said, why would this be considered poaching? The cards at the DNR spot I hunt have nothing regarding an individual's licence. I may be wrong, but isn't that info used for tracking purposes? Is it a requirement to disclose the game you took? I know there are a lot of regulations on deer but squirrel seems pretty lax.

Forgive me for my ignorance here. I honestly don't know what they did wrong by not reporting the game they took. Did you verify they had a hunting license or did they volunteer that info? Again, I apologize for my ignorance if I'm missing something but I would like to know for future reference. I have no plans of violating any rules and would like to be educated on this specific violation of one exists.

I'm right there with you, CBR1000rr. I guess that's half of my question. The box does say on it all hunters are required to sign in and out to legally hunt. I don't know that they weren't properly licensed. I do know that they failed to sign in or out.

I don't have enough information to report them as KLB accurately pointed out.

I'm rather new to hunting (second season) but I've done my best to educate myself and follow all applicable laws. I didn't know if this was worth any thought or action so I asked ;-)

 

[Michigan Slim]

The sign in/out is used to track usage on the property and the harvest #s of said property. Important #s to best manage the property. Not following the rules laid down for the property is a ticketable offence. Also, as an aside. Years ago when Pigeon River was a friendly place to hunt, I forgot to turn in my card. I received a phone call from one of the staff to make sure I made it out OK. they were going to look for me if I didn't answer. This may not be policy but they did it for me.

 

[bocefus78]

I've been known to sign in at 1 place and out at another. Legal? Not sure, but in lots of years, I've never been called, ticketed, or bothered for it.

Maybe they were simply going to another spot since you were also there. Maybe they went back to the spot they signed in. I'd give them a pass.

 

[Restroyer]

I have been at Brookville Lake a lot and what they did is clearly against the DNR posted rules. Here is a direct quote from Brookville Lake Hunting Regulations:
"All hunters must register and sign the waiver of liability at one of the sixteen hunter sign-in stations on the property. Hunter sign-in is mandatory, and failure to sign in and out properly may result in a fine. All game taken must be recorded on a required one-day hunter permit card that is carried with you as you hunt and turned in at the end of the day. At some properties, the card must be returned to the same hunter sign-in station where the waiver of liability was signed; please look for that requirement when you check-in. Take and use only one card per day. This system provides valuable wildlife management information. "
So, yes they broke the Brookville Lake rules dictated by the DNR for that state park.

 

[Hookeye]

I've been known to sign in at 1 place and out at another. Legal? Not sure, but in lots of years, I've never been called, ticketed, or bothered for it.

Maybe they were simply going to another spot since you were also there. Maybe they went back to the spot they signed in. I'd give them a pass.

Exactly.

If one doesn't have the presence of mind to get more information, they don't need to be playing possum cop.
Calling a person a poacher without the facts just burns my arse.

If you suspect it, fine.

If you can't prove it, be very careful of your language.

Hell, what's next...........driving 56MPH in a 55 to your hunting spot gonna make you a poacher?

 

[Hookeye]

Sometimes cards get lost, sometimes they forget.
Big whoop de do.
Maybe they'll get home and find the cards and go "oops, we better make sure we don't forget next time".

We hunt some state run places, multiple areas in one day. Yup we drive back to the original sign in to drop off our cards.
If somebody isn't following us they might see us pass the closer station and get their panties in a bind.

We go to the one we signed in at. Per the rules.

I won't explain myself to any jackweed that tails my truck. If you are not DNR leave me alone.
In fact, if you don't leave me alone I'll be more than happy to call the DNR to see if they will help me get rid of you.

 

[Hookeye]

Had some guy tell me I was not legal (maybe even called me a poacher) for using a trimmed 35 Rem for Indiana deer, with a 16.25" bbl.
Yeah, not straight walled case.

Also yrs ago heard the law was for lever or single shots
Used a Ruger .44 auto then. Some customer at the busy shop I was at called me a poacher loudly about 5 times.

Told him to shut up and call the DNR.

My tolerance for Fudds has long since been depleted.

 

[Hookeye]

I have been at Brookville Lake a lot and what they did is clearly against the DNR posted rules. Here is a direct quote from Brookville Lake Hunting Regulations:
"All hunters must register and sign the waiver of liability at one of the sixteen hunter sign-in stations on the property. Hunter sign-in is mandatory, and failure to sign in and out properly may result in a fine. All game taken must be recorded on a required one-day hunter permit card that is carried with you as you hunt and turned in at the end of the day. At some properties, the card must be returned to the same hunter sign-in station where the waiver of liability was signed; please look for that requirement when you check-in. Take and use only one card per day. This system provides valuable wildlife management information. "
So, yes they broke the Brookville Lake rules dictated by the DNR for that state park.

How is what they did "clearly wrong" if they turned in cards at another spot, possibly the one they signed in at ?
We don't have enough info per the OP's observations to make any freakin claim of "clearly wrong".

It appears that their actions may be contrary to some rules, but that is not proof.

You need to know who they were, where they signed in at, the rules for the property, and to check all drop boxes for that day (and maybe the next if they forgot and came back).

The drop boxes I have seen are locked.

So you want the DNR guy to do that right then.................over 2 squirrels. That might have been fully legal of take? Or maybe taken with an honest screwup?

Geeesh.

 

[rbane3]

Exactly.

If one doesn't have the presence of mind to get more information, they don't need to be playing possum cop.
Calling a person a poacher without the facts just burns my arse.

If you suspect it, fine.

If you can't prove it, be very careful of your language.

Hell, what's next...........driving 56MPH in a 55 to your hunting spot gonna make you a poacher?

Fair enough. I didn't give a lot of thought to my language. I saw something questionable and asked some folks more knowledgeable if I should report it. From your few posts on the topic, I can see that you fall squarely in the "no" column. My concern here is not seeing that the tiniest infraction is ticketed. My panties are not in a bind. I just want to see that the public land on which I hunt is available for years to come; abuse of it concerned me.

 

[Hookeye]

I have sent the DNR after some poachers.
But knew they were in the wrong.

Got no problem with enforcement of the rules.

I have met some questionable folks while afield........but most have been downright pleasant people of kindred spirit.
In any case.......I'm not playing 20 questions trying to entrap them.

If I saw somebody grossly out of the regs, I'd politely give them some proper info...........like when I saw a guy bowfishing with no stringer. He didn't know you couldn't toss the fish back or on the bank, per the old days. Told him of the reg change, and left him alone.

Or maybe even gave him a stringer. Heck I can't remember.

Pretty much mind my own business.

BTW, out in the sticks............tailing people is probably not a cool thing.

 

[rbane3]

BTW, out in the sticks............tailing people is probably not a cool thing.

No one tailed any one. And you're right, they were very pleasant people and I enjoyed the hike out with them. You win, benefit of the doubt given. No harm was intended here (you seem to be reading some.)

 

[bwframe]

What about all the smaller parcels of state land dotted around the state? The one's without a sign in/out station?