Poachers

Is it just me, or does a $1000 fine just because the “fishing was so good you couldn’t stop” seem a little thin? They guys are 52 years old; don’t they know better by now? Since they obviously knew better, how about a $5000 fine, mandatory home detention for 90 days, and loss of fishing privileges for five years. Then they may think again when the fishing is so good that they just can’t stop stashing sunfish in their portable ice shack because THEY KNOW THEY ARE OVER THE LIMIT!

Stupid s*** like this has to stop, so maybe some severe punishment may be a good solution.

DNR Poachers Story

D.A.,
I gotta agree with you. If they were subject to a more severe punishment, maybe they’d stop when they hit their limit. If the fishing is so good, what about CPR? Get a life…

Until gross over-limit violations are classified as felony theft things will never change. A little slap on the wrist and off they go….

First point: this is disgusting.
It’s this type of mentality that caused the passenger pigeon to disappear, and almost took out white tail deer. Hunting and fishing regulations are not strict enough for these types of violations.

Second point: Accidents and miscommunication happen.
You think you count 25 sunnies and actually have 26. The fishing gets hot and you don’t realize your ONE over the limit. Two people fill the same deer tag. Hunting and fishing regulations are strict enough for these people.

Both these situations are bad and can be easily avoided by being conscious of the regulations and what your keeping, but the “accidents” violators are not always the same people as the “blatent” violators. A 5000$ felony charge seems a little harsh for some one who makes a mistake counting.
How about this: $500/fish that’s over the limit or under size. You loose your fishing/hunting priviliges for one year for each fish. You must do 10 hrs of community service for the DNR for every fish.
This will teach the accidental violators to be more careful and really screw the flagrent violators. Imagine what the fines would look like for these guys, they would spend the rest of their lives without fishing, and the DNR would get hundreds of hours of free work to “compensate” for the lost fish. Just my 0.02

Yes, I agree this is disgusting. But what I want to know is how long the CO’s let them go before swooping in and making the bust. Up here one year there were a couple guys from out of town and they were making a haul on some panfish on Lake Onalaska. The CO’s were called and they waited and waited and waited some more until they were thoroughly over their limit. I’m sure it makes great sensationalized press for a huge bust and broadcasting the fines throughout the papers. But what really frosts my is the fact they let them kill all those fish. That was a total waste in my eyes.

106 over the limit doesn’t sound like a miscount; it sounds like a no count. If you can’t read or understand the regulations, you shouldn’t be given a license in the first place.

106 multiplied by $500 a fish ($53,000) plus felony theft charges, plus a five year ban of fishing priviledges would make me feel like justice was served.

52 years old??? Come on. How pathetic they are!

The point I was trying to make is that there are two kinds of violators. I agree, that was not a miscount, it was a flagrent violation and the punishment should fit the crime.
A speeding ticket for 8 over is a lot less harsh than one for 40 over.
I’m not saying that they made a minor mistake; I’m saying that they severly violated the regulation and that there should be nailed to the wall.

The key word is “gross” as in gross over-limit violation. Nobody is suggesting anyone that hs an extra crappie or two in the bucket get a felony for simply mis-counting. Stuff happens. But not 50+ fish over the limit. They need to do jail time just as if they’d broke into someone’s home and stole jewelry of the same value.

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First point: this is disgusting.

It’s this type of mentality that caused the passenger pigeon to disappear, and almost took out white tail deer. Hunting and fishing regulations are not strict enough for these types of violations.

Second point: Accidents and miscommunication happen.

You think you count 25 sunnies and actually have 26. The fishing gets hot and you don’t realize your ONE over the limit. Two people fill the same deer tag. Hunting and fishing regulations are strict enough for these people.

Both these situations are bad and can be easily avoided by being conscious of the regulations and what your keeping, but the “accidents” violators are not always the same people as the “blatent” violators. A 5000$ felony charge seems a little harsh for some one who makes a mistake counting.

How about this: $500/fish that’s over the limit or under size. You loose your fishing/hunting priviliges for one year for each fish. You must do 10 hrs of community service for the DNR for every fish.

This will teach the accidental violators to be more careful and really screw the flagrent violators. Imagine what the fines would look like for these guys, they would spend the rest of their lives without fishing, and the DNR would get hundreds of hours of free work to “compensate” for the lost fish. Just my 0.02

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if the fishing was that good, there is a thing called CATCH N RELEASE!

The article said they would loose their fishing license for three years that’s all it would take for me. If they were that stupid or that greedy they deserve whatever they got and more.

I gree with all of you on the punishment. But it all boils down to one thing. GREED!!
The world is full of greedy people.
With that many fish it wouldn’t surprise me but what they were selling some.

Greed aside, I still think they got off too lightly. Like James stated, until it becmes felony theft (which in reality they are since they are stealing from the resource and anyone who uses that natural environment or not), the crime, in my book, doesn’t fit the punishment. It should be worse.

I could keep going, but I’ve got legislators to write in regards to the recent OHV debate. Hope you like the prospect of more ATV’s out on the trails (legal and ILLEGAL trails both) because sadly that could become a reality very soon .

It’s obvious I need to get out of the house and go fish .

Take care all,
D.A.