Good to know they're out

M&M · 11-22-2008, 07:47 PM

This was in the Omaha World Herald today. It's nice to know they are in the area. I hunt in this area and hear of trouble with spotlighters all the time.

Omaha.com Outdoors Section

OldBaldGuy · 11-22-2008, 09:11 PM

I agree. The only negative part of the story, if I understood it correclty, is that the COs didn't catch the father/son poaching team with a deer. Hopefully, they'll find a tough judge.

racksniper · 11-22-2008, 10:36 PM

Isnt it legal to spotlight without a weapon in the vehicle?

BPbowhunter · 11-22-2008, 11:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by racksniper

Isnt it legal to spotlight without a weapon in the vehicle?

From what I've been told, yes it's legal.

fishman34 · 11-22-2008, 11:58 PM

speaking of C.O.'s, tc and I were checked today by a Federal Game warden, first time I have ever been checked, and I got lucky....I don't know how I forgot or why, but my Federal Waterfowl stamp was not signed, everything else was though, but he had a pen and let me sign it infront of him instead of giving me a ticket. He was very nice about it all, just gave me a stern warning to make sure everything is signed.

LASTCRAWLER · 11-23-2008, 08:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BPbowhunter

From what I've been told, yes it's legal.

I think that you better be careful here. It still could fit under the definition of harassment of wildlife.

I think if you have a battery powered light and a weapon, the light not being connected to power from a vehicle you might be alright. The use of a vehicle and a spotlight kind of lends itself to the idea that the person is probably up to no good. As far as I feel, there is no fine heavy enough for someone whou would be shooting deer with a spotlight. These people should never be able to hunt again. Anywhere, period.

obert · 11-23-2008, 09:20 AM

Quote:

I think if you have a battery powered light and a weapon, the light not being connected to power from a vehicle you might be alright

I don't believe that is the case, but someone can correct me if I'm wrong. I believe it is legal to use the spotlight with no weapon. It's the combination of weapon/spotlight that will get you in trouble.
I've accidently done this before when checking cows. Didn't even think about having the weapon in the vehicle.

lunkerman · 11-23-2008, 10:24 AM

i found out the hard way that just shining your headlights into a field is spotlighting. gun or not.

**Ty Stromquist** · 11-25-2008, 02:38 AM

Asked a CO before and know some guys who scout during the rut this way.

Totally legal to drive around with no weapons in vehicle and spotlight out your windows.

NOT LEGAL to use any type of light from any motorized vehicle with a weapon along with.

lunkerman · 11-25-2008, 06:43 AM

well now i was told by the state patrol officer that you can have a loaded rifle in the car. but if you use a spotlight from a moving vehicle, including the headlights of you car than that is illegal,

tjm · 11-25-2008, 07:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lunkerman

well now i was told by the state patrol officer that you can have a loaded rifle in the car. but if you use a spotlight from a moving vehicle, including the headlights of you car than that is illegal,

Its the combination of those two that going to get you in trouble. If you are just driving around with a loaded rifle, but not spotlighting, then that is legal. If you are driving around spotlighting without a weapon, then that is legal. If you drive around with a weapon and spotlighting, then they they can nail you.

I suppose if you are driving in a field at night and using your headlights, to see deer, you better make sure that gun is unloaded and put away, so at least it doesn't look like you are trying to do something illegal.

cutbaitking · 11-25-2008, 09:18 AM

we caught a couple of poachers this weekend too. we were hunting in schuyler in a ground blind when all of the sudden there were two guys walking up on us. krusty waved his orange hat through the window and pointed back at the public land. they turned around and appeared to go back to the fence line. apparently they didn't get the clue because about 45 min. later we heard two shots. about thirty seconds later we had eighteen does and eight bucks come running through on a dead run. at this point we still thought it might be a fellow hunter that was with us. we walked back to the cabin and found the buddy we had thought shot. he said it was four guys that were not supposed to be there. we all hopped in the truck and found the guys dragging what appeared to be a lab out of the woods. we confronted him and took the lab and small buck from him. he and his two kids and buddy went racing off and made it to their car. fours people in a two door saturn........where were the deer goiong to go?????

they pulled out of the property and we got their license plate #. after mulling it over for a while the owners of the property were so mad that he had taken this young doe and buck they wanted to press charges. we called the co and gave him the story, license #, and the deer. the co got a hold of the guy in omaha and made him come back to fremont to get his ticket. i hope his son and his buddy learned a valuable lesson. i heared there could be up to $1000 in fines. anyone else catch anyone????

Krusty · 11-25-2008, 10:25 AM

Needless to say, the day sucked!!!!! During all the years i have hunted this property, I have never seen the deer as "spooked" as they were that day. Deer all together RUNNING through the woods. I was PI$$ED, had to keep my cool when we did finally get to them. I will say that their ears were probably bleeding by the time they got an earful from another guy we hunt with. I am glad he did it, i would not have been able to keep my composure!!!!! just stood next to my truck blocking the road smoking cigs while my rifle hung snugly on my shoulder!!!!!!

Glad we caught them!!!! I do want to say that the CO's in the area were top notch and did a great job!!!!!

flatcoats · 11-25-2008, 11:33 AM

similar story. Sunday night, in Iowa, a friend of a buddy of mine and his son were bowhunting in some timber and were about 60 yards from each other in seperate stands. They had a nice 130 class 10 come in on the 13 year old boy, but he couldnt get a shot off on him. Eventually the deer made his way past his dad, and he was able to take the animal. It ran off out of sight. About 5 minutes later, they heard 3 or 4 high powered shots go off really close to them. So the guy started hollering saying they were in there and to stop shooting. And then they saw a buck come back into the timber right between them and crashed. His boy was a little rattled and wanted to get down and go back to the truck, but his dad told him to stay put because he didnt know where they were shooting from and he figured they were safer in the tree. They waited til after dark to get down and then met up with my buddy. At first they werent sure if these bucks happened to be the same deer, so they went over to see if the deer they had seen was dead, and if it was actually his. It wasnt dead, and it wasnt his. They put it down, and then went on to follow the bloodtrail of his buck and found it easily. So they called the game warden who came out and took the deer and said it was definetely a high calibre rifle. The deer was shot 3 or 4 times in the back half of the body. The warden said theyve been having a lot of trouble with high powered poachers in the area, and that theyre going to starting doing some extensive sting operations with those real mounted bucks. I mean seriously, who has the balls, or stupidity, to shoot deer with a high power when a gun season isnt even open?

Chasin 'eyes · 11-25-2008, 11:45 AM

And remember that IA is shotgun only, no high power so if they do catch him it should be a hefty fine.

flatcoats · 11-25-2008, 11:46 AM

yea they said it was going to be quite a bit. the warden also told them that they actually hope if/when they do catch them that they have illegal possession of a deer over 150". If they do they said the fines could reach up to $20,000 and at least a couple months in jail.

BoB_25 · 11-25-2008, 12:20 PM

Thanks for posting M&M!

They should have named names!!!!! They do any other time someone is ticketed for other violations.

Scotty · 11-26-2008, 05:46 PM

"we all hopped in the truck and found the guys dragging what appeared to be a lab out of the woods. we confronted him and took the lab and small buck from him."

They shot a dog?

fish4bass · 11-26-2008, 06:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scotty

"we all hopped in the truck and found the guys dragging what appeared to be a lab out of the woods. we confronted him and took the lab and small buck from him."

They shot a dog?

I think he meant the doe was very small and was the size of the dog. I thought the same thing as you at first but then if you read farther he says a young doe and buck.

LASTCRAWLER · 11-26-2008, 10:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scotty

"we all hopped in the truck and found the guys dragging what appeared to be a lab out of the woods. we confronted him and took the lab and small buck from him."

They shot a dog?

That's good. I was thinking the same thing. Not that it wasn't wrong before they shot the lab, but what the hell. Once again, there is no pre-requisite for carrying a rifle other than no felonies.

11-22-2008, 07:47 PM	#1 (permalink)
M&M Member Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 24 Thanks: 0 Thanked 3 Times in 2 Posts	Good to know they're out This was in the Omaha World Herald today. It's nice to know they are in the area. I hunt in this area and hear of trouble with spotlighters all the time. Omaha.com Outdoors Section

11-22-2008, 09:11 PM	#2 (permalink)
OldBaldGuy Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: The paradise formerly known as Elkhorn Certified Youth Fishing Instructor NEFGA Line Recycling Volunteer Posts: 5,553 Thanks: 59 Thanked 153 Times in 81 Posts	I agree. The only negative part of the story, if I understood it correclty, is that the COs didn't catch the father/son poaching team with a deer. Hopefully, they'll find a tough judge. __________________ “I think every happy memory plucks a hair from your head; if you see an old bald guy, he’s probably had a great life.” –-Red Green

11-22-2008, 10:36 PM	#3 (permalink)
racksniper Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Posts: 145 Thanks: 7 Thanked 10 Times in 9 Posts	Isnt it legal to spotlight without a weapon in the vehicle? __________________ CRAZYHORSE TAXIDERMY AND WILDLIFE ART

11-22-2008, 11:58 PM	#5 (permalink)
fishman34 Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Broken Bow/Lincoln Certified Youth Fishing Instructor Posts: 591 Thanks: 10 Thanked 14 Times in 10 Posts	speaking of C.O.'s, tc and I were checked today by a Federal Game warden, first time I have ever been checked, and I got lucky....I don't know how I forgot or why, but my Federal Waterfowl stamp was not signed, everything else was though, but he had a pen and let me sign it infront of him instead of giving me a ticket. He was very nice about it all, just gave me a stern warning to make sure everything is signed. __________________ Whackin' Woodies Waterfowl Crew On the road again Goin' places that I've never been Seein' things that I may never see again, And I can't wait to get on the road again.

11-25-2008, 02:38 AM	#9 (permalink)
Ty Stromquist Moderator Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: in a treestand Posts: 4,020 Thanks: 52 Thanked 25 Times in 20 Posts	Asked a CO before and know some guys who scout during the rut this way. Totally legal to drive around with no weapons in vehicle and spotlight out your windows. NOT LEGAL to use any type of light from any motorized vehicle with a weapon along with. __________________ "Go afield with a good attitude, with respect for the wildlife you hunt and for the forest and fields you walk. Immerse yourself in the outdoor experience. It will cleanse your soul and make you a better person." - Fred Bear

11-23-2008, 10:24 AM	#8 (permalink)
lunkerman Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Grand Island/Lincoln Posts: 322 Thanks: 0 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	i found out the hard way that just shining your headlights into a field is spotlighting. gun or not.

11-25-2008, 06:43 AM	#10 (permalink)
lunkerman Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Grand Island/Lincoln Posts: 322 Thanks: 0 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	well now i was told by the state patrol officer that you can have a loaded rifle in the car. but if you use a spotlight from a moving vehicle, including the headlights of you car than that is illegal,

11-25-2008, 09:18 AM	#12 (permalink)
cutbaitking Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: outdoors Posts: 107 Thanks: 10 Thanked 2 Times in 2 Posts	we caught a couple of poachers this weekend too. we were hunting in schuyler in a ground blind when all of the sudden there were two guys walking up on us. krusty waved his orange hat through the window and pointed back at the public land. they turned around and appeared to go back to the fence line. apparently they didn't get the clue because about 45 min. later we heard two shots. about thirty seconds later we had eighteen does and eight bucks come running through on a dead run. at this point we still thought it might be a fellow hunter that was with us. we walked back to the cabin and found the buddy we had thought shot. he said it was four guys that were not supposed to be there. we all hopped in the truck and found the guys dragging what appeared to be a lab out of the woods. we confronted him and took the lab and small buck from him. he and his two kids and buddy went racing off and made it to their car. fours people in a two door saturn........where were the deer goiong to go????? they pulled out of the property and we got their license plate #. after mulling it over for a while the owners of the property were so mad that he had taken this young doe and buck they wanted to press charges. we called the co and gave him the story, license #, and the deer. the co got a hold of the guy in omaha and made him come back to fremont to get his ticket. i hope his son and his buddy learned a valuable lesson. i heared there could be up to $1000 in fines. anyone else catch anyone????

11-25-2008, 10:25 AM	#13 (permalink)
Krusty Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: in a layout Posts: 89 Thanks: 5 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Needless to say, the day sucked!!!!! During all the years i have hunted this property, I have never seen the deer as "spooked" as they were that day. Deer all together RUNNING through the woods. I was PI$$ED, had to keep my cool when we did finally get to them. I will say that their ears were probably bleeding by the time they got an earful from another guy we hunt with. I am glad he did it, i would not have been able to keep my composure!!!!! just stood next to my truck blocking the road smoking cigs while my rifle hung snugly on my shoulder!!!!!! Glad we caught them!!!! I do want to say that the CO's in the area were top notch and did a great job!!!!!

11-25-2008, 11:33 AM	#14 (permalink)
flatcoats Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: omaha Posts: 1,329 Thanks: 15 Thanked 39 Times in 29 Posts	similar story. Sunday night, in Iowa, a friend of a buddy of mine and his son were bowhunting in some timber and were about 60 yards from each other in seperate stands. They had a nice 130 class 10 come in on the 13 year old boy, but he couldnt get a shot off on him. Eventually the deer made his way past his dad, and he was able to take the animal. It ran off out of sight. About 5 minutes later, they heard 3 or 4 high powered shots go off really close to them. So the guy started hollering saying they were in there and to stop shooting. And then they saw a buck come back into the timber right between them and crashed. His boy was a little rattled and wanted to get down and go back to the truck, but his dad told him to stay put because he didnt know where they were shooting from and he figured they were safer in the tree. They waited til after dark to get down and then met up with my buddy. At first they werent sure if these bucks happened to be the same deer, so they went over to see if the deer they had seen was dead, and if it was actually his. It wasnt dead, and it wasnt his. They put it down, and then went on to follow the bloodtrail of his buck and found it easily. So they called the game warden who came out and took the deer and said it was definetely a high calibre rifle. The deer was shot 3 or 4 times in the back half of the body. The warden said theyve been having a lot of trouble with high powered poachers in the area, and that theyre going to starting doing some extensive sting operations with those real mounted bucks. I mean seriously, who has the balls, or stupidity, to shoot deer with a high power when a gun season isnt even open?

11-25-2008, 11:45 AM	#15 (permalink)
Chasin 'eyes Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Cortland Posts: 274 Thanks: 2 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	And remember that IA is shotgun only, no high power so if they do catch him it should be a hefty fine. __________________ "Life's too short to drink cheap beer"

11-25-2008, 11:46 AM	#16 (permalink)
flatcoats Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: omaha Posts: 1,329 Thanks: 15 Thanked 39 Times in 29 Posts	yea they said it was going to be quite a bit. the warden also told them that they actually hope if/when they do catch them that they have illegal possession of a deer over 150". If they do they said the fines could reach up to $20,000 and at least a couple months in jail.

11-25-2008, 12:20 PM	#17 (permalink)
BoB_25 Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Bellevue NE Certified Youth Fishing Instructor Posts: 1,766 Thanks: 24 Thanked 8 Times in 7 Posts	Thanks for posting M&M! They should have named names!!!!! They do any other time someone is ticketed for other violations. __________________ 2008's Total Catch: LMB:205 - SMB:83 - Wiper: 24 - Rock Bass: 6 - Yellow Bass: 9 - White Bass: 4 - Eye:10 - Sauger:7 - Saugeye: 12 - Crappie:77 - Perch:5 - White Perch:6 - Gill:47 - Cats:9 - Drum: 16 - Bull Frog: 1 2008 Hunting Pheasant: 8 - Chukar: 5 - Canadian Goose: 12 - Mallard: 15 - Green Wing Teal: 3 - Shovelers: 2 - Widgeon: 1 - WoodC: 1 - WT/Buck: 1 - WT/Doe: 1

11-26-2008, 05:46 PM	#18 (permalink)
Scotty Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Grand Island Posts: 268 Thanks: 1 Thanked 4 Times in 4 Posts	"we all hopped in the truck and found the guys dragging what appeared to be a lab out of the woods. we confronted him and took the lab and small buck from him." They shot a dog?

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