[treeswarper]

The term "poaching" is thrown around on this site. Here is a link to an article about real poachers. Not hunters, poachers. Unfortunately, they were in my part of the world. Hope they get lots of jail time. Real Poachers

[Ski]

[Ski]

Let me add: Funny that WDFW had enough manpower resources to do surveillance on private property owners in southern Thurston County, watching the activities of private property owners who were on their own property, looking for any reason they could to write citations and/or hassle private citizens, while enforcing an "Emergency Ordinance" to protect the Mazama Pocket Gophers, but a ring of poachers went on an unabated killing rampage for over a year before it came to their attention. Clearly WDFW has its priorities screwed up about seven ways from Sunday. (Shall we revisit the fiasco with the escaped Atlantic Salmon a couple weeks ago?) The incompetence and mismanagement of the agency is mind-boggling.

[Ski]

Yes, it was. WDFW's response was to put out a press release asking anglers to go catch the escaped fish.

[Chico]

[Ski]

Jaberwock: Yes, that would be the appropriate response. There is a group trying to do exactly that right now: wildfishconservancy.org Washington State is the only state on the west coast that allows it - Alaska, Oregon, and California have already banned it. Chico: I doubt death threats would be very effective. What might be effective is incarceration; serious fines; confiscation of weapons, vehicles, cellular phones, and any other items used in the commission of the crimes (i.e., their dogs, spotlights, GPS units, etc.)

[Dave Workman]

[treeswarper]

My new neighbor is a game warden. I have not seen him around yet. Maybe he's been working on that case.

[Chico]

[Ski]

Well, it's counterproductive, illegal, and it most likely would only serve to embolden these types of low-lifes who own guns and clearly don't operate within the parameters of the law or what most of us would consider commonly accepted social mores.

[treeswarper]

Now that I have pondered it, we do see game wardens plus fisheries people around here quite a bit. The game warden drives a distinctly game wardenish pickup--not of any specific color but it has antennae and a spotlight and state plates but is semi-unmarked. I have a feeling that we have a lot of problem folks here and that's why we see the state folks around. I have had a couple of chickens belonging to the game warden neighbor wander through my place. The last one, a hen seemed to be looking for something as she circled my house clucking. I was hoping an egg would appear.

[MyFootHurts]

Interesting how their cell phones gave them all away.

[markh752]

[treeswarper]

I know of people who have had poachers on their land, but the animals were taken for meat and all done before a game warden could get there.

[Ski]