Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations Poachers...with a boat!

I have heard it all now.

This past week my contractor observed a man and his kid fishing in my lake out of a Jon Boat. Even worse is that the guy just appeared in the water - no vehicle to haul it in. He must have walked in somehow. There are two ways in; walk for 1 mile in on my road or go thru some of the thickest, worst forest I have personally tried to penetrate, without a boat. Only hog trails at best.

Will nothing stop these people?

Worse than that is he was catching fish, which makes me want to shoot holes in his d*** boat.

Even worse was he had the nerve to waive at my contractor...

Ok, I vented.

Vent his boat. This is actually doing him a favor. If he accidentally gets water in it while catching your fish, the holes you put in the bottom will let it run out.

It really irks me that is was not a just a teenager just wanting to fish, this was a dad and son. Had it been some teen age boy wanting to fish - I could understand. Dads should kow better.

Alligator,

Why didn't your contractor tell them to leave? Do you have "No Trespassing" signs up?

I would be looking in the bushes for a hidden boat.
I really hate to see dads teaching the next generation how to cheat, poach, disrespect ect.

Cecil,

My contractor thought it was me and waived from a distance. They waived back. It didn’t dawn on him that anyone could make it in there with a boat unless they were supposed to be there.

I let my contractor know that nobody should be in there and to call me if he shows up again. I would have never guessed that my neighbor (or anyone) could drag a boat through the woods then down the hill and into the water - much less have the balls to do it with someone there. I purchased No Trespassing signs and hung them for him to see.

Ric,

That is an excellent idea – I had the same thought, but no boat was to be found…

Ric,

That is an excellent idea – I had the same thought, but no boat was to be found…

Darn no free boat!

Yes, too bad...I had plans...great plans, if I could have found a boat. It involed chains and locks and nasty messages for the owner to call me if he wanted it back.

Now, I will have to aerate (IE shoot holes in it) if I see it again. I wouldn’t want my fish to die from lack of oxygen.

Gator,

Welcome to East Texas where the prevailing attitude is that if its non-domesticated species (animals or fish)then its fair game. I've had folks openly tell me that if it swims, there isn't any fence that will stop them.

I've tried to use reason...comparing the fish to cows..I bought them, raised them, feed them, provide a home for them, so they are mine, not yours....doesn't work. The only thing that works is if you make sure they know, you will not tolerate, zero tolerance, trespassers and prove your intent with actions...cameras, surprise visits, signs, traps (a bit extreme, but effective)and expecially your presence.

From what folks say, it is bad everywhere, but East Texas is especially bad since hunting and fishing is so much a part of the culture and many had relatives that previously lived off the land. Difficult cycle to break.

If only these folks could be convinced there's not a damn thing wrong with that, JUST LIVE OFF YOUR OWN LAND!

I haven’t released my secret weapon on the poachers yet...Sneaky Pete, my pet alligator.

One bite from Sneaky Pete and Whammy! No more poachers. He also works well on Water Turkeys, Herons, Copperheaded-RattleMoccasins, Nutrias and other pesky varmints.

Seroiusly, I wears me out thinking about all the hard work and $ I am putting into the place, just to have some numb-nuts sneak in there and fish without permission!

Gator,

Post the property. Either with signs or purple paint. Then when the guy shows up, call the sheriffs.

If you aren't there when it happens, he is still trespassing and the signs may run him off, but you will have more legal leverage if it is posted.

New idea, pardon the craziness of this, but it just occured to me. Drive a stake into your pond on each side, just under the water line and tie a piece of monofilament between them so that it is stretched 6 inches under the waters surface or so. Ideally, close to the good fishing structure.
If it is broken, you had trespassers. If they had a trolling motor, you might have wound your line up in it real well. If they had no boat, you hung a few lures for them. If they had a boat, you still made fishing difficult. They would have to cut the line to fish or not cast across it. Placement would be the key to reducing the fun of a good poaching trip.

I have a thought for you. I have been thinking on this for a while for my own pond.

You could put up a few signs that inform any poachers that the pond has web cams around it and is being monitored for poachers. Also say that the web cams are being monitored by the DEC due to such issues.

Now you can either really set up web cams or you can get a few older cams that are bad or set up boxes that look like they have cams in them. Run some coax into the ground and let them believe you have the place wired.

You could also set up the nature cams that trip and take a real pic when something crosses its path.

It may work like all of those signs outside houses that the house has an alarm system. People who are breaking the law are less likely to do so if they think they are being watched or could get caught.

Just a thought and my $0.02.

I saw an advertisement for a real time video camera setup that lets you monitor your deer feeder from home. That would be perfect for this situation. I expect it would be a little bit pricey.

Does it have the remote 12 gage shotgun attachment?

I have seen those as well and they are not that expensive. About $89 to $159 is what i have seen thus far.

The ones I am looking at are wireless webcams ( up to 10 frames per sec ) and you can get those for as little as $69 to $129, or as little as $19 per cam for wire variety.

For any attorneys out there - I don’t get the "Posted" sign stuff. I’m assuming all property is owned by someone - why do we have to put up signs? Are there legal implications of putting a sign up or does it simply serve as a warning that the landowner is serious about trespassers?

BTW, I did put up the signs. Makes me feel better, not sure the poacher will heed warning or not...

I'm a little nervuos about the deer camera idea - seems that the poacher would likely destroy (or steal) it if he spotted it.

I am like all of you having problems with trespassers except I am having problems with someone riding a 4-wheeler in at my pond about 10 minutes away from home. I can only check the place in the afternoon after work and any time on weekends. I have put up barbed wire where the 4-wheeler used to go in and out, but somehow the SOB is still getting in. It appears to be some teenagers who think their crap doesn't stink.

All I can say is they will really think they are a bad @$$ when they are in handcuffs.

Alligator,

I know a deputy very well and he told me if you have no trespassing sign(s) up, it is basically covering yourself in case you catch someone and call the law and there should not be any debating who's telling the truth about who has permission to fish and who doesn't.

That is backwards if you think about it. By default the trespassers can claim they have the right to be there. It should be just the opposite. I shouldn’t have to put up signs, but I do. Craziness.

I suppose this poacher could fall out of his boat (that he illegally drug onto my property) hit his head and sue me, even though I have never met nor spoken with him.

turkeyfootnc,
Just a word of caution when putting up fencing ect. Make sure you can show you made effort to make it visable so no one would get hurt.
A friend of mine's parents lost their prop. when they put up a cable in an attempt to keep motor cycle gang members out. One drugged up gang member was killed when he ran through the cable. They had to sell to pay legal fees when the punks parents sued. This was in SC but it's the way of these times.

I also know of someone that put out roofing tacks & the 4 wheelers got tired of flats & stopped riding there.

You're right on the signs. Without signs you have to prove the trespasser has been told to stay off. With signs he's already been told.