Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations Bummed about poachers

Earlier in the summer, when I first thought I had a possible problem with poachers, I read an old thread started by Meadowlark about poachers. He stated something like "don't panic too soon."

I'm still not panicked, but I sure am angry.

Some unauthorized individual (or individuals) is/are fishing my pond. Over the past several weeks, I've only seen evidence of them being there -- like a crudely made deer-hair fly laying on my dock, pulling in an 11-inch bluegill with a hook and leader stuck in its jaw, and this past weekend, a dead 10-inch bass with a hook stuck in its gullet. None of the hooks mentioned above are mine, and I've had no authorized fishing guests since mid June -- except for occasional visits by my young grandkids who live 40 miles away.

Some of Sunil's ideas from another older post will go into action tomorrow. I'm going to contact the DNR and sheriff to alert them. Game cameras will go up over the weekend.

I work for a great company that lets me work a four day work week because of an extreme commute. Starting next week, my scheduled day off will begin to vary. It's time to start sighting in my rifles for hunting season.

Overall, it just really makes me angry.

Thanks for letting me vent.

Ken

I know how you feel. They mostly minnow fished out all of my larger bass. Be sure and tape over the flash of a game camera. That might keep them from getting stolen.

We found footprints around out bass lake in Kansas but never caught anyone. When the water went down from a 7 year drought, we found beer cans that had been filled with water or rocks and sunk off the dam. They were not only poachers but they were pigs too!

I saw a game camera online that will send the pictures to your email instantly, so even if they steal the camera you can still get the pictures.

good luck cat, the hunt has just begun!

Ken, what kind of game camera do you have? There is one that works with an infrared beam that does not flash. If you don't hide the flash they will see it and take your camera. I've had that happen to me. Also, if you place the camera in a spot that anything like branches or brush can move around in front of the camera, it will trigger it and you'll have a bunch of pictures of nothing. My suggestion is, if you're a deer hunter and own a tree climbing deer stand, climb up a tree and mount your camera out of reach and out of their line of sight. You will have to use a wedge of some sort to angle your camera downward. This should do the trick and you should get pictures of the poachers.

People never cease to amaze me. On one occasion last year I went to my property and found a small boat along side my pond. In the boat was an old fishing pole and a couple of lures. There were beer bottles all over the ground and a couple in the pond. Turned out it was a guy that was working for a neighbor of mine. Bad enough that the guy trespassed (had to drive by 2 signs and park right next to a third) but to actually leave his boat there for future use. The beer bottles were what I found most offensive. Who in there right mind would litter on some else's property?

I've actually caught the SOBs and when I tell them to leave the tell me to go get F***ed. Calling the sheriff is useless. "That's not my job". Tells me to call the game warden. Only problem is he is off at the other end of the state and not in the county where he is assigned or lives.

Some people have the mistake idea that since a pond is stocked with fish, the state stocked it and they have RIGHT to fish there. WRONG!!!!! I bought all of the fish that have been stocked and not the state. The urban legend that if the state stocks a pond then anyone can fish there is just plain BS.

I'm sorry if I sound fired up... and I am.

I bought a alert system that is really a motion detector. The boxes have a range of about 80 feet. The receiver for this can take input from up to 4 boxes. It tells me what zone has been alerted so that I can pay close attention to that.

The game warden we had a few years ago told me if I could get their vehicle license number, to call him and meet him at the court house to swear out a warrant on them. He said he like to go to where they worked and put the handcuffs on them in front of their co-workers. He said most of the time the bad guys lost their job.

I'm a bit un-easy about doing that because those people may come to visit me with Mr Colt or Mr Smith & Wesson. I don't care about that kind of a scene....

Jack.....

Oh screw that. Now I wouldn't have a problem with neighbors but if I came and questioned them and they cussed me or were the least bit rude it would be on. I'd say fine, go get my 22 and a few pistols, bring lots of amo and proceed to fire off my entire arsenal at a uncomfortably close range. If required I'll bring out the 7 rem mag and sight that in. That gun shot is worth a thousand words. They will leave at the crack of a high powered rifle. If nothing else they will think you are crazy and will not come back. Maybe a urban legend will be built around you. Be the crazy guy.

"I've actually caught the SOBs and when I tell them to leave the tell me to go get F***ed." If they told me that and would not leave when they did leave it would be in an ambulance. I dont see how the police say its not there job thats crazy. In my area people take trespassing very serious and if your caught and the property is posted you will go to jail no excuses.

My rifle range is right in between the 2 ponds. It gets regular use, in cold months by me, in warm months by my wife's sheriff's deputy nephew. I think the two reasons we don't have anyone coming onto our property anymore are 1) somebody's home most of the time and 2) I'm the neighborhood crazy guy.

I'm thinking about making a sign. It will say "If you have made it this far, your picture has been taken".

Gotcha!

Now they are flying in for the poaching event at my pond. Actually, this guy has been hanging around for a couple of weeks. When I first spotted him today, his head was high in the air, and a 4-5 inch bass was slithering down his beak. That's when I went back and got the camera. I'm not sure what to do about him. He is kinda neat.

Send him over to Cecil.

his Rw looks a little low

i am sure to be in the minority around here when i say i really like having them around. i enjoy them (GBHs), the egrets, the green herons, the black crowned night herons, the kingfishers.....i havent observed that they really dent my fish population as i am LOADED with all sizes of frogs and tadpoles which seem to keep the birds busy.

cormorants (water turkeys) are another story, fortunately, i have not ever seen any here

nice pics cat.

Agree with the GBH/frog connection. When I eliminated the GBH threat my frog population went absolutely through the roof.

Everyone talks about how everything overpopulates and probably none of us keep as many fish as we should so I forgive the birds since they are helping. Atleast they cant take the big ones like people could.

The cursing by the illegal tresspaser brings some things to mind, none of which I'll put in writing. There is no telling what a guy like that might do to you. He's on your land. He's stealing your fish. And he uses some of the most profane language towards an innocent law abiding victim. He has violated your property rights. I would be prepared to defend myself and my property vigorously against this trash. I would imagine that guy has had a few run ins w' the law. Wonder who's word they would take? A law abiding citizen, or his, assuming he could speak.

Document everything you have done. Your correspondence with the Sheriff. The Game warden. I would forward this info to the county executive and state people over the Game Warden. If they don't help, you'll have to take care of matters yourself, in some appropriate way, and you will have documented your due diligence.

Keith, when you have seen a 3+ lb LMB dead on the bank with a hole in it the size of a silver dollar, you might change your mind about the GBH.
I think sometimes they kill for the fun of it...:)

I've seen a GBH choke down an 8-1/2" BG, and I mean he almost choked to death swallowing it. I agree, GBH eat more frogs than fish.

I AM THE CRAZY MAN I DO BELEAVE IN THE RIGHT TO KEEP AND BARE ARMS AND HAVE A CONCELED WEPONS PERMIT AND I DO USE IT LORD HELP THE MAN THAT PUTS ME IN THAT PERDICKERMENT.

I did talk to several local law enforcement people today. I'm encouraged that they are willing to work with me. I didn't realize how many things a person can be charged with if they are fishing in a private pond without permission. Plus, the Department of Natural Resources (DNR = game wardens) and the Sheriff's department can charge them separately, on different violations.

Both groups obviously have a lot bigger fish to fry (so to speak) than my minor problem. However, if I can get them reliable information, they promise they will act. Basically, they told me not to get involved. Just try to identify the individuals or their vehicle and license plates.

I live in a county where not all things go to court. A little info to the right people can lead to a "talking to" that can go a long way toward resolving a situation.

Tomorrow I'll get our 1280-hour VHS four-camera recording system in place that I used when drug dealers inherited the house across the road from our previous residence.

I've got two 35mm game cameras (inexpensive StealthCams from Cabelas). However, we've got so much wildlife down by the pond, I believe that a 36-exposure roll of film would be used up within hours of any reloading. So, I'll just rely on the poor quality VHS -- but it will still tell us a lot.

Letsrodeo -- when we were having problems with the druggies, I was known at that "crazy old guy with the baseball bat and 12 guage." I just looked crazy (at least in my opinion) and that was enough. The sheriff told me more than once that I could defend myself and my property.

But, I learned that nobody speaks better for "The Right to Bare Arms" than Larry the Cable Guy.

You know, a nice little trick that works well if they leave their vehicle near the road is to call the local wrecker service and ask them to pick up "your" broken down vehicle ASAP, never mind the extra cost for hurrying.... it also helps to not use your real name and it helps more if they don't recognize the vehicle.

The trouble with just getting plate numbers is that the person can claim that they weren't driving the vehicle at that time.

I live 10 miles out in the country with the closest neighbor about ¾ mile away.

I had a 2d cousin that got into an argument with another man. Both were packing. My cousin never got a shot off. He was shot 17 times. The killer got 18 months and was out in 6. Is that justice? I think not.

In too many places the laws aren't enforced equally to everybody.

A few years ago there were 3 pickup trucks that on different days were all pulling the same trailer. I didn't know who they were.

They would stop in front of my house and shoot what sounded like a percussion rifle.... "pop..bang". I didn't know if they were shooting at my house or across the road. One day my Doberman came in limping. They had shot near him in the gravel giving him a bad case or "road rash". That cost me over $400.00 in vet bills.

I went to the sheriff's office. I started describing the vehicles and the trailer. No one even looked up. Finally I said" If it's not stopped, I'm going to return fire." That got the sheriff's attention... told me that if I did I would go to jail. He knew who the shooters were and said he would talk to them. In a few days the shooting stopped.

These guys had broken 2 laws. 1.) discharging a weapon from inside a vehicle. 2.) discharging a weapon on a road right of way. In other conversations with the sheriff I asked him to press the discharging weapons laws. No dice.

A few weeks later I was mowing the yard when one of the trucks went by. I got cussed out again and threatened. The 3d time that happened I went back to the sheriff. His response was that if I came back in there 'bitching' that I would have to swear out a warrant. I said.... "I'll swear out the warrant out today, right now!". "No we're not going to do that", he said. The cussing stopped.

Some friend told me that when the shooter got a few beers in him he was meaner than a 2 headed rattlesnake. I keep all of my guns loaded and handy.... just in case....

But back to the poachers.... There was a story that spread like wildfire that I shot a guys tackle box and shot up his new truck when he refused to leave. I don't know who started the story but the poachers have slowed down some.

One time when I found some fish out beside the road I would sit out under a tree down by the pond with my M-14. I had a laser light pen attached under the muzzle of the gun.

After about a week a car stopped right below the dam of the pond. Two guys got out. Both walked a few steps away from the car and stopped to relieve themselves. At the time I didn't realize what they were doing.

I put the laser light on the drivers chest. You couldn't tell where the light was coming from most people think there is only one thing that can happen. When he saw the light on his chest he jumped into the car and took off with his buddy running after the car. I don't think I've ever laughed so hard.

I bought a motion detector system that covers most of the access to the pond. When I get an alert I get my flashlight and go down there. Usually they leave when I come out of the house. I don't want to confront them because one of us might end up like my cousin.

Another reason for not confronting them is that this area is know for producing some of the best pot (so I'm told) in the country. Tobacco is the # 2 cash crop here. Pot growers will go on to other people's property to grow it. The will protect it with guns and booby traps. Even the state police have air cover before they will go into a pot patch.

Yeah I'll take care of him.