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 � 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.

Jack.....