Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations Bummed about poachers

They may not be able to swallow them but they sure can drill holes in them. I have two concerns with herons. One concern is when I plant trout smaller than 8 inches which I have drven as far as 13 hours one way to pick up, and the other is here in the great lakes they can transmit VHS virus which would put me out of business. Additionally they are parasite vectors which make my fish less valuable (yellow grubs).

Wow Jack it sounds like you've got some issues to deal with where you're at. I don't envy you. I hope you get it resolved.

I've had two occasions where I pointed a loaded gun at someone. Both times it was in self defense and the people were convinced to retreat. I hope to avoid such confrontations in the future.

I don't expect that I will have much trouble with poachers here. Maybe it's because we're surrounded by neighbors who's families have been here for generations. Those people will be welcome to fish our ponds and I think they would also help watch for trespassers.

If I did see someone on our property I would probably grab my camera with the 12X zoom and photograph them from a safe distance. I'd make sure they saw me do it. I would have already taken a pic of their vehicle if it was around. I've been told by police that a photo is good enough evidence to charge someone with whatever crime they were committing at the time. Then I would trade the camera for a rifle and a cell phone. If they were still there when I got back I would ask them to leave. The firearm would only be for self defense and if they didn't leave I would simply call 911 and explain the situation to the dispatcher. My goal would be not to display any anger during the process in an effort to avoid escalation.

I also think that poachers will be deterred by the excessive woody structure that I'll be putting in the pond. I imagine that every other cast will result in a snag. If that doesn't stop them maybe they'll just get tired of catching Warmouth.

I guess I'll try the monofilament line technique (Best way to scare off Herons) if it keeps coming back.

If that doesn't work, I'll try Bruce's suggestion. It will be in a very noisy FedEx box.

GW, we had (and still have) poachers. My pond banks are natural, meaning that trees and brush come right up to the waters edge.

When we found an area that we could tell someone was regularly fishing, we cut some trees and fell them into the water right there so they couldn't fish.

This is an excellent component for getting evidence on poachers.
What you're doing is essentially herding them to specific areas to fish, and then you have all your cameras on deterents trained on that specific area.

As Cat mentioned, I like to then hang a big target, like a five gallon bucket, in that area. Paint the word "poacher" on it, and then let a few hundred rounds go into the target. This is quite a deterent also.

On the sign issue, this is what I did. Poachers were merely pulling down my No Trespass signs. So I put up new signs right were they were fishing; on a second sign, I wrote this message: "Smile, you just had your picture taken. Now it doesn't matter if you take the sign down. If you come back again, I'll have your picture again, and then you'll be meeting the PA Fish Commission and the PA State Police. These fish cost me thousands of dollars, and you're stealing from me..."

Before the long message type signs, a standard NT sign would stay up for only a few days, and then be torn down. These new message signs stayed up for months & months.

At the end of the day, any anti-poaching efforts are multi-phase campaigns. You have to keep at it, as there's always a new poacher to take the place of one who got scared away.

My local authorities are the PA State Police and the PA Fish Commission and the PA Game Commission. They have all been very helpful and responsive. They also need support from upstanding citizens to effectively do their jobs

I do, however, realize that some authorities are not like that. What Jack Flash has said, and stories that ewest have conveyed are very unfortunate.

At the end of the day, we all have to take the high road. We have too much to lose.

What a great idea Sunil! Even if you don't have a camera the trespasser wouldn't know that. I think I might have to make up a few of those signs.



There in lies the problem. I own firearms and given the right situation would use one. But you have to be aware that if you display a weapon of any type be it a gun or knife or club or whatever you have elevated the situation. If you display a weapon you had better be prepared to (1) use the weapon and (2) accept the consequences of your choice. Ewest could probably best discuss this topic but the law related to the use of lethal force varies from state to state. You wouldn't want to go to prison to protect a fish. Don't get me wrong I'm not being a tree hugger (ok I'll admit it I have, on a rare occasion, after consuming more than an adequate amount of Captain 'n Coke, hugged one of my heritage oaks - but not in any disgusting way mind you) but as Sunil said we have too much to lose.

Good points, JHAP. I never go to my land without my firearm(s). I have a permit to carry.

Sometimes I wondered if I would just shoot a round into the air for effect if I saw a poacher, but then I thought I would be exposing myself to all kinds of potential problems even though I'm allowed to shoot on my own property.

A lot of our trespassers come in on quads. I have many times thought about disabling someone's quad by chaining it to a tree, knifing the tires, or pouring anti-freeze in the gas tank. I do feel I'm justified to do that. However, one thing we don't want to create is lifelong enemies or some kind of tit-for-tat feud.

While I'm not against it, if you have to pull a gun, things have gotten way out of control.

At the end of the day, a poacher or enemy can do far more damage to my pond and land than I can do to his, especially because I'm an absentee land owner. Again, I also have too much to lose.

I could sue a trespasser in civil court, but it might be like trying to squeeze blood from a stone. I could be sued, and a money-hungry lawyer (no offense to the good ones) might be drooling, and even though I have insurance, I would have to pay to defend myself in court.

We have had problems with kids at our deer lease coming down there and messing with our stuff. One time they tried to hot wire a few of the ATV's. One of them had to be taken in for repairs.

We figured out it was one of the kids from up the road. There is not much we could do. We could make the family mad and have them burn all of our stuff down or just try and make them deal with their kid.

Well, the game warden just left. He came out and walked the property with me, and had me sign some papers. He suspects it is the neighbors on four-wheelers. There are trails that stop at my property line, about 25 yards below the dam. It's not a neighbor that I know. But, a friend who is a school bus driver doesn't have much use for the kids who live there.

When the DNR (Dept. of Natural Resources) has officers in the area, they will be driving through my property, and past my pond.

As I told the game warden, I don't really care if they get cited or arrested. I'm hoping that the presence of game wardens on my property a few times a week will be enough of a deterrent.

We've got a very nice elderly couple that live near the entrance to our property. They know everybody in the area, and they keep pretty close tabs on vehicles coming and going in our driveway. The whole neighborhood should soon know that the game warden was here.

Originally Posted By: Keith WolfeEveryone 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.

Also when your fish get external parasites such as black spot disease, yellow or white grubs adn a few others you be sure to thank the herons for bringing them to your pond.

Well I guess that would be the polite thing to do.

Wow...so far, I've no problems with trespassers. Lucky, I guess...

However, if my wife tells one more of her idiot friends they "can fish any time they want..." I'm gonna have to have some words with her.

Last one brought 3 "guests"...kept 40 big HBG, my monster gill that I've caught a dozen times, along with two 3.5 lb bass (cause they taste "just great!") along with 1 of only half a dozen 15" crappies put in for stockers. All this after he told wifey that he only wanted a couple dozen BG to filet...now he's asked about bow-hunting this fall.

At first, I was very lucky. My neighbors are very protective, and nobody would dare go on my property during daylight hours.

A while back, I got a call from my friend. He said "Hey, I'm here on your land, and a lady is staring at me! What should I do?" I told him he had better smile and wave, because she may start shooting!

Then the night prowler started coming. First, he stole some copper wire and a drill out of my tractor shed. Then he siphoned 40 gallons of diesel out of the dozer. I recently put a chain across my drive with a sign saying "Caution! Camera Surveillance!". I added a solar powered motion light, because I have no electricity on my land. So far, it's working.

When a person gets permission to fish or hunt, and then brings three guests, I lose all respect for that individual.

Next thing you know, those three "guests" think that they have carte blanche with your property.

I think that this practice "de-nuts" the pond owner. This is because when you do find and unknown "guest," he's going to say that Joe Blow told him he could fish, and you won't know whether its real or not, and will lose some steam in stracking out on the guy.

Also, the more other people see people fishing a pond, the more they think it is open to the public.

It is also harder on helping the authorities to help you because they can't differentiate who is there with permission vs. those that don't have permission.

The papers the game warden had me sign last week states that they will arrest and detain anyone on my property caught in what appears to be all-terrain vehicle riding, fishing, or hunting activity -- unless they have a signed letter from me giving them permission to be on my land. Currently no one has permission to fish.

They also asked me to repost new "No Trespassing" signs, or to re-mark signs I now have posted. They want me to put about a half-inch red dot in the lower right corner of each sign. This allows them to immediately recognize that I have an active file with their office, allowing them to make on-the-spot arrests.

Although I've told almost no one (except PB readers), the word has gotten out. This is part of an e-mail I got a couple of days ago from a neighbor who lives just over the border in Virginia:



Two others have talked to me about this recently also.

A new Moultrie digital game camera went up three nights ago. So far, only lots of deer.

I've also given written permission to a very trusted friend to allow him to hunt my property. We've also printed signed/laminated signs, that he will post in the front and back windows of his truck and for his 4-wheeler, so that the game wardens will know not to harass him when he's on my property. He will be the only one with permission this year. He hunts all seasons (archery, black powder, rifle, antlerless, etc.), so he'll be there a number of mornings and afternoons for the next couple of months. He is very stealth. If anyone is on my property, he'll know it. He's also equipped and capable of legally confronting trespassers.

I'm now convinced more than ever, that most of my big bass, and lots of my big BG are gone. I'm afraid the poachers did to me what Matt Clark's wife's friends did to him. I'm just not sure how to know for sure, and whether I should include a stocking plan for this fall.

Over the past 3-4 weeks I just know that no large BG have been feeding (mostly just 5-7 inchers). I haven't caught any large BG for several weeks -- actually, I'm catching almost no bluegill of any size, which is very unusual. I've caught almost no bass, which is also unusual. The few bass I've caught have been 4-5 inchers, plus only one 10 incher. Based on what I had in June, there should be lots of 12 to 15 inchers in the pond. I don't see bass in the structure around the shoreline. I hope the big BG and big LMB are just hiding.

Ken