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.
Last edited by Sunil; 09/08/07 09:53 AM. Reason: Spelling
