# Poachers Caught!



## BenelliBlaster (Mar 17, 2002)

Fargo Forum 
VALLEY CITY, N.D.

A game warden following up a tip from the state's poaching hot line discovered three dozen deer carcasses and nearly a half-ton of frozen venison in a farm shop near here, authorities said.

At least two people could face charges in the case, Barnes County State's Attorney Robin Huseby said.

State Game and Fish Department officials said they found 35 deer and more than 900 pounds of frozen deer meat in the shop late last week.

Only five of the deer carcasses were tagged. Under North Dakota law, a deer taken by a hunter must be immediately fitted with a tag, and untagged deer are considered poached.

"I certainly would think that the number of deer is quite significant for the Game and Fish Department. It was a surprise to the game warden when he discovered it," Huseby said.


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## Militant_Tiger (Feb 23, 2004)

Give them the chair! Or at least beat them with a chair! I can't stand poachers.


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## Maverick (Mar 4, 2002)

Do you think they were going to trying to sell venison jerky? Well at least they caught them!!!!!! They are PIGS


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## mallardhunter (May 15, 2004)

:eyeroll: They shouldn't be able to hunt again. That makes hunters look bad. They should have a big fine to pay too somewhere around at least $100,000


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## Remmi_&amp;_I (Dec 2, 2003)

This type of action is B.S. Why would you want to do something like that? Sounds like a few years back when a certain marine dealership owner (I'll leave out the name) shot a bunch of antelope and left them lay! And people still by things from them. Hypocrites! :eyeroll:


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## fishhook (Aug 29, 2002)

Need to get all the facts fellas. It could be this guy cuts deer for all his buddies and they just didn't have the carcass tags on them. \

Then again, he could be sewer scum.


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## DJRooster (Nov 4, 2002)

That is one reason why they have carcass tags. Makes everyone more accountable and gives the GFD more firepower in the courts. Very easy to be in compliance. Great idea!!


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## holmsvc (Nov 26, 2003)

Fishhook it was poaching it wasn't some guy cutting up deer for his friends. I hope guns, trucks, and hunting rights are taken on this one. Sure the idea of a big fine is great, but if they don't have the money to pay it's not going to matter. So might as well take what they have. They don't deserve to ever hunt again!


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## tail chaser (Sep 24, 2004)

Good point Remmi, If people have to ask who it is you are talking about its not even worth explaining it. Some sportsman have short memories! Whats ironic is once you actually talk the guy you mention you really develope an opinion of him. I even know a good friend who works for him and he'll never see any of my money, what little there is.
There are people who haven't forgot but the business still seems to grow?
Its ok for some to poach but not others, I don't get it????
TC


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## Niles Short (Mar 18, 2004)

Crystal ball time you can quote me in 9 months ...$5000 fine (which can be monthly payments) 2 years loss priviledges 1 year with 11 months suspended 60 hours community service-5 years probation. Boils down to nothing. I would also assume there are a few other heads to roll ..thats a lot of meat for just a couple of people involved


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## Maverick (Mar 4, 2002)

So what really happens to all that meat!!


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## Remmi_&amp;_I (Dec 2, 2003)

Tail Chaser, my dad almost bought a new boat there earlier this fall until I chewed him out! He has since decided to purchase a different brand/model and we will be asking for opinions of the type of boat and of the marine owners around here. We prefer to buy in ND also.

I will be posting on this topic in March!


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## north14 (Oct 1, 2004)

Remmi, try Jeff's Sport shop in Minot, great people and great service. I bought my new boat there last spring and did'nt even consider going to the other place. The incident you talked about still leaves a sour taste in my mouth. :eyeroll:


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## Matt Jones (Mar 6, 2002)

Niles Short said:


> Crystal ball time you can quote me in 9 months ...$5000 fine (which can be monthly payments) 2 years loss priviledges 1 year with 11 months suspended 60 hours community service-5 years probation. Boils down to nothing. I would also assume there are a few other heads to roll ..thats a lot of meat for just a couple of people involved


I think that would be a fair fine. They weren't shooting whooping cranes, they were shooting overpopulated deer that the G&F is trying to get shot anyways. Hell, there's still tags left in 2G...make them go buy some for the deer they shot and tag them. :roll:

If this was some farmer trying to thin the herd on his property I really don't think a huge fine or penalties is in order. With the deer population on the verge of going out of control, and with it surpassing the point that hunters can control it, who did this guy really hurt if he shot a bunch of does? Yes, he should have played by the rules and bought tags (the funny thing is he could have LEGALLY shot that many if he wanted to).

Obviously if he was shooting bucks it's a different story. And at least he was making use of the meat.


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## Remmi_&amp;_I (Dec 2, 2003)

Matt,
I disagree. What they/he did is illegal. True, they are not endangered creatures, but that doesn't justify their actions. I don't think jailtime is an option, but the fine should be rather large and their hunting rights taken away for more than 1 season. I also think they should have to buy lisences for the untagged deer on top of their fine.

If he really wanted to thin down the herd on his property their are better options than breaking the law! Just my opinion.


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## g/o (Jul 13, 2004)

12


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## curty (Sep 18, 2003)

I have to agree with Remmi and g/o. Its poaching any which way you look at it. What if that was pheasants or ducks ect.?


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## tail chaser (Sep 24, 2004)

I geuss the question has evolved into was he/they trying to thin the heard or was he/they poaching? I know when my uncle was trying to thin out the number of blackbirds on his property we didn't eat them. In my younger days I would help get rid of gophers but I never ate one. There seem to be alot of skunks around anyone now of any good recipes? The rules are in place for a reason. If he wanted to thin the heard that was creating an economic loss on his property he would have to shoot and leave them lay. If harvested for consumption its poaching no ifs and or buts! The rules are the rules, I say pay up suckers they gambled and lost.
TC


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## Bob Kellam (Apr 8, 2004)

ditto
remmi, curty, g/o

IMO the reason that people do this is because they are fully aware that the penalties are a slap on the hands so to speak! somewhere along the line poachers will need to be taught a lesson.

Do you remember the cases a few years back where the guy that was trophy hunting Bald Eagles in Wyoming i think, or the guys that were poaching black bear for the gall bladders and various other parts. they got their fingers slapped, small fines and loss of hunting for a year, the Eagle guy lost his guide license.

My guess is these guys were going to be selling venison jerkey and they knew that the potential profit was worth the risk of being caught. It has to stop.

It is fully possible that they were just stupid and were going to keep the venison for themself but I highly doubt it.

My two cents.
Bob


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## Matt Jones (Mar 6, 2002)

All I said was that the punishment Niles Short prophecized would be sufficient. I also said that he should have obeyed the laws and bought tags. Deer are a nuisance species, ducks and pheasants are not. Ducks and pheasants aren't overpopulated and don't need their populations decreased. Use resident geese as an example, which is another nuisance species. Farmers shoot them by the hundreds and no one cares (including the G&F) because they are a problem.

I fully agree that a penalty is order. I just don't agree with some on the severity of what they proposed. Like I said before, these are just deer and it's not like they were shooting whooping cranes.


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## Bob Kellam (Apr 8, 2004)

Matt 
I am not trying to pick a fight but ducks can be a big problem if the invade a field of grain that is in swath. It is unbelievable how much damage they can do. Pheasants I will agree. I guess I am kinda old and set in my ways when it comes to issues that involve poaching, and especially poaching for profit.

Bob


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## MRN (Apr 1, 2002)

I agree with Matt's principle of moral relativism. 
To use Kohlberg's levels of moral operations this is somewhere between conventional and post-conventional stages of moral reasoning. Very good young man (especially good if you're a UND student..... ;-) ).

But on the otherside, I also think these poachers should be flogged in public... not so much for the damage to the deer but because they betrayed the trust that society granted them to participate in our cherished activities.

M.


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## Maverick (Mar 4, 2002)

> Posted: 16 Nov 2004 03:03 Post subject:
> 
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> 
> Do you think they were going to trying to sell venison jerky?


Like I said.....

So what really happens to all the meat anyways? From what I have herd, anyhthing that is going to be used as evidence is frozen, taken invetory on, then thrown after the case is over? I am just curious as to what the state does with it?


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## curty (Sep 18, 2003)

I thought they gave them to food pantries..If not they should.


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## dakotashooter2 (Oct 31, 2003)

For those of your that think it is ok because the deer are a nuisance, would you feel the same if all those deer were bucks?????????????? I'd be willing to bet you'd be singing another tune.


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## Leo Porcello (Jul 10, 2003)

> Good point Remmi, If people have to ask who it is you are talking about its not even worth explaining it. Some sportsman have short memories!


Some of us sportsmen are new here sooooo if you could PM me the name I would appreciate it. I don't want to accidently give that person business!


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## coonkiller04 (Nov 18, 2004)

i don't get it the couldn't just wait till the season to hunt they make me sick uke:


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## Niles Short (Mar 18, 2004)

I am really surprised of any debate if there is any justification on this poaching


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## i_love_177 (Oct 20, 2004)

the fact of the matter is they poached it no ands ifs or buts except where i live there is a large number poor people i happen to be lucky not so poor this guy who lives near me hunts he buys a deer tag for his son his wife and him for bow and where i live it can be a buck or a doe then during he does the same thing except gets buck and messes up my hunting all becasue hes poor and cant put food on the table by working and with this guy he could have been so poor that he had to resort to poaching but its still bad


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