Where did I say its doesn't catch people, we're not talking bout Illinois its already illegal. All I'm saying is simply changing laws to make it easier to catch who is and isn't doing something illegal is stupid. How many people where it is legal doin it all the time and never poach, so why make something that they do illegal because of couple idiots. Just because you don't agree with something doesn't mean it should be made illegal. Like I said punish the majority for the acts of a few. I'll ask though so you can sleep better at night.
Oh crap he just said they caught some guys not too long ago on utv's driving around drinking and had shot a deer, didn't say where or when just they were driving through people fields. Outlaw side by sides and atv's apparently they lead to poaching too.
NO. NO. NO. Do you people not comprehend? Please read it! I NEVER said it would make people stop. I have said the entire time that it merely makes the job of law enforcement easier if spotlighting is illegal. How hard is that to comprehend! It simply makes it easier to identify those that are poaching and would also discourage the most effective method of poaching known to man. Seriously, guys....stop putting words into my mouth when you cant grasp such a basic understanding of the fundamental problem. Last try and I am giving up. Our local law enforcement is basically to the point of not even responding to spotlight calls because it is legal IF there is no weapon in the car. Therefore, those that are in fact using spotlights to poach game are getting a free pass. And I can assure you that it is a VERY common practice. To the point that we are getting a lot of good ol' boy non-residents doing it because the fear of getting caught is almost nil. Sooooo......if it was illegal to spotlight at all, law enforcement would again start responding to complaints of spotlighters and there would be a reasonable chance that they would get caught. I can not make it any more clear than that. Who here can not understand this very remedial concept? It does not mean that poachers will stop spotlighting. It means they would have a real chance of getting caught! It just doesnt get any simpler than that folks.
I have known our local warden for 30 years. In the fall when there is a 10pm curfew on shining is when they put the plane up and have ground support chase vehicles with a 1 headlite switch on them. They know any shining after 10pm is at least a ticket vs. August when they have no idea.
So because local law won't respond because they're not catching anybody just make it completly banned. That way they'll have a reason to go check things out because its a ticket. Gotcha.
I'm not picking on you fletch, this just caught my eye. I'm very good friends with the GW and local biologist. When shinning was legal he had 3-4 active poachers every night during Oct. Nov. along with 50-60 legals. Now that its illegal, he has 3-4 active poachers every night along with 50-60 that are just shinning NOT poaching....now there all braking the law and he must respond to all calls, he use to just get calls on possible poachers, now he gets calls on anyone and everyone with a light. He is way busier now than he was before. Many will just pay the fine for harassing wildlife (if they get caught). He did have 3-4 braking the law each night, now he has 50-60 braking the law every night. Even if its illegal to shin, it doesn't mean that if you shin you are a poacher.
Not to mention that if they're already spread thin, getting 50-60 BS calls he has to respond to means that he's NOT responding to the legit poaching calls. Sent from my HTCEVOV4G using Tapatalk 2
I wonder why it is such an effective law everywhere else that it is illegal to shinE. I am also close to our local warden and he is the biggest proponent of making it illegal. Spotlighting here has never been an accepted scouting tool because it is associated with poaching. None of us that are avid deer hunters would ever be caught dead scouting with a spotlight or the entire area would consider that every trophy deer you had ever killed was poached. If our local law enforcement tells me that it would make their job a lot easier, I have to take their word on it. The Sheriffs office has said the same thing. MOST serious deer hunters in Iowa would not even consider using a spotlight to scout because of the stigma.
Iowa like 2/3rd's of Wisconsin is 98% private land. So they are 'scouting" land they can't hunt anyway?
It's illegal here, but it's not an effective law. Sure anybody with a spotlight is breaking the law, but that doesn't mean that it's any easier to catch them. And just because a warden feels a certain way doesn't mean that the rest agree.
How do you know that? Sure some people will but you can't lump everybody together. I'd wager that those would still do it if it was illegal. So then your just harming the ones who are doing it right
Define "effective." Is it effective because no one gets caught doing it? If that's the case, how do you know it's not because of some other reason? Maybe shining isn't the best method where you are. Maybe they're still doing it, just not getting caught. On the other hand, is it effective because there are a number of arrests and convictions made? If so, can you really say it's effective when it's not stopping people from doing it? Sent from my HTCEVOV4G using Tapatalk 2
You guys win, my local Sheriffs office and Game Officer has no idea what they are talking about. There is no way they could catch anyone spotlighting and it would be a horribly unjust law. Obviously, everyone would continue to do it even if it was illegal because nobody follows any laws anyway. By the way. About the ONLY poachers that get caught here are caught because they were spotlighting. But, please don't let that make any sense either. If you don't think its easy for a small plane to see spotlights at night and radio units on the ground then you don't have the sense to come in out of the rain. The law would be extremely helpful HERE. I am done with this one.
The "tradition" of shining deer in WI is moronic. Driving around blasting a 10,000,000 CP light in deer's eyes for "entertainment" is about as cool as sticking firecrackers in a frog's mouth. Ban it. While we're at it, WI needs to ban the training of bear dogs during the summer too. It would be interesting to do a poll on here to see how many people who support spotlighting actually own their own land.
Your logic can be applied to drunk driving laws. It's the law and yet some will still do it. Imagine the carnage if driving drunk was allowed? Picking up a spotlite from a plane in the air is much easier then nailing drunk drivers. Watch wild justice filmed in socialist Kalifornia.
