poachers, spotlighters, and land destroyers

[moodyjeremy]

does anyone else in ms have this problem. we have around 6500 acres leased in our hunting club in north ms but it is surrounded by gravel roads and we have several dirt roads or trails running through it. anyways we have spotlighters and poachers and mud riders year round. we have contacted the game wardens but they will do nothing about it. we even give them names and tell them where the people live that are doing it and nothing ever gets done. 90% of our food plots have donuts cut in them where mudriders check them out at night and decide to destroy out plots before they leave. we have to pay a guy to bring a dozer and tractor every year to fix these roads before season just so we can use them. then after the first rain they get messed up. in the last 2-3 years alone we have found over 20 deer left dead after they were shot. some with the horns or head cut off and most just left for coyotes and buzzards. i wish we had some wardens that cared like the ones on wild justice. they could have a hay day here. they come around during the day and try and mess with us and find something to get us for but i can only think of once in 5 years that a ticket was wrote to a club member and it was very bogus. the guy should have fought it. does anyone else have this problem or do you think it would help to contact jackson about this? we really need some help to many deer are being illegally shot at night and destruction of propoerty year round.

[benjidp]

does anyone else in ms have this problem. we have around 6500 acres leased in our hunting club in north ms but it is surrounded by gravel roads and we have several dirt roads or trails running through it. anyways we have spotlighters and poachers and mud riders year round. we have contacted the game wardens but they will do nothing about it. we even give them names and tell them where the people live that are doing it and nothing ever gets done. 90% of our food plots have donuts cut in them where mudriders check them out at night and decide to destroy out plots before they leave. we have to pay a guy to bring a dozer and tractor every year to fix these roads before season just so we can use them. then after the first rain they get messed up. in the last 2-3 years alone we have found over 20 deer left dead after they were shot. some with the horns or head cut off and most just left for coyotes and buzzards. i wish we had some wardens that cared like the ones on wild justice. they could have a hay day here. they come around during the day and try and mess with us and find something to get us for but i can only think of once in 5 years that a ticket was wrote to a club member and it was very bogus. the guy should have fought it. does anyone else have this problem or do you think it would help to contact jackson about this? we really need some help to many deer are being illegally shot at night and destruction of propoerty year round.

Is it possible for you to put gates up at all main road entrances? Are there homes inside your property that people would have a need to access? I would think that if it's a continuous tract you could get a judge to look at the facts and make the roads private, especially if you all are doing all the maintenance on them anyway.

Second to that you could begin "pressing charges" on these people. Call the police and tell them that you have a person committing a crime and to come arrest them. If they do not, ask to speak to their supervisor. LEO serve the public and if you are a reporting a crime, ie trespassing, property damage, etc, they have a responsibility to come investigate. I would then press charges on everyone involved. That's really the only way you'll ever stop it. IMO

[BR549]

does anyone else in ms have this problem. we have around 6500 acres leased in our hunting club in north ms but it is surrounded by gravel roads and we have several dirt roads or trails running through it. anyways we have spotlighters and poachers and mud riders year round. we have contacted the game wardens but they will do nothing about it. we even give them names and tell them where the people live that are doing it and nothing ever gets done. 90% of our food plots have donuts cut in them where mudriders check them out at night and decide to destroy out plots before they leave. we have to pay a guy to bring a dozer and tractor every year to fix these roads before season just so we can use them. then after the first rain they get messed up. in the last 2-3 years alone we have found over 20 deer left dead after they were shot. some with the horns or head cut off and most just left for coyotes and buzzards. i wish we had some wardens that cared like the ones on wild justice. they could have a hay day here. they come around during the day and try and mess with us and find something to get us for but i can only think of once in 5 years that a ticket was wrote to a club member and it was very bogus. the guy should have fought it. does anyone else have this problem or do you think it would help to contact jackson about this? we really need some help to many deer are being illegally shot at night and destruction of propoerty year round.

If you know for FACT who they are and actually witness them in the act you can sign an affidavit and have em prosecuted. Don't need a warden for that. However the burden of proof is on you so you must be sure. A game violation is not like a criminal violation. In a game violation you are assumed guilty till proven otherwise. But if you sign an affidavit it becomes a criminal violation then. If a game warden sees or suspects them in wrong doing he can assume them guilty and write them a ticket if he so chooses. At that point it's suppose to be up to the violator to prove he is innocent! I realize though this is not being upheld like this but that's the way the law was written. You may get some help by calling the 1-800 be smart hotline. If I remember correctly someone must investigate a call in. Good luck!

[hdforester]

I would try to develop a better relationship with the local law enforcement, especially the GW. Doesn't sound like you have much of one now. You can put up a lot of gates for what you pay a bulldozer guy to fix the roads every year.

[Deltaquack]

Tresspassing by riding and vandalizing one's property would fall under the Sheriff's jurisdiction more than a Warden's. Put some game cameras up in places where they can't see them but you can get a picture of them coming in and there's your evidence.

[munyoz70]

1, I have been told gw cant write trespassing tickets, only sheriffs can. Not sure if its true but its what I have been told.

2, Spend the night out there on a "hot" trail and snatch one of those little bastards off the wheeler and call their mommy cause its prob high school kids or white trash.

3. Have a camp meeting and tell everyone to stay out of x mudholes and put 2x4 with nails in the mud hole.

4. If it continues without help of sheriff go higher up the political chain after all they are electiced to help you, not to hand out your money start with aldermen then climb higher.

5. Keep a tally on all they dozer work and charge them with it.

I have absolutely zero tolerence for ignorance and trash esp white trash you expect that from ninjas.

[Plainsman04]

Get your bulldozer guy to push out one of the mud holes they like till it's about 5-6' deep then let it fill back in with water. Come back the next morning after those boys have been in there and viola! You got yourself a truck with tags and all. Had a dozer operator tell me he did that exact thing one time and that's all that would stop it. He knew who was doing it and asked them to stop and they responded by telling him to stop them. So he did and got a Toyota Tacoma for parts out of the deal. The sheriff went right to the boy's house and carried him to the jail. Of course, the way our legal system works now you'd probably be arrested for doing that and they would walk free.

[jacksbuddy]

We had the same problem a few years ago. We solved it by doing the following:

We had several 4 wheeler traps made at a local welding shop. Then we carried them around in the back of the truck for about a week, and made sure that all of the outlaws could see them. Then we put some of them out, but did not tell anyone where they were located. (The remaining 'traps' were still in the back of the truck.) Then after another week, we put some more out. Again, we did not tell anyone where they were located. By mid season, all of them were placed strategically where they would do the most good.

We also made a point to call law enforcement EVERY SINGLE TIME we caught anyone trespassing on our property, AND WE PRESSED CHARGES.

This two pronged approach should solve your problem. Good luck.

[YazooValley]

A game violation is not like a criminal violation. In a game violation you are assumed guilty till proven otherwise. But if you sign an affidavit it becomes a criminal violation then. If a game warden sees or suspects them in wrong doing he can assume them guilty and write them a ticket if he so chooses. At that point it's suppose to be up to the violator to prove he is innocent! I realize though this is not being upheld like this but that's the way the law was written.

I'm going to need to see some authority for that legal opinion.

[quit calling]

Are trail/game cam photos or video admissible in MS.? Family in TN said they couldn't prosecute a trespasser because the only evidence they had was a digital trail cam with no posted signs saying video surveillance in progress. Admissible in criminal court or not it is pretty damaging and fiscal reimbursement is much easier with video.

[SHANE704]

a four wheeler trap? i gotta see this?

[jacksbuddy]

a four wheeler trap? i gotta see this?

No you don't.

It basically consisted of a 4 foot length of combine blade pointed upwards with a couple of 18" legs on the ends. Simple and effective. Especially with the "Look-At-What-We-Are-Putting-Out-On-Our-Property" travelling show.

[SHANE704]

pics....i want pics!

[duramax]

I can't find anything on the internet about 4 wheeler traps. I have to see a picture of this.

[BAY KINGFISHER]

go to the sheriff, get deputized , then arrest them yourself!!