Another question of Ethics!

[flathead willie]

The farm I've been hunting on is owned by two brothers, one of whom lives on the farm and has been a good friend of mine for 27 years. He doesn't hunt. The other brother I've just met a couple times. I lived on the farm for several years and never saw this guy until last season when he was hunting there. Here's the problem. Last year and this year, during Muzzle Loader season and bow, this guy has been driving around hunting from his ATV with a high powered rifle. when he gets there, he parks in the field the deer feed in and his truck is right in a major crossing where deer like to cross from the neighbors property, to his. An hour after dawn he starts driving the ATV all over the mountain using it as a gun platform. (It's illegal to hunt from a motor vehicle in Virginia!) Last gun season he killed a nice 8 pointer and a 7 pointer opening morning and just left them laying there since he claims to be a trophy hunter, not a meat hunter. Luckily I had tags and wound up checking them in myself. What can you do with a jerk like this without losing a hunting area and creating problems between brothers and friends?

[pk_powell]

If it were me I'd set down with my buddy that I'd known for 27 years and have a chat,if that doesn't produce results I would feel obligated to contact the law.like I said just my opinion!:smile2:

[bootshowl]

Willie here's what I did. I approached the landowner(my uncle) from the standpoint of safety. Ask him to please separate us by distance/area and let the other guy pick where he wanted to hunt. Give him first choice. If he's a bad hunter your in luck even without first choice. It worked & even more applicable in your case as you guys can use rifles...It gave my uncle an "out" also. Hard to argue with safety. Luck to ya Brother.

[derbycitycatman]

Sounds like you got yourself a problem. Anything you do could hurt your chances at being able to keep hunting that land. Id say the ethical thing would be to inform a CO about whats going on. This could make both brothers upset and put a stop to your hunting. Turning brother against brother isnt always a great option either. If you let him keep doing this it'll likely ruin the hunting there for ya. Any which way you got problems. I might start looking for a new place to hunt regardless of what you decide, just in case.

[Fishnhuntforever]

The answer is simple really. It has nothing to do with you. Anytime you observe a crime and do nothing about it you become an accessory to the crime and therefor you are guilty of the same crime. So the only real question is do you like your freedom or would like to be locked up next to him when he gets caught. Not to mention his lack of respect not only for the wildlife but also for you by making you an accessory would have me doubting the quality of my hunting spot. I would without a doubt turn him in as you are legally and morally obligated to do so. For me opinion really doesn't matter in this case because the legal system has made our decision for us.

[CatHound]

It seems that you do have a dilema on your hands.

My question really is this: If he is a trophey hunter, why is he killing non-trophies ?

In our area, there is a hot-line to report poachers and unsportsman like activities - upon calling the hot line, a person that is reporting that activity can remain anonymous if they so choose and then DWR does the investigation and handles all of the details from there.

Another point to consider is that if this carries on for too long, you won't have any decent hunting in that area anyway.

[cook]

Blood is thicker than water.
Call the game warden,anon. if need be.

[TDawgNOk]

Blood is thicker than water.
Call the game warden,anon. if need be.

I agree with cook on this one. Not only that, but you know what he is doing is wrong, so you have to do what is right. Same as you would do if your best friend started electro-fishing your favorite cat spots

[flathead willie]

I'm already looking for new places to hunt. This used to be a great place and is where I killed a deer that come in 2nd in the state with a muzzle loader. However, it does me no good to pattern deer, scout, set up a game plan, get in the stand 1 1/2 hours before daylight, only to have him drive in right at dawn, drive all over the property, and kill all the bucks before they have a chance to grow up. And no, he's not a trophy hunter or he wouldn't have killed those two nice bucks last year when they would have been great bucks this year or next. He's not a hunter at all....he's just a shooter/poacher.

[catman529]

Shoot him. :big_smile: OK I don't hunt so I don't know a lot but I would probably report him.

[catgetter1]

Well your obligated ta do sumthing.....It's a shame your in that pickle, but I do think operation game thief deserve's a call.... Talk to your buddie also, he may not be aware of his brother's antics... Good luck....

[catfishrus]

how bout a good old box of roof nails at the gate in the morning. go back with a magnet in the evenings.:big_smile: willie your in a tight spot with this one. looks like you got two choices lose or loose. good luck to ya!

[ripleyhunter]

Sorry to hear all of that. Just call the game warden. If they're anyhing like what they are in Ohio that guy will be stopped pretty fast. And you can do with out letting them know who you are. The problem with that is the warden will probably be screwing you up trying to get the idiot. Can't win fer loosen!

[wareagle]

If he was going to leave the deer there he does not need to be hunting anyway.

[bigcatmaniac]

I have had to deal with the same problem you are having for the past three years, but it was my uncle that was doing it. I talked with him, my parents, my grandparents. None of that seemed to help, so i took it to the next step, i called the local game warden. I do not talk to him anymore, but i still have my hunting spot. The conservation department/DNR should have an annonymous hotline to report the illegal activity.

Good luck,
Ethan

[SeedTick]

Hey Billie, I think I would just act as I normally do so as not to draw attention to myself and turn that sucker in. I bet it would bring you a lot of satisfaction if you came out of the woods just in time to see the game wardens carting off all his goodies cause he couldn't play by the rules. He shouldn't think you had anything to do with it because you haven't let his 'secret' out in the past.

st

[bootshowl]

Under IN law if he is a landowner of record, there are crops grown or leased on the property; He's not breaking the law. All he is required to do is make a call and report the kills. But sounds like you need a new place to hunt if the friend brother isn't concerned for your safety. Sorry Willie.
:angry: