Lynx poacher
 

Well guys, it's eating at my conscience and am looking for advice. My brother in law really likes to shoot lynx. He's shot 3 this year while coyote hunting. He has no trappers license. I've explained the rules regarding the trapping and protection of lynx under such regulations. He took one last year, and got scared and discarded the animal, after contacting 3 taxidermists who wouldn't mount the animal. This year he's bragging about getting all 3 mounted and selling two of the mounts.
I know he does other stupid things as well. In the whitetail season, he shot 5 bucks, two of which were wounded. He placed his tag on the biggest one and I'm not sure what he did with the other 2. Hunts on posted land, trespasses where he wants, etc, etc...
I want to "keep peace" in the family here. I've spoken to his wife, my wife's sister, about his actions and all she says is that he can do what he wants. Hmmm...
Do I leave this alone, and just ignore the ignoramus, or do I proceed to fish and wildlife?

I've quit hunting with him all together, hoping he may get the point, but nothing seems to be sinking in.

To me the answer is clear, let me ask you this:

If you knew of a person that was shooting deer, bears, moose or elk and leaving them to rot in the bush, would you inform Fish and Wildlife?

Why should your conscience be muddied, by a person that has none?

Hope that helps! Happy New Year and all the best in 2015. :)

Report A Poacher hotline at 1-800-642-3800
 

It's guy's like that who give hunters a bad name and wreck access for others. You know what needs to be done. Keep it anonymous.

In this day and age it's hard to believe there is still someone like that. Point out to him the fines and jail time he can get. Show him the article where the person that shot a grizzly and then went to town to get a black bear tag was given jail time. Take him on a hunter education course. Somehow try and instill some conservation into him. Think about what can happen to you if an officer starts questioning you.

X2

If what you say here is happening, it is a no brainer, report him.

Also, fish and wildlife officers peruse this forum and when they see this thread, I would imagine they will track you down and proceed from there.

report him or pm me his info and i'll do it for you

If your not helping, your hindering.
These problems will not get better by letting them continue.

Tullfan

You can make anonymous calls to report a poacher...but likely if it went to court you may need to testify. If he KNOWS what he I s doing is wrong and clearly he does and continues...then clear your conscious and do your best to correct his.

I know a really decent F&W officer if you want to talk to someone I can pass along his cell to you.

This person is stealing from us all...he needs to learn that it is not okay...right now he likely thinks he is untouchable and will never get caught.

LC

you can give me the details and I will report the guy! that's brutal and definitely gives the good ones a terrible image

That's effing deplorable. Report and then report the s.o.b. again!

There you go^^^^^^^, also you can report the issue while at the same time protecting your identity. Those who are not taught lessons and do not learn from their mistakes will continue to make stupid choices.

Sounds like your getting a clear direction from this end.
Think of it this way.
If your kid came home and told you this story, what would you tell him to do?

reporting the poacher
 

While all of his actions are in poor taste and make the hunting community look bad, you may want to consider a couple things. He and his wife already know you have an issue with this, have brought it up to him, and let them know what the consequences would be if he was caught/charged. So, if you or someone does report him, he would have to be pretty stupid not to consider you as the one who dropped the dime on him, right call or not. Are a couple lynx and a couple of bucks worth likely decades of fighting or disconnect with two members of your family, and you can bet you will feel the heat when his wife and your wife start to get at one another over it, especially if your wife get convinced this was a bad thing to do. If it does play out and he is part of the "hunting" community, he likely knows someone one here that will relate this thread to him once things start happening, then you will not be able to deny it or play dumb. I understand the views of the majority on here so far, but I don't think this is as clear of a decision as one might think. Tough spot, good luck.

Good points...pretty easy to say report him when you don't have to suffer the consequences that the OP may have to deal with... Tough spot to be in.

LC

X3

Kinda makes you complicit if you know of illegal activities and dont report them.

Sounds like he has already got in his face about it, buddy wont change, time to take it up the ladder.

Really! You have to think about this, you have to contemplate doing what is right? Get off your duff grab the phone, call the 1-800 report a poacher line and give the information. Otherwise in my opinion you're aiding and abetting the poaching.

Now do the right thing Ranch11

BW

Would the alleged douche-bag be using AO from time to time?

Nothing to think about Ranch,you've already ratted him out by posting.As mentioned,F&W peruse the forum,and even if they happen to miss this thread or decide a few lynx is not worth their bother or resources to track you down,no doubt it will be brought to their attention by one or more of the wannabe cops super citizens here,as by the looks of the responses so far,most of them would sell out their grandmother for baking magic brownies no doubt.
Good luck with the family affairs.

Not accusing you of trolling but something is off here.
You have severed ties with him as far as hunting goes and made it clear to him and other family members that what he is doing is illegal and wrong on many levels. You have warned him of the possible consequences and don't want anything to do with these activities, and yet he still braggs to you about shooting more lynx? If this is true then there is something wrong with your BIL's head.
He is putting you in a very bad position,both family wise and legally, and it sounds like he is begging to be caught. Wouldn't want to be in your place and if nothing else, I would make it crystal clear to him, your wife and other family members that you do not want to hear another thing about these activities.
Very difficult to drop dime on a family member whether it be poaching, impaired driving, shoplifting or whatever, but if he continues to make you an unwilling accomplise you might have no alternative but to report him.
I'ts quite possible that someone in authority has already marked this thread.

i would question where the slippery slope of illegal activities ends for this guy.

he wouldn't be married to my sister for long:fighting0030:

Are you guys $&@?ed. Who wants to be a friend with someone who shot 5 whitetail bucks and two lynxs illegally. You guys are what's wrong with the hunting cummunity. I can understand if it was something minor but these are major issues and I believe if you don't call fin and feathers you should be held accountable for not reporting it. I would get my facts in order ( dates, locations, pictures ) and call it in asap.

....I was just pointing out it might make for some rocky family roads, likely that's why it hasn't been called in yet....that's all. Read my first response :)

LC

Ya sweep it under the rug that's the best idea yet!!!! Instead I would tell him, no, no, no tell me every time you shoot a Lynx and do something illegal so I can add it to my book of poaching activities

X2, open forum like this I am sure a case file just opened.

another option is what I did a few years ago. I was sitting on a cutline watching a herd of elk. There was a shot and the spike bull drops. A guy walks onto the line to the elk then walks back into the bush. I knew where another vehicle was parked so I took off for it. I was at his truck when the guy showed up. I had the guys vehicle license # and then confronted him about the spike elk. I told him I had his vehicle info, along with the land location and he had 24 hours to turn himself in or I would report him. I made him go back and salvage the elk, as he was going to abandon the animal to rot. I informed him that it would be a lot easier on him if he turned himself in. I checked next morning with the local F&W office and he had turned himself in.
Time to play hardball with the brother-inlaw, a little redneck blackmail, give him the option to do the right thing or else! time to "pay the piper", get him to start worrying about his guilt and to admit his offences.

You married your wife, not her sister or her husband, and this isn't just a small thing. He'll probably continue to do this for as long as he isn't caught so you need to report him. In the end who gives a crap what he or his wife thinks, it's your wife that matters and I'm sure that she will be on your side 100 percent if you explain to her the gravity of the situation. Remember, the person who does nothing about the crime is just as bad as the person committing it.

you took a chance you could have got shot.

I would say to myself, if I were in your position, "Don't put me in a position where I would have to lie or keep quiet for you to not be punished". Maybe have a very serious talk with him, if anything like that happens again, you'll go full disclosure on everything he's done. Gives a chance to salvage family ties and hopefully stops the illegal acts. Unfortunate spot for OP to be in.