Antelope Poachers

[jkav]

Originally Posted by calgarychef

That's the best first post I've seen on here.

x2.

[covey ridge]

Originally Posted by Rio56

At 82 and 86 driving from Edm to Medicine Hat after waiting 10 years... come on , think about it , when you get there .. well some respect maybe should have been shown by the land owner talking to these guys first and maybe not reporting ... Anyone saying the fines should be higher .. well I think 100.00 each and let the old boys finish their hunting times with respect and the antelope meat..what did they actually hurt ? some of you have had speeding fines for less and the violation and risk was way more threating to public safety than this .... maybe i'm getting old ...lol

they had the tags
shot out the window
and didn't tag the animal right away
wow ... bad boys

For the most part I agree with your thoughts except for the shot out the window part. Some may have read different versions of this story but the only thing I saw reported was:

" Fish and Wildlife were called by a landowner over the pair hunting on property without permission. The next day the officer identified the same vehicle — and proceeded to witness Holub and Ponich each fire their rifles from this vehicle, each taking down a trophy antelope."

Antelope is the only game animal where a specific distance from the vehicle is required.

"wow.....bad boys" I think that sums it up very well

[covey ridge]

Originally Posted by rancher86

We have this same situation play out multiple times per season and antelope hunters are usually 85-90% of the headaches and its only been getting worse the last few years.

Thanks for posting

[Rio56]

at 82 and 86 respectfully ... shooting out the window , that was their safer option ...come on 86 and rest it on the window or get out and free hand a couple shots ...think about it ...lol... they had fun and are at home and enjoying 50 yrs hunting together .... .. rancher 86 .. your time will come

[catnthehat]

Originally Posted by covey ridge

For the most part I agree with your thoughts except for the shot out the window part. Some may have read different versions of this story but the only thing I saw reported was:

" Fish and Wildlife were called by a landowner over the pair hunting on property without permission. The next day the officer identified the same vehicle — and proceeded to witness Holub and Ponich each fire their rifles from this vehicle, each taking down a trophy antelope."

Antelope is the only game animal where a specific distance from the vehicle is required.

"wow.....bad boys" I think that sums it up very well

You have a specific distance to be from a vehicle with antelope but no big game is allowed to be shot from a vehicle at all for able bodied hunters so the distance from the vehicle part is kind of a moot point wouldn't you say?
Cat

[catnthehat]

Originally Posted by Rio56

at 82 and 86 respectfully ... shooting out the window , that was their safer option ...come on 86 and rest it on the window or get out and free hand a couple shots ...think about it ...lol... they had fun and are at home and enjoying 50 yrs hunting together .... .. rancher 86 .. your time will come

You actually condone breaking the law??!!
Cat

[Rio56]

Originally Posted by catnthehat

You actually condone breaking the law??!!
Cat

no Cat ..when you that old ..bending is OK ... besides we never heard both stories ... I kinda get a kick out of it .... good on them to a degree ...

MooseCamp2004-003.jpg

[catnthehat]

Originally Posted by Rio56

no Cat ..when you that old ..bending is OK ... besides we never heard both stories ... I kinda get a kick out of it .... good on them to a degree ...

You have rancher's story about them leaving gates open and being on the property without even asking for permission
Age has nothing to do with breaking the law that wasn't " bending " anything
Cat

[knacker]

I'm at a bit of a loss for words why so many on this forum feel sympathy for these old men.

They weren't euthanized nor were they suffering dementia. They are grown men who knew they were in the wrong and paid a fairly token penalty.

If they weren't fined that would set precedent for other sob stories to get off as well.

As Rancher86 said, they had already been warned and these grown gentlemen continued to press their luck.

[Rio56]

Originally Posted by knacker

I'm at a bit of a loss for words why so many on this forum feel sympathy for these old men.

They weren't euthanized nor were they suffering dementia. They are grown men who knew they were in the wrong and paid a fairly token penalty.

If they weren't fined that would set precedent for other sob stories to get off as well.

As Rancher86 said, they had already been warned and these grown gentlemen continued to press their luck.

you now what .. I take back everything I said in defence of these old guys breaking the law of shooting out the window and not tagging the game right away .... they deserve more fines and should of lost their hunting privileges for the rest of their lives ... I was on the wrong track ....

[covey ridge]

Originally Posted by catnthehat

You have a specific distance to be from a vehicle with antelope but no big game is allowed to be shot from a vehicle at all for able bodied hunters so the distance from the vehicle part is kind of a moot point wouldn't you say?
Cat

The news article said from a vehicle and not out the window as mentioned by a few. My point was nothing more than that.

[covey ridge]

Originally Posted by rancher86

Moral of the story, lets leave the judging and the lynching ON BOTH SIDES to the people with the facts.

I have no problem to leaving the judging to the judge

[Akoch]

Originally Posted by covey ridge

That sure was a catch of a lifetime! I can only imagine how big of a notch it was on the CO's belt. I wonder if he cut out the article and framed it? I am for the aggressive enforcement of wildlife offenders and I wish I would hear more of their big catches. This was a no contest catch of two old dudes who probably could have got authorization to shoot from a quad or OHV. This made news because of the age of the offenders.

BTW I do not think anything in the news report said they shot out of a window?

I'm not saying that it's such an incredible catch, I'm happy to see enforcement of landowner rights in a general area that I know a lot of people trespass. Regardless of the age of these guys, what they "could have gotten authorization" for, or anything else they broke the laws and were caught doing so.

I can't speak to the reporters motivation for writing the article, I can only speak to my motivation for sharing it. The number of times I've run in to people on private land that have no clue who it belongs to but have no issue driving all over it is staggering. I enjoy hearing about poachers getting caught because it validates the time and effort that I put into doing things by the book.

It seems the only reason it has so much momentum on this site is because a number of people think that a select group people shouldn't have the rules apply to them.

[covey ridge]

Originally Posted by Akoch

It seems the only reason it has so much momentum on this site is because a number of people think that a select group people shouldn't have the rules apply to them.

Do not count me in that number of people. I do think the rules should apply to all.
The two old guys trespassed and killed game while trespassing and so therefore they were charged with poaching. They plead guilty to poaching and other violations. Based on their plea the judge found them guilty and imposed punishment.

I can in no way condone breaking the law and will not, but I feel for those two old guys who happen to be human beings.

If it makes you or anyone else feel better to rant for more severe punishment
well then have at it.

[calgarychef]

It's already been said but ....Those two old buggers have most likely been doing this for decades. That type of behaviour is what gives the rest of us a bad image and I'm glad they finally got caught and charged. It's too late for them to learn but it's a lesson and a warning to the rest.

[Rio56]

Honestly ... I think it would make for a great movie .... the passion for hunting , with your partner and Alberta .... "The Last Hunt" .....

[Vook]

Originally Posted by Bushrat

What respect and integrity, if they don't have any they don't deserve any. Because they are over 80 people have assumed it is their last hunt, that they are poor seniors, are confused and did this by accident and because they have reached a ripe old age they are entitled to poach.

There is an old guy who I hired to fix/replace my roof 3 years ago said he was 85 years old. He is neither infirm, confused, poor or anything else, he is in better shape than most 60 year olds. He was telling me he was out hunting elk two years previous, so he would have been over 80 at the time, Anyway he saw some elk on private land, drove past the NO HUNTING/ NO TRESPASSING signs, opened the gate, shot the cow elk then drove across the field to winch it into the truck. The landowner confronted him, called the warden, they charged him with a few things. He was telling me all about it, "******ing wardens" he figured he had a right to do it as the elk didn't belong to the landowner so he didn't care and had done this all his life, this was the first time he was caught, thinks it is BS and will continue doing it as "how else are you supposed to get your animal when all the land around is posted". He is still out there hunting, he knows what he does is illegal, He fills tags every year that way, he simply doesn't care, will continue to do so as long as he is able, it's worth the risk because he only got a single thousand dollar fine in a lifetime of doing it.

You can pretty much guarantee these two 80 some year old antelope poachers also knew exactly what they were doing and probably have done that sort of thing all their lives. It's not like they just got their hunting licence and were on their first hunting trip.

You know, studying more on this story I think you are right.

[elk396]

Originally Posted by last minute

come on there old they they got a heavy fine and a slap on the wrist they paid the price enough said.

I'm starting to see that young criminals age into old ones. No all old folks are your nice old grandpa types unfortunately