An Open Dialog on G & F Laws

[trphyhntr]

 

 

In my case, I felt the punishment simply did not fit the crime.

have you been sentenced?

[COA]

I think we all know the lesson learned here. Don't hunt turkeys. Problem solved

[5guyshunting]

A bird in the bush is better than two in the freezer.

[trphyhntr]

A bird in the bush is better than two in the freezer.

coyotes gotta eat

[ThomC]

Sugar, you could solve the crowded jail problem if you let everyone go that didnt do it, was sentenced unfairly, made a mistake, or think that the law should be changed for them. Leftist Liberal view point.

[AZ8]

Friends dont let friends talk to cops.

For anyone getting into hunting, let this situation serve as a reminder: ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS check if you hit the animal before shooting again.

The real sad thing is that people shoot and kill game all the time and dont recover it, then go and shoot at another animal. You got in trouble for recovering it and trying to be honest.

This is the money quote in this entire topic.

 

I'm not faulting the OP. But 2 shots were fired. No other action should have happened until the area was thoroughly checked for 2 birds down. It's a conscience decision we all must make, especially if the other hunter "wasn't sure" he got it. Irregardless if other birds are running around. We must be certain.

[DUG]

I had a similar thing happen when I was younger and inexperienced. 2 bucks standing there in the junipers. Take aim and shoot. 2 deer now running. Shoot 2 more times and miss. Come to find out I hit one of the bucks 1st shot and it dropped behind a rock. Turns out there were 3 bucks and I only saw 2. Good thing I can't hit a running buck. (There's that inexperience thing again)

 

As akaspecials said you should always check your shot before shooting again especially if it's brushy or from a blind. It's very easy to get caught up in the moment.

[azsugarbear]

Thank you for all the responses. I had hoped to generate an open discussion about our game law violations as they are currently written. But sometimes these threads have a life of their own and the discussion seems to go down another track. Having lived this nightmare, nobody better understands than I do what other courses of action I should have taken. I made several mistakes and I took my lumps.

 

Please understand, I am trying to redirect this thread back to where I first intended it to go.

 

So help me out here. Let's put the Monday-morning quarterbacking behind us and move on to the real questions at hand. Knowing what I went through, did the punishment (cash outlay to defend myself in criminal matter) fit the violation? Should a simple mistake in judgement and then self reporting it to G & F open that hunter up to a potential loss of his hunting license? And if not, then how does one go about trying to change the laws to achieve a more equitable solution?

[trphyhntr]

i dont think they need to be changed

[yotebuster]

So what exactly do you think a poacher is? Do they wear all black and a ski mask and poke around with a sign saying I willfully intend to break game laws? A poacher is anyone who breaks the law. Shooting two turkeys with one tag is poaching. I applaud you for turning yourself in but also believe that this was self induced by trying a little to hard to get two birds out of one flock. You fd up and hopefully learned from it. IF you actually get charged with a felony I would be in your court fighting, but you wont and you werent so Im not gonna worry about that end of the argument.

[The Last Wood]

Thank you for all the responses. I had hoped to generate an open discussion about our game law violations as they are currently written. But sometimes these threads have a life of their own and the discussion seems to go down another track. Having lived this nightmare, nobody better understands than than I do what other courses of action I should have taken. I made several mistakes and I took my lumps.

 

Please understand, I am trying to redirect this thread back to where I first intended it to go.

 

So help me out here. Let's put the Monday-morning quarterbacking behind us and move on to the real questions at hand. Knowing what I went through, did the punishment (cash outlay to defend myself in criminal matter) fit the violation? Should a simple mistake in judgement and then self reporting it to G & F open that hunter up to a potential loss of his hunting license? And if not, then how does one go about trying to change the laws to achieve a more equitable solution?

You can't make people respond a certain way. Obviously everyone doesnt want to change a law to make you feel better. Seems like most agree there was an over reaction by g&f but all you can do at this point is learn from it. I know I will never self report now if I make a mistake, seems easier than changing laws.

 

You can always move to one of those 19 states that have laws you approve of.

 

Or YouTube school house rock how a bill becomes a law. Talk to your state representatives, petition support.

[AverageJoe]

No i dont think an accidental case such as yours should be the same as someone purposely poaching an animal out of season. Shouldnt even be close.

[Rag Horn]

250 bucks for diversion sounds like a bargain. You musta not been busted in Gila county where rumor has it that program comes with 1000 dollar fine and 100 hours of community service.

 

Sorry you feel wronged by the justice system. That punched in the gut feeling doesn't ever really go away. Least I know a guy that feels he got the short end of the stick and he said it never goes away. It only discourages honest people from doing the right thing.

[PRDATR]

IMHO G&F has always been too heavy handed. Why suspend someones privledges for 2,3 or 5 years and loose then revenue for taking one fish or dove over the limit? We self reported a buck that wasn't quite a button buck and were allowed to keep it.

But On the old AZhunter.com Terry would post up the monthly info from G&F and most of them were ridiculous.

 

Don't forget to pick up your shotgun shells unless you want to get cited for Felony Littering.

[wildwoody]

Laws should be changed, but the person in the mirror is responsible for the person in the mirror, and a mistake is a mistake, accidents happen , I don't see this as a accident, you should have never trusted the other hunter , sounds like he told you he had no clue, so you should have checked your shot first before discharging another round, but we no you already no this, I commend you for the reporting. my question did you smack the other hunter for not paying attention, and did he help you at all with the fine or legal fees, I my hunting groups if two people are responsible they share the punishment, I only had one problem . dad and I were fishing chevelon and he decided to use bait while I was around the corner use my rapala countdown , Ken Clay was watching him with binos , when we headed out he checked or fishing packs, unfortunately I had power bait in the bottom of my pack dried up , don't no dad's jar went but I got the ticket just because I had it even no he admitted to not seeing me us it and it wasn't usable but he was giving someone a ticket so we shared the fine, anyway it sucks but its life sometimes you need to remember the coyotes gotta eat to. I no this didn't go where yo intended it to , but I think we can say point well taken. But where would we even start to change a law. Thank you for sharing pretty , honorable to throw your self to the internet police. Only my dumb opinion