Another Wildlife Violation Slap on the Wrist Thread

[JTHOMP]

I see these posted regularly and usually the penalties are a slap on the wrist. Often times the fines don't equal going through an outfitter or landowner for a tag. Here's one where the fines still allowed the violations to be generously profitable. Profitable enough that even after receiving a citation from state game wardens they continued their illegal guide service. The couple was fined for a total of $13,850 and 3 years probation after profiting an estimated $100,000 in just 2 years. Some people must really love to hunt woodcocks. If it was only a state game violation, and not a migratory bird, I imagine the wrist slap would be even softer.

Monterey couple sentenced for felony violations of the Lacey Act - Louisiana Sportsman

A couple from Monterey was sentenced in federal court to three years of federal probation for felony Lacey Act violations.

www.louisianasportsman.com

PS: It's very common to see posts from people that don't live near pigs to want to hunt pigs (more common than people that want to hunt a stupid bird that flies out from under your legs and scares the mess out of you)...send PM if looking for experienced guide. I know a guy

 

[longbow51]

Fortunately not so much in Montana, at least with big game (every duck hunter I know, including game wardens, has more than a possession limit in his freezer). Doesn't take much to lose your license for years, or even life, for illegally poaching or illegally guiding.

 

[npaden]

Fortunately not so much in Montana, at least with big game (every duck hunter I know, including game wardens, has more than a possession limit in his freezer). Doesn't take much to lose your license for years, or even life, for illegally poaching or illegally guiding.

Are you sure you understand what the possession limit is?

This is the possession regulation in Texas. I would assume it is pretty much the same everywhere.

Possession Limit:
The maximum number of a species that lawfully may be in one person's possession at any time after the first day of a hunting season, except for deer, antelope, and turkey. On the first day of any open season, the possession limit is the same as the daily bag limit. After the first day, the possession limit becomes twice the daily bag limit (except for quail and some migratory birds). For all wildlife resources taken for personal consumption and for which there is a possession limit, the possession limit shall not apply after the wildlife resource has reached the possessor's permanent residence and has been finally processed.

I guess if the ducks in their freezer still hadn't been processed they would count toward the limit, but once they have been processed and are in your freezer they don't count against your possession limit any longer. Our dove season runs nearly 3 months so if I limited out every day and processed them and put them in my freezer at my house I could have 1,000 dove in my freezer and still be within the possession limit as long as I didn't have more than 45 unprocessed.

 

[longbow51]

Are you sure you understand what the possession limit is?

This is the possession regulation in Texas. I would assume it is pretty much the same everywhere.

You know what they say about assuming. I don't know why on Earth you would think Texas regs would apply in Montana. The possession limit here includes ducks in the freezer. I just called enforcement at FWP in Helena to make sure I, and the rest of the avid duck hunters I know, weren't crazy. And while, yeah, some folks are probably a few over, they don't go crazy about it.

 

[npaden]

To the OP. It is amazing that the court even acknowledged that they had made $100,000+ over just a 2 year period from this illegal activity but the fines only totaled $14,000 and they didn't even go to jail after willfully and knowingly continuing after being cited for it. Seems like this should have gone through the ill begotten gains channels and had them losing their vehicles, etc. that were used in the illegal activities.

But it's just poaching.....

 

[npaden]

You know what they say about assuming. I don't know why on Earth you would think Texas regs would apply in Montana. The possession limit here includes ducks in the freezer. I just called enforcement at FWP in Helena to make sure I, and the rest of the avid duck hunters I know, weren't crazy. And while, yeah, some folks are probably a few over, they don't go crazy about it.

Because generally migratory bird regulations are federally guided. Doesn't make sense for each state to have wildly different regulations because we are talking about the same birds. Lots of rules are very uniform on migratory birds.

The possession limit regulation for Montana is:

Possession Limit – The number of birds that may be possessed at any time in any form: fresh, stored in freezers or lockers, salted, smoked, dried, canned, or preserved.

Seems like it would be almost impossible to enforce. How many birds are in a bag of goose jerky?

 

[longbow51]

Because generally migratory bird regulations are federally guided. Doesn't make sense for each state to have wildly different regulations because we are talking about the same birds. Lots of rules are very uniform on migratory birds.

The possession limit regulation for Montana is:



Seems like it would be almost impossible to enforce. How many birds are in a bag of goose jerky?

Just trying to be informative about what the law is. Wouldn't want to lead anyone astray. Contrary to how nice and forgiving the "Montana Wardens" are on the TV show, you might find them less so if you deliberately violate laws.

 

[JTHOMP]

Idk which more crazy. The fact the the head of Louisiana enforcement with quoted with “justice was served” or Montana possession limits hinder someone from living off of animals they legally kill within daily limits.

Edit: Actually I may have been wrong on my original thoughts on “possession limit” ... going to dive down this rabbit hole