Idiots on the loose...

[JGB]

First noticed this on another board...

http://www.pressdemocrat.com/article...1350?p=1&tc=pg

DFG CALTIP = 1-888-334-2258

JGB

[Mark Kranhold]

These guys have been busted several times.... Just shoot them on site! Sounds harsh ,but it's time to start protecting! People get away with to much $hit now days. Show some severe discipline and maybe people will get the point! Hell, hang em'!Let's get back to the old days! This country is going down hill, it's time to fight back!

[JGB]

MK-

Welllllll...not that I'm a bleeding heart liberal, but I'd settle for a public flogging. Now if you want to shoot a Kardashian or a Beiber on sight...count me as a bleeding heart liberal!

In fact, public floggings might help prevent a lot of crimes! And forced labor for Lifers too ----> no work = no food.

A fishing board? Oh sorry, I forgot...my bad.

JGB

[vernonstwhiz]

MK-

Welllllll...not that I'm a bleeding heart liberal, but I'd settle for a public flogging. Now if you want to shoot a Kardashian or a Beiber on sight...count me as a bleeding heart liberal!

In fact, public floggings might help prevent a lot of crimes! And forced labor for Lifers too ----> no work = no food.

A fishing board? Oh sorry, I forgot...my bad.

JGB

Someone please explain to me why there are a separate set of rules and laws for Native Americans. I still don't understand why their casinos are allowed to ignore the state laws regarding cigarette smoking.
As far as I am concerned, the environment comes first, and as far as I know, many of the Salmon and Steelhead runs have disappeared because Native Americans were allowed to place nets across rivers up and down the West Coast, capturing entire runs of fish. "Gosh, I don't know where all the fish have gone?" "When I was a kid we use to see thousands of fish come up this river!" Duh!
Violators need more than a slap on the wrist!

[jbird]

I think a large percentage of poachers are simply ignorant. Its knowledge that leads to awareness and care. Most poachers just dont understand the consequences because theyre ignorant to the problem. Thats why its so important to teach kids to learn about and love Gods creatures. For the ignorant, poaching is just a fun way to catch food. There is no remorse cause theres no knowledge. It may sound crazy, but being nice and helping someone on the river just may change the path he continues down. Carry the torch of care and conservation into darkness and pass it on...
Wow! there mustve been something extra in that brownie I just ate

[Darian]

I agree with the educational/understanding approach when dealing with individual poachers who're maybe taking an occasional fish but what we're experiencing around here (the Delta) and maybe some rivers is far beyond that.

It's been reported in the SacBee that on the Delta, organized poachers frequently operate out of boats every day, night/day, and are targeting all types of game fish in volume. They're essentially commercial style operations. Fish caught are ending up in some local markets. Wardens have busted up a couple of rings that were successfully prosecuted, heavy fines were imposed, equipment seized, etc., and the convicted parties were banned from obtaining a license for life. This activity is/was so lucrative that the same individuals were caught in a following year doing the same thing.

There was, reportedly, some familial connection between the poachers and a group of local markets. Not sure what happened to the markets, tho.

Seems to me that the problem is that as fish become more the choice of people to eat it's value increases making it's economic value high enough to take the risks involved for this type of poacher.

[Charlie S]

My experience in law enforcement and dealing with criminals leads me to believe that poachers (and, yes, they are criminals) just don't care about laws, the rights of others, or any ethical considerations. Their only regard is for themselves, PERIOD!!! Until we enact and enforce, in the courts, punishments severe enough, they will continue to do as they please. Game Wardens do the best they can but it has to suck to see criminals they have cited given a walk or, at best, a slap on the wrist. Who is at fault? We are, of course, for not loudly and forcefully demanding that justice be done.

[Charlie S]

To add to the above, don't you think a suspended business license for first offense for illegal purchase or use of illegal fish or game in a business with a revocation of license for a second offense would be just?

[Frank Alessio]

Liberalism is a mental dissorder......get out the Popcorn popper J-Buddy.....

[winxp_man]

I think the dudes in the video thought he was part Native American and so he got a spear.........gun and went on a salmon hunt.

I a firm believer in the Native people should only be allowed to hunt with spears instead of the gill nets they use everywhere on the coastal rivers. ( Only saying this because the subject was briefly touched)

As for teaching yes its the only way to get people to do the right thing. I have seen a very large amounts of crap that people do while fishing. The game wardens are only so many and in the end not all of them like to work and get out to check the rivers like they should. I know this because I have a buddy that is a ex warden and tells me a lot things that would give most a heart attack. So education is the best way to go about things like this but who is willing to teach.

The walking bridge at Sunrise when salmon season is on if I walk by and people are up there on the bridge fishing I make sure I tell them to not snag these fish because its a $1500 ticket nowadays. I at least put the scare in them not to sit there to snag. But there will still be the ones that do that either way. I guess call CalTip and hope the wardens show up and hand people like this some nice gifts. If it were me I would create a class like the traffic school for traffic tickets and make it a mandatory class to take to teach you about wild life. It would also not cost the state much because the money for this will be generated from the tickets and the class sign up fee that would be imposed. So with an idea like this I can see a decrease in poaching. Maybe not all of it but most of it will come to some sort of stop when people are educated a bit more then its just a fish.