You would call in on a poacher right?

[BIG HORN]

Integrity is what you do when no one is watching..... I think it all boils down to INTEGRITY.
cb

THAT right there - it's what YOU can live with the next day.

[HNT ETX]

Called the game warden on myself last year for shooting the deer in the photo. For a couple of reasons, to let my lease members know that I would like them to follow the rules (even though I don't agree with the ultimate goal of AR $$$), and to see how our local GW would handle the situation. The deer was 12 3/4" and was shot at 242yds, crossing a road in pine plantation behind a doe (not much time to stretch a tape). He gave me a warning and let me keep the meat and took the antlers, (which I think was wrong).

I would never turn anyone in....or even think about turning them in. I would take the opportunity to learn something about the persons character and form an opinion about them personally, and if it became a common occurence would have to get rid of them as members, but I would not turn anyone in.

As the infamous Hank Williams said, "mind your own bussiness and you'll be busy all the time!"

[PSD Ryan]

I came close to this situation myself. I usually shoot freak cull bucks. Came across a 3 point 200 yards off. I glassed him for 10 minutes and decided he had to go. Long twisted vertical main beams with a small hooked third point. I took the shot, and on recovering him found a nub that measured 7/8 inch. I wasn't able to see it through 10x binos. Another 1/8 longer and it would have been an illegal deer. I wouldn't have called myself in if that were the case but fortunately it was legal.

[miket]

THAT right there - it's what YOU can live with the next day.

I cant agree with this, though it does SEEM right. People have committed unspeakable crimes , and had no problem living with themselves.

[southpaw]

As far as I'm concerned the question is not whether or not it is 13", it is whether or not it is outside it's ears. The first buck I killed after the AR's was definately outside it's ears but it measured 12 1/4". I'd say that buck was legal.

[Jethro]

Interesting thread, for sure.

We live in a world full of laws, some worthwhile, some not. I would venture to say that there are very few of us that go more than a week at a time without breaking some form of law or another, however "minor" or "major" they might be. I think in the end it just really boils down to your personal view of the law being broken, and your personal connection to the person breaking the law. Maybe not right, but that is the way it is, and I don't know many who could argue against that, as long as they were being totally honest with themself. How many here would turn their own mother in for going 5 over the speed limit? Not many I bet, but I would also bet that practically everyone here would call in a major crime such as a robbery in progress.

The question is really, where do you fall on the scale, and how much do you believe you have the right to police the actions of others? I try and live my life as much within the law as I can. That is my responsibility to myself, and to the family I am raising. I am not sure how much I am morally obligated to police the actions of others, as long as they are not a danger to other people, or as long as they are not blatantly and intentionally breaking the law. Obviously, there is a point where I will. An inch of width on a deers antlers is not it.

In the end, really, it's just a deer. They aren't selling crack to my kids, or driving 60 in a school zone. There are much larger issues to be concerned with. Deer are overpopulated in the vast majority of the state. The net effect on the herd is practically zero. The only real consequence is on the morals of the one who committed the crime, and they would definitely know my opinion on the subject. Just me though, everyone else is free to live life as they please, and figure out where they want to be on the sliding scale of taking chances with the law.

Really glad we don't have AR up here, it seems to me to be a system designed more to create revenue than anything else. JMO.

[systemnt]

As far as I'm concerned the question is not whether or not it is 13", it is whether or not it is outside it's ears. The first buck I killed after the AR's was definately outside it's ears but it measured 12 1/4". I'd say that buck was legal.

but according to the law..you'd be wrong.. the ear thing is a general rule of thumb.. but not the law...

[Burntorange Bowhunter]

I have never been to jail and have a squeeky clean record.....I am just not a big "call the law" person unless it affects me or my family directly. Didn't read the whole thread.

Now that I did, I see it is about deer and antler restrictions. Meh, not sure about that one. Kick em off the lease but don't report them, sheesh.

FTR, I do not agree that a person cannot shoot a deer off their own land whenever needed to feed their family, regardless of what it has on it's head.

[Bullydog]

By the way those saying you could turn someone in for a traffic violation don't understand how laws are enforced. You can't turn someone in for a traffic violation. The officer must witness it, first hand. He'll you couldn't turn your buddy in for driving drunk, unless you waited for him to leave, followed him and called the law on him. These are always lame and over used points in these discussions and make me laugh when I hear them.

If your buddy poached a deer or shot one that didn't fit in an AR county..... you could turn him if you produced the deer for the game warden and all the evidence needed for a criminal charge.

I'm not saying I would or wouldn't to the origional question, just wanted to clarify some of the goofy points being made about turning people in for "other" things if your moral compas points you in that particular direction.

What a mess of a thread...

[BIG HORN]

I cant agree with this, though it does SEEM right. People have committed unspeakable crimes , and had no problem living with themselves.

...pretty sure this question was not addressed to serial killers, but to the common hunter...to compare a 1" AR violation and a murder is silly...

The question posed was not a right or wrong answer...thus regarding your reply, I'm pretty sure the person who has no problem living with unspeakable crimes would not report their friend....

So again, yes, it does boil down to what YOU can live with...

[miket]

...pretty sure this question was not addressed to serial killers, but to the common hunter...to compare a 1" AR violation and a murder is silly...

The question posed was not a right or wrong answer...thus regarding your reply, I'm pretty sure the person who has no problem living with unspeakable crimes would not report their friend....

So again, yes, it does boil down to what YOU can live with...

The point was to show the moral relativism. It was not to compare hunting laws to laws against murder. The law is absolute. When we ( I ) apply our own feelings or morals, we are wrong. Our personal opinion about the law is beside the point. If we can live with it without remorse is beside the point. Breaking the law is wrong. I am not the greatest communicator, obviously, so it is probably my fault that you completely missed my -not so well stated- point.

So, basically it is ok to shoot deer out of season, as long as I'm ok with it?

[Jethro]

Sorry for being "goofy", I wouldn't know about turning someone in for speeding, I've never tried it, never felt the need. My point was not so much whether you could, but rather if you should.

[Redneck Archer]

...pretty sure this question was not addressed to serial killers, but to the common hunter...to compare a 1" AR violation and a murder is silly...

The question posed was not a right or wrong answer...thus regarding your reply, I'm pretty sure the person who has no problem living with unspeakable crimes would not report their friend....

So again, yes, it does boil down to what YOU can live with...

lol...

I can live with my freind shooting a 12" deer and not calling the game warden. The game warden just takes the antlers and may or may not let you have the meat. Ill be darned if i am going to do something that constitutes the waste of an animal already dead.

I break laws daily. didnt use my blinker this morning. I sped. I got pulled over last night for speeding. got a warning. I didnt completely stop at a stop sign this morning. will probably speed at lunch.

Shot at a dove with my bow that was on the ground (not in flight). didnt hit it but tried

took my boat out this weekend without padels (forgot them at home).

better call the law on me. I am a criminal!!! and a rebel... Wont be an outlaw till my guns are outlawed.

[Kuller]

I will not call the GW if someone shoots a sub 13" animal. I will probally remind the person of the game laws, but I am not turning them in.

I didn't call the police this morning on the way into work when I exceeded the speed limit to pass someone up.

Call me a rebel if you will!!!

[BrianL]

Nope. Wouldn't call, but haven't read all 3 pages of post. I've had buds that might have shot one or two too many dove, ducks, maybe even shot past sunset a time or two. Didn't call then either. If cought, that's their problem, not mine. If they are breaking lease rules and you let them, your problem. If you don't like them, and can't handle the problem yourself, call GW.