Wow, Stiff punishment? Really?

[link]

The dead buck in the picture with the two bozos posing with it, is not the same buck in the live shots. I guess they could be pictures of "Henry" from last year, or maybe Henry is still alive!

[Smossy]

Ya, no kidding!  Its easier to plead guilty then prove your innocent.  Messed up system, guilty til proven innocent based on the police report.  Just the way it is.  Rules are made up and broken based on variable technicalities by judges and prosecuters.  Seen it first hand.  Twice.  You are right Smossy, and you know how the system doesnt work right.  They got a first offense break.  Promise we would have had different results.  Youth, mistakes are common.   We can hope they learn from it.  Heck we lock up more people then any other country in the world.  Hows that working for us?  Smossy you are proof that people can overcome and learn from mistakes made in youth.  I have as well, and many others.  We all made dumb decisions as youth.  Im ok with these kids punishment for the first offense.  Now second time should be 6 months min.

Yeah. You make some sense, wish I would have got an easier punishment for MY first offense. Nope. Three years, straight to maximum security at 20 years old.

[Smossy]

Lol

The dead buck in the picture with the two bozos posing with it, is not the same buck in the live shots. I guess they could be pictures of "Henry" from last year, or maybe Henry is still alive!

uh oh we have a conspiracy now!

[jackmaster]

i agree with ya smossy, they should hammer them friggin poachers alot damn harder

[elk247]

 

[BsB]

Uhm.... That's not a trophy buck. Damn news has probably never seen anything bigger than a spike.

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 2

[pianoman9701]

Uhm.... That's not a trophy buck. Damn news has probably never seen anything bigger than a spike.

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 2

For fines, I'm not sure how the state decides it's a trophy animal. The minimums may be small. I think they should levy that big fine on all poached critters, doe, spike, trophy alike.

[vandeman17]

Uhm.... That's not a trophy buck. Damn news has probably never seen anything bigger than a spike.

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 2

For fines, I'm not sure how the state decides it's a trophy animal. The minimums may be small. I think they should levy that big fine on all poached critters, doe, spike, trophy alike.

I agree that it shouldn't matter the size. Hammer them all!

[gaddy]

there should be 2 willy whack's a day prior to each day of com service which should be no less than 2 weeks of 8 hr days. no passes, no excuses & each day should involve something for the good of the community. not a sluff job. retain hunting rights as long as no further problems.
if not agreeable, then 4 willy whack's a day for two weeks incarcerated & loss of hunting the state for life.+ cost of incarceration
end of a poacher.

[Old Man Yager]

They should (or could?) get a criminal trespass too, property is clearly marked. I think somebody said it's not a trophy buck, the regs say a trophy is 4 points or better, and that buck is a trophy. Doesn't matter anyway, evenif it's a spike or doe it's still illegal and not ethical. Good work WDFW.

[RoyBoy]

i might sound crazy hear but i think that no matter first time or not if you plain as day shoot a deer elk or whatever it be out of season you should be stripped of your rights right then and there along with a 30,000 dollar fine like shooting a ram in montana.

[jrebel]

My thoughts on the topic...

If this is their first offense then the penalty fits the crime.  They will now have a criminal record that will follow them for a while (depending on their age). 

The real problem is that people with criminal histories don't care how much you fine them or how long their stay in county jail is.  They probably won't pay the fine anyway.  Put them in jail and the tax payers have to pay for them.  It is a loose loose system.  If they prove to be habitual offenders they should be taken to pasture and shot......but that is not politically correct either.  Our criminal system is broken.  How do you punish someone, hold them accountable, and still give them a chance to be productive members of society? 

Long story short....If this is their first offense, the punishment is suitable and with any luck it will not follow them for the rest of their life.   If it does they will likely continue to poach as they have no opportunity to do it legally.   

Second offense....well can't fix stupid so we should just cleanse the jean pool.   

[ghosthunter]

So did these guys make it thru a Hunter Ed class?

I think they went too light on them. Its one thing to make a mistake and shoot a two point or something. It is another to see a deer out of season ,go home get a bow ,trespass and kill the deer, than be happy about it. 

[mpetersen]

I see the kid on the right is doing free advertising for Cabelas.  "Cabelas" your poaching headquarters !! That logo probably wouldn't fly !!

[Pathfinder101]

I am certain that there were more penalties imposed here than the story mentioned.  In Washington, if you illegally take a big game animal there is a minimum fine (something like $2,000 or $2,500) that the judge cannot drop or reduce if the poacher is found guilty.  Add to that the fact that the buck in the picture definitely fits into the "trophy" category (by antler points), and these guys are looking at pretty hefty fines.  So, in reality, 2 days in jail, several thousand dollars in fines and most likely lost hunting rights for at least a year or two... probably fair enough punishment for a couple of young *censored*s that screwed up.  Hopefully they'll learn from it and shape up.