Support making the illegal take of a deer a class 2 misdemeanor

CRC

Old Mossy Horns
Currently the illegal/unlawful take of a deer is a class 3 misdemeanor, the lowest level.
§ 113-294. Specific violations.

(d) Any person who unlawfully takes, possesses, or transports any deer is guilty of a Class 3 misdemeanor, punishable by a fine of not less than two hundred fifty dollars ($250.00) in addition to such other punishment prescribed for the offense in question.
 

CRC

Old Mossy Horns
Ask your legislators to make poaching a deer a class 2 misdemeanor in 2020
 

Downeast

Twelve Pointer
We should start a thread listing all of the laws that we would like to see changed or increase the penalties. For most of the wildlife violations the heaviest fine is the court cost or maybe a replacement cost. There are no felony wildlife penalties and off the top of my head I can't think of any class 1 misdemeanors? Are there any? Why only a class 2 for poaching a deer? It's sad that our wildlife officers spend their entire careers writing tickets that carry about the same penalty as a running a stop sign. For many poachers and renegades it's just the cost of doing business. :rolleyes:
 
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Downeast

Twelve Pointer
Poach a bear and see if its same as running a stop sign😁

It's not a felony and it's the replacement cost and losing your license that is the main penalty. Get a lawyer and most likely you will keep your license. If it was up to me if you deliberately poached a bear it should be a felony conviction. No more legal guns for you. HaHa! But I digress. I'm all for increasing the penalty for deer poaching.
 

nccatfisher

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
We should start a thread listing all of the laws that we would like to see changed or increase the penalties. For most of the wildlife violations the heaviest fine is the court cost or maybe a replacement cost. There are no felony wildlife penalties and off the top of my head I can't think of any class 1 misdemeanors? Are there any? Why only a class 2 for poaching a deer? It's sad that our wildlife officers spend their entire careers writing tickets that carry about the same penalty as a running a stop sign. For many poachers and renegades it's just the cost of doing business. :rolleyes:
You ever heard of the Lacey Act? It has been used for trapping and various other citations involving transportation across state lines here.
 

CRC

Old Mossy Horns
Species like bears, eagles and elk have the "high" fines.

Species like turkey and deer do not.
 

turkeyfoot

Old Mossy Horns
Depends on your definition of high I sure wouldnt want to pay for illegally killing a turkey pretty high in my book
 

CRC

Old Mossy Horns
The fine is a minimum of 250 dollars. for taking a turkey

The fine for taking an elk is a minimum of 2500 dollars, 2000 dollars for unlawfully taking a bear.
 

Downeast

Twelve Pointer
113-294. Specific violations
(d) Any person who unlawfully takes, possesses, or transports any deer is guilty of a Class 3 misdemeanor, punishable by a fine of not less than two hundred fifty dollars ($250.00) in addition to such other punishment prescribed for the offense in question.

(d1) Any person who unlawfully takes, possesses, or transports any deer from land that has been posted in accordance with the provisions of G.S. 14-159.7 without written permission of the landowner, lessee, or the agent of the landowner or lessee is guilty of a Class 2 misdemeanor, punishable by a fine of not less than five hundred dollars ($500.00).

(e) Any person who unlawfully takes deer between a half hour after sunset and a half hour before sunrise with the aid of an artificial light is guilty of a Class 2 misdemeanor, punishable by a fine of not less than five hundred dollars ($500.00) in addition to such other punishment prescribed for the offense in question.
 
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KrisB

Ten Pointer
Itf it was up to me if you deliberately poached a bear it should be a felony conviction. No more legal guns for you. HaHa! But I digress. I'm all for increasing the penalty for deer poaching.

I like this idea. Forget the fines. Threaten to take away poachers' guns as the penalty and I'm sure some would think twice about poaching.
 

Loganwayne

Ten Pointer
The problem with America and it’s laws in general is the punishment is weak. For anything not just poaching.


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CJF

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
Replacement costs should be figured in as well. A deer with roughly 30 pounds of meat at $3 a pound plus hide and horns replacement cost should be a minimum of $100.
 

RJ1

Ten Pointer
When it comes to doing something illegal involving a bear the fines always run higher then when the illegal act involves a deer. I have never known anybody that has pulled time for a illegal act involving a deer in N.C. it may have happened, I know several that have when bears were involved, it was federal time but prison is prison plus they had to pay some very large fines to the state and feds. The fines should be higher for the illegal taking of a deer.
 

CRC

Old Mossy Horns
I can see high fines and punishments for poaching bears because people were selling their parts like gall bladders.

Replacement costs

Bear- 2232
Deer- 602
Turkey- 1617
 

CJF

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
Why is the turkey replacement cost higher than a deer? A 25 pound turkey should be no more than $20- $25 dollars
 

turkeyfoot

Old Mossy Horns
Why is the turkey replacement cost higher than a deer? A 25 pound turkey should be no more than $20- $25 dollars
More fragile population and so much effort putting into bringing them back. You could seriously hurt turkey numbers poaching hens or baiting them. You would have real hard time hurting deer numbers the nocturnal factor comes in to play as well as deer can repopulate much easier than turkeys.
 

CJF

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
More fragile population and so much effort putting into bringing them back. You could seriously hurt turkey numbers poaching hens or baiting them. You would have real hard time hurting deer numbers the nocturnal factor comes in to play as well as deer can repopulate much easier than turkeys.
Ok I understand that but you think they would raise the fine instead of the replacement cost. I would penalize the wrong doer with the fine and then add the replacement cost in.
 

timekiller13

Old Mossy Horns
Hit 'em where it hurts the most. Our laws are a joke compared to many states. Get busted illegally killing an animal in states like Montana, Colorado or Alaska and you will be crying for years. I also think we should have a wanton waste law here in NC. No more just cutting out the backstraps and leaving the rest to rot. Make people take at least fronts and rears and backstraps at minimum. In Alaska, you must take ALL meat out of the field. Huge fine if you don't, I'm talking HUGE. I read a story a while back about a guy moose hunting in Alaska. He shot a nice bull, thought he did the right thing with the meat. Turns out, the Troopers checked him and showed him that he had left roughly 20lbs of meat in the field. He got a $3500 fine, lost his moose rack and meat and lost his license privledge in Alaska for 1 year. He was honest and stated that he had not correctly read all the regs and his own ignorance cost him. He guaranteed that it would never happen again. His $5000 DIY moose hunt cost him nearly $10,000 in the end, with nothing to show for it but some pictures.
 

CRC

Old Mossy Horns
Replacement costs for turkeys was set when the state was restoring and restocking and getting birds from out of state.

Deer restocking had finished up and most of eastern and central NC was covered up in deer.

Replacement costs are optional not mandatory
 
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GSOHunter

Twelve Pointer
Contributor
I think you need to differentiate between someone that makes an honest mistake and someone that intentionally does this. Don't need to make a criminal out of someone that accidentally shoots a doe on a buck only day.
 
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Woods and water

Ten Pointer
Is it illegal or undocumented. Maybe the deer identified as a hog that night. Hell I don't know even what's what now a days. Lbgthwta . But I do agree there is a lot bigger fish to fry
 

CRC

Old Mossy Horns
IMO, a lot bigger problems with the judicial system involving man that need to be corrected before you worry about upping classes of misdemeanors for taking a damn deer.

So poaching should not be a crime?

It’s not big enough or important enough to be a crime?
 

nccatfisher

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
So poaching should not be a crime?

It’s not big enough ir important enough to be a crime?
Your reading comprehension so poor you gleaned that from what he said? Nowhere did he say do away with charges completely.
 
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