Illegal hunting - Leonardtown David Few Brian Stitley

[dilligaf.]

Of course the judge dropped most of the charges against the men - it's St. Mary's county!

from the story: Two hunters in Maryland were arrested after they unknowingly shot a "Robo-Deer" belonging to the Maryland Natural Resources Police.

The Washington Post reports that in October, 21-year-old David Few and 24-year-old Brian Stitley directed flashlights at Robo-Deer and then shot the dummy with crossbows from a road in Leonardtown. Soon after, officers walked up to the men in their truck.

Police spokeswoman Candy Thomson says the department has three animals: Robo-Deer, Robo-Bear and Robo-Turkey. The robo-animals help the police stop people who shoot real animals out of season or illegally.

Thursday, a district judge dropped most of the charges against the men, including hunting from a vehicle and possessing marijuana. The men pleaded guilty to one charge each, of spotlighting the deer.

Thomson says Robo-Deer sustained "minor injuries."


http://wjla.com/news/local/men-hunting-illegally-arrested-with-help-of-robo-deer-01-09-2016

 

[baxter]

Typical ST Mary`s county justice. And yet they wonder why the crime rate is on the rise, no accountability! The county judges ought to be ousted!

 

[vraiblonde]

The Washington Post reports that in October, 21-year-old David Few and 24-year-old Brian Stitley directed flashlights at Robo-Deer and then shot the dummy with crossbows from a road in Leonardtown. Soon after, officers walked up to the men in their truck.

That's pretty funny.

I've asked this question a few times and never gotten a satisfactory answer: why is spotlighting deer against the law? Is it, like, unfair to the deer or something?

 

[NorthBeachPerso]

That's pretty funny.

I've asked this question a few times and never gotten a satisfactory answer: why is spotlighting deer against the law? Is it, like, unfair to the deer or something?

Spotlighting at night is legal in some Counties (not in Calvert, but I think it is in Charles and St. Mary's). What's illegal is carrying firearms/bows in the vehicle while doing it.

I can't imagine why the charges were dropped, DNR has taken a real hard line the last few years concerning game law violations. Hunting license suspensions, heavy fines, confiscation of equipment and vehicles has been the norm recently.

 

[tommyjo]

That's pretty funny.

I've asked this question a few times and never gotten a satisfactory answer: why is spotlighting deer against the law? Is it, like, unfair to the deer or something?

Really? Christ, I don't hunt and even I know that answer.

"Spotlighting" freezes the deer. It disables their natural flight response. They just stand there and get shot. It is not hunting.

These two broke numerous laws and you think its funny? You of the high horse?

 

[Ken King]

Spotlighting at night is legal in some Counties (not in Calvert, but I think it is in Charles and St. Mary's). What's illegal is carrying firearms/bows in the vehicle while doing it.

I can't imagine why the charges were dropped, DNR has taken a real hard line the last few years concerning game law violations. Hunting license suspensions, heavy fines, confiscation of equipment and vehicles has been the norm recently.

It all depends on the situation.

(e) Hunting at nighttime with lights; casting artificial light from vehicle on woods, wild animals, etc. --

(1) A person or 2 or more persons together may not hunt or attempt to hunt at nighttime any species of wild bird or wild quadruped with a light, including the headlights of any vehicle, and a person may not cast the rays of any artificial light when the rays emanate from a vehicle on any woods, fields, orchards, livestock, wild animals or birds, dwellings, or buildings. The provisions of this paragraph do not apply to the normal use of headlights of a vehicle travelling on any public or private road in a normal manner, to any police, emergency or utility company vehicle using spotlights in the performance of their duties, or to any farmer or landowner on the farmer's or landowner's own or leased land using artificial lights to check on the farmer's or landowner's land, crops, livestock, or poultry. However, raccoons, fox, or opossum may be hunted on foot at nighttime during open season with the use of a dog or light, or both.

(2) (i) In Baltimore City and Montgomery and Prince George's counties only, a person may cast the rays of an artificial light from a vehicle on woods, fields, orchards, livestock, wild animals, or wild birds for the sole purpose of observing or photographing wildlife until 9:00 p.m.

(ii) If a person casts the rays of any artificial light under this paragraph, the person has the burden of establishing that the person was doing so for the purposes of observing or photographing wildlife.

(iii) If a person casting artificial light under this paragraph or anyone with the person casting artificial light has a firearm or bow in the person's possession, the person shall be presumed to be in violation of paragraph (1) of this subsection.

 

[Gilligan]

Really? Christ, I don't hunt

You should. You need to get out more....clearly.

 

[General Lee]

Spotlighting at night is legal in some Counties (not in Calvert, but I think it is in Charles and St. Mary's). What's illegal is carrying firearms/bows in the vehicle while doing it.

No you can't. The ONLY thing you can hunt at night with a light is fox, raccoon and opossum and they better be in season.

 

[Bird Dog]

That's pretty funny.

I've asked this question a few times and never gotten a satisfactory answer: why is spotlighting deer against the law? Is it, like, unfair to the deer or something?

Years ago the deer population was almost wiped out by market hunters hunting at night with spotlights and selling them.

 

[LightRoasted]

If I may ...

Really? Christ, I don't hunt and even I know that answer. "Spotlighting" freezes the deer. It disables their natural flight response. They just stand there and get shot. It is not hunting.

"Christ" you are a tool. Spotlighting does not freeze deer. You can spotlight all you want and they will continue to feed and go about their business. The reason it not allowed is because it's unsportsmanlike and also happens to be when deer are usually most active feeding, early morning and just before to after sunset.

 

[Monello]

Seems like a clear cut case of a hunting violation. Why go through all that trouble to set up a fake deer if you don't intend to prosecute? Entrapment?

 

[NorthBeachPerso]

No you can't. The ONLY thing you can hunt at night with a light is fox, raccoon and opossum and they better be in season.

I didn't say a damned thing about hunting deer with a spotlight. Read the goddamned thing I said again. At one time you could spotlight (that's why I said it) without hunting in St. Mary's and Charles. I don't hunt deer so I don't pay much attention to the regulation changes for them

 

[vraiblonde]

Really? Christ, I don't hunt and even I know that answer.

"Spotlighting" freezes the deer. It disables their natural flight response. They just stand there and get shot. It is not hunting.

These two broke numerous laws and you think its funny? You of the high horse?

What a bitch you are.

 

[vraiblonde]

The reason it not allowed is because it's unsportsmanlike and also happens to be when deer are usually most active feeding, early morning and just before to after sunset.

So...it's not fair to the deer? Shooting them = OK; hitting them with a spotlight = mean.

Is that just not supposed to make sense? I'm not busting on your explanation, just the reasoning behind the law.

 

[LightRoasted]

If I may ...

So...it's not fair to the deer? Shooting them = OK; hitting them with a spotlight = mean. Is that just not supposed to make sense? I'm not busting on your explanation, just the reasoning behind the law.

No worries. Yes, shooting them during the day is ok. Spotlighting is mean and unfair to the deer. However, it most likely may also have to do with not being about to see beyond the target at night, a safety issue. But really though, spotlighting is not true hunting in the traditional sense. All an animal sees at night is the bright light, after it has established its night vision, and not is what behind or beside it, therefore not being able to tell if what is present is a true threat. Absent the sense of smell. So they just go about their business as if everything is ok. Then there's the fairness issue to others who hunt honestly. A herd of deer can be decimated quite quickly by illegal hunters, spotlighters, aka, poachers.

"Thomson says Robo-Deer sustained "minor injuries."" Must not have been a kill shot? I wonder, if after seeing a veterinarian, how long it will be before "Robo-Deer" is cleared to return to field duty?

 

[Hank]

If I may ...No worries. Yes, shooting them during the day is ok. Spotlighting is mean and unfair to the deer. However, it most likely may also have to do with not being about to see beyond the target at night, a safety issue. But really though, spotlighting is not true hunting in the traditional sense. All an animal sees at night is the bright light, after it has established its night vision, and not is what behind or beside it, therefore not being able to tell if what is present is a true threat. Absent the sense of smell. So they just go about their business as if everything is ok. Then there's the fairness issue to others who hunt honestly. A herd of deer can be decimated quite quickly by illegal hunters, spotlighters, aka, poachers.

"Thomson says Robo-Deer sustained "minor injuries."" Must not have been a kill shot? I wonder, if after seeing a veterinarian, how long it will be before "Robo-Deer" is cleared to return to field duty?

Mean and unfair? They are overgrown disease ridden rats!

 

[LightRoasted]

If I may ...

Mean and unfair? They are overgrown disease ridden rats!

No argument here. I believe farmers can kill them anytime they wish, year round, since they are serious crop destroyers. But that was not the subject of the OP.

 

[vraiblonde]

But really though, spotlighting is not true hunting in the traditional sense.

Not trying to argue with you, just having a discussion.

I'm against hunting for pure sport. That seems dumb and cruel to me. If you're hunting for meat, that is more reasonable. Therefore I think hunters who are trying to feed their family while getting rid of overpopulated pests should be able to use any means necessary.

 

[DoWhat]

If I may ...No worries. Yes, shooting them during the day is ok. Spotlighting is mean and unfair to the deer. However, it most likely may also have to do with not being about to see beyond the target at night, a safety issue. But really though, spotlighting is not true hunting in the traditional sense. All an animal sees at night is the bright light, after it has established its night vision, and not is what behind or beside it, therefore not being able to tell if what is present is a true threat. Absent the sense of smell. So they just go about their business as if everything is ok. Then there's the fairness issue to others who hunt honestly. A herd of deer can be decimated quite quickly by illegal hunters, spotlighters, aka, poachers.

"Thomson says Robo-Deer sustained "minor injuries."" Must not have been a kill shot? I wonder, if after seeing a veterinarian, how long it will be before "Robo-Deer" is cleared to return to field duty?

Once shot, it makes tracking very difficult.

 

[BigBlue]

Years ago the deer population was almost wiped out by market hunters hunting at night with spotlights and selling them.

Not even close.