Spotlighters/Poachers in Scotland/Ridge Area

[jetmonkey]

I suppose at some level, casting rays of light with a vehicle is illegal because enforcing the law against spotlighting (where deer are actually shot) would be next to impossible. Poachers are some of the more wiley criminals out there, and this law is meant to protect wildlife and their overal management. In order to protect the deer population, and the safety of those unknowingly downrange, spotlighting is illegal whether you intend to shoot an animal or not. This is a matter of enforceability. If you are out at night driving around looking for deer - chances are you are up to no good. It's not true 100% of the time, and the officer recognized that, and did the right thing.

As per usual - the laws of our state are a little messed up - It is legal to look for wildlife after dark (with headlights) for the purposes of observing or photography in Baltimore City, Montgomery, and Prince Georges Counties until 9pm.

The Official 2011-2012 Maryland Hunting & Trapping Guide Digital Edition | eRegulations.com (Page 18)

I think she means why can you only shoot deer in the day light. Is the answer because spotlighters are usually spotlighting because they are hunting out of season? Or you are a ####ty hunter and you need the deer to freeze so you can kill it?

 

[vraiblonde]

I think she means why can you only shoot deer in the day light. Is the answer because spotlighters are usually spotlighting because they are hunting out of season? Or you are a ####ty hunter and you need the deer to freeze so you can kill it?

^This^

 

[itsbob]

It is illegal to cast rays of light into fields for the purpose of locating wildlife, but I think the officer used good disgression in not writing a ticket here. If he had suspected there was some actual jacklighting going on, or had there been a loaded weapon in the car (a felony), alcohol, or some other clue that indicated a poor intent - he would have written it up. Game laws are complex, and many people just don't know them, so he did the right thing and took the opportunity to educate. Kudos to the NRP officer for that.

He didn't see, or catch us in the act.. He came and knocked on our door.

He was cool about it, and very professional, and if someone is out there spotlighting and poaching deer I hope they catch them, and it's his job to enforce the rules not make them...

But in all terms, and reason it's a stupid law and should not be a law. Poaching deer, killing deer at night, etc should be illegal, no harm is done in the act of looking for deer, and should not be illegal.

That's like saying, it's illegal to rob a bank.. Acceptable, it SHOULD be illegal to rob a bank...

But wait, for someone to rob a bank they have to GO to a bank.. let's make it illegal to GO to a bank, then we can stop the criminals from robbing them!!

Everyone going to a bank gets cited, arrested, fined or jailed, even though 99.95% of them had innocent intentions..

Almost as stupid as Burglary Tools.. I would suspect near everyone has a screwdriver in their car, or a small tool box.. wire cutters maybe.. So we are all guilty of being in possession of "burglary tools".

 

[jetmonkey]

Almost as stupid as Burglary Tools.. I would suspect near everyone has a screwdriver in their car, or a small tool box.. wire cutters maybe.. So we are all guilty of being in possession of "burglary tools".

That's what I keep saying about my gimp mask, restraints and medical tubing. Everyone has that in their trunk, it's not a 'rape kit'!

 

[itsbob]

That's what I keep saying about my gimp mask, restraints and medical tubing. Everyone has that in their trunk, it's not a 'rape kit'!

EXACTLY!!




I mean, I have no idea what you are talking about..

 

[Crow Bait]

Aside legitimate reasons for casting rays of light that are not illegal: Lost dog, checking on crops, livestock, etc. Why do you need to use your vehicle to locate deer at night? What is your intent for looking for deer at night?

The answer is - a non-poacher really has no reason to do so. It is not some great loss of right. It is a simple regulation that allows NRP to do their job more effectively.

 

[vraiblonde]

Why do you need to use your vehicle to locate deer at night? What is your intent for looking for deer at night?

She already said: she takes her young son to go look at the deer. They're more active at night, so that's when it makes sense to look for them.

 

[itsbob]

Aside legitimate reasons for casting rays of light that are not illegal: Lost dog, checking on crops, livestock, etc. Why do you need to use your vehicle to locate deer at night? What is your intent for looking for deer at night?

The answer is - a non-poacher really has no reason to do so. It is not some great loss of right. It is a simple regulation that allows NRP to do their job more effectively.

Actually for recreation and because my 5 year old gets a kick out of it are both legitimate, albeit illegal, reasons.

But if you bothered to read before posting you'd know that.

 

[Crow Bait]

Don't get all snarky... I've read this whole thread. I just wanted you to admit that there really was no good reason for you to look for deer at night. Recreation and 5yo appeasement can happen during the daylight too. At least that's my conclusion.

If I was an NRP officer I would assume that anyone looking for deer at night was a poacher or ignorant of the law. Both are illegal, but the outcomes could be different.

 

[migtig]

My biggest problem is having a government representative come onto your property and tell you what you can and cannot do, especially when it's as harmless as what BG andIT were doing. :shrug:

 

[thurley42]

Don't get all snarky... I've read this whole thread. I just wanted you to admit that there really was no good reason for you to look for deer at night. Recreation and 5yo appeasement can happen during the daylight too. At least that's my conclusion.

If I was an NRP officer I would assume that anyone looking for deer at night was a poacher or ignorant of the law. Both are illegal, but the outcomes could be different.

He's not being snarky, and it doesn't matter what you think is a good reason. I think spending quality time with his child is enough of a reason. It's his property and he's not doing anything malicious.

NRP officers, like any officers, aren't paid to assume. They are paid to investigate and uphold the law. In this case it takes 5 minutes to assert whether or not he's out there with bad intentions.

 

[Crow Bait]

He's not being snarky, and it doesn't matter what you think is a good reason. I think spending quality time with his child is enough of a reason. It's his property and he's not doing anything malicious.

NRP officers, like any officers, aren't paid to assume. They are paid to investigate and uphold the law. In this case it takes 5 minutes to assert whether or not he's out there with bad intentions.

I agree - I don't decide what is a good reason. The law does. Unfortunately, the law doesn't recognize the reason given in this example. It didn't matter that it wasn't malicious. The officer could have written a ticket, but instead he decided to educate.

Don't agree with the law? Work to change it.

 

[struggler44]

He's not being snarky, and it doesn't matter what you think is a good reason. I think spending quality time with his child is enough of a reason. It's his property and he's not doing anything malicious.

NRP officers, like any officers, aren't paid to assume. They are paid to investigate and uphold the law. In this case it takes 5 minutes to assert whether or not he's out there with bad intentions.

So you're saying if a cop sees a car with sitting outside a convenience store at 2am with the motor running, a guy running from the store to the car while jamming a bag in his coat and jumps in the car and takes off isn't suppose to "assume" something illegal happened?..........I don't doubt Bob's and BG's intentions are perfectly ok, there is a reason for the law. Before I hunted each yr, I would go and scout the area to make sure I was hunting in an area that had deer I wanted to hunt, I believe that is the reason you can't spotlight at any level

 

[Crow Bait]

My biggest problem is having a government representative come onto your property and tell you what you can and cannot do, especially when it's as harmless as what BG andIT were doing. :shrug:

I'm guessing he observed from a roadway or something. Also - they do fly with the State Police from time to time to look for spotlighters by Helicopter. Also, I'm not certain, but I think NRP has a little more flexibilty about going on private property to investigate - otherwise it would be hard to be effective.

 

[Crow Bait]

Assume was just a bad choice of words. I understand what Thurley is saying.

 

[thurley42]

So you're saying if a cop sees a car with sitting outside a convenience store at 2am with the motor running, a guy running from the store to the car while jamming a bag in his coat and jumps in the car and takes off isn't suppose to "assume" something illegal happened?..........I don't doubt Bob's and BG's intentions are perfectly ok, there is a reason for the law. Before I hunted each yr, I would go and scout the area to make sure I was hunting in an area that had deer I wanted to hunt, I believe that is the reason you can't spotlight at any level

Absolutley not, they have witnessed something they determined to be suspicous behavior and need to investigate it further. They pull the individual over, inform him/her, what they saw, and ask for an explanation. By that time they will probably have a BOLO out, the perp will run, etc. At no point should one ever assume, what if the person was running because they needed emergency diapers/tampons/etc and it was raining, or they just shoved the bag into their coat....you assume they robbed the joint, come blasting in like, "Guns of Navarone" and throw barrels up in their face?

 

[thurley42]

Assume was just a bad choice of words. I understand what Thurley is saying.

Thanks

 

[migtig]

I don't know for sure, but I'm guessing he observed from a roadway or something. Also - they do fly with the State Police from time to time to look for spotlighters by Helicopter.

Yeah, I understand, logically. As I'm sure BG and IT do.

My concern is as a property owner, when does it cease to be your property and become the government's? :shrug:

I have no issues with the gvt protecting public/federal land.

I have more of an issue with the govt coming onto my private property and telling me what I can and can't do on my private property, because they have been "spying" aka "staking me out" on me on my private property like I'm a criminal with a warrant when I have actually done nothing wrong.

It doesn't sit right with me. That's all.

 

[vraiblonde]

I have more of an issue with the govt coming onto my private property and telling me what I can and can't do on my private property, because they have been "spying" aka "staking me out" on me on my private property like I'm a criminal with a warrant when I have actually done nothing wrong.

It surprises me that some people don't get that, or think it's justified. To protect...deer? Really?

 

[itsbob]

Aside legitimate reasons for casting rays of light that are not illegal: Lost dog, checking on crops, livestock, etc. Why do you need to use your vehicle to locate deer at night? What is your intent for looking for deer at night?

The answer is - a non-poacher really has no reason to do so. It is not some great loss of right. It is a simple regulation that allows NRP to do their job more effectively.

Don't get all snarky... I've read this whole thread. I just wanted you to admit that there really was no good reason for you to look for deer at night. Recreation and 5yo appeasement can happen during the daylight too. At least that's my conclusion.

If I was an NRP officer I would assume that anyone looking for deer at night was a poacher or ignorant of the law. Both are illegal, but the outcomes could be different.

Well the whole idea about taking a 5 year old looking for deer is the probability of him actually seeing.one.or two. Looking for.them during the day and not seeing.any kind of takes away all the anticipation and excitement.

I can assume at this point you don't hunt nor know much about deer?