Dirt bag poachers

[WV Bowhunter]

Some dirt bag poached a nice one out the road from my house last week. Full velvet was a 150+ type buck, shot dead and the head cut off. Just for good measure, they shot a 125” eight point and left the whole thing lay.

DNR is looking into it but why in the world would someone get any satisfaction from poaching one at night out of season.

[RuskiBow]

What a shame! That's messed up. Any chance you'll be able to get a salvage tag to salvage some meat off of them bucks? That's just crazy. Last season, somewhere in Missouri, I saw on a forum that a hunter found a ditch with water in it, and about 3-4 deer bodies laying in it with their heads cut off.

[Jackson Marsh]

Hope they catch the guy.

[Beauford]

Last year opening Saturday my Dad went out to pee at 12:30 & heard a gun shot real close.... It sucks - It's BS... If someone wants a big head mount why not just buy one?? Do Poachers even know at night whats behind them when they shoot?? It's a hard pill to swallow if it's that big. Take negative into Positive that you are not like these POS & you live a better life them all of them....

[JRM KY]

This is a really big problem around here too. It's one of the reasons I only hunt big woods public with no fields for the deer to get shot from the road in. I used to get so frustrated when I would watch one like that all summer in farm country around my house just for it to be found headless. I have often wondered what stories these low lifes even tell there buddies. To me, when I see a buck of any caliber that's been killed I love to here about the hunt not just the rack size.

[Bowhunter4life]

Man I have seen that exact thing happen around here. Seen them laying off gravel roads with head cut off of a big body deer. It’s sickening to see and happens more than we’d like to think. Hopefully they catch them guys. Some are pretty ignorant and begin to chat a little to much or to the wrong people. Have been a couple guys caught because of their mouth around here. In my books, the ones doing that are not very bright to begin with so hopefully they slip up.

[Hawthorne]

I hope they get caught. They’re stealing from everyone

[hambone]

I cannot abide a thief!

[Mountainman26]

Its WV, seems all to common around here. Usually poaching starts after the velvet is shed. Hopefully the DNR finds the losers who did that.

[Lockdown]

Oh man that sucks!

Poaching is one subject that gets me riled up. There's mile roads on most section lines around here and some of the biggest bucks around get run down and tired out then killed from the truck.

My good friend had a huge buck get poached about 10 years ago. Guy that shot it is a notorious road hunter. Claims he shot it on public but nobody has ever seen him get out of his truck. It's been rumored he brings a rifle (we're shotgun only).

Around that same time my classmate's Dad won the big buck contest with a MONSTER. 21 point that dressed 220's. Years later he told me they were driving around drinking beer and shot it out the window. It was trying to get back to a refuge. They barreled out into the field threw it in the back of the truck and another truck came flying in doing highway speed across the chisel plowing trying to catch the buck.

That's why I target big sections around here. 2 mile section keeps them at bay somewhat.

[Twenty Up]

Sadly road hunting is a common occurrence wherever you go. Around most parts of GA if you stop a truck deer take off no matter the distance. 100 yards or 1,000.. ditches loaded with beer cans etc

[street28ss]

It's a sad reality. I have not witnessed any poaching first hand but I would be the first to report it.

[Brandonkinchen]

They're probably bragging to there buddies right now. Scum!

[CrazyBaldArcher]

If you want a trophy so badly why not earn it.

I like the Gritty Bowmen's motto and am striving to live by it.

"Life is not easy. Life isn't fair, it never was and it never will be. A good life takes grit. Because the best things in life come from hard work, sacrifice, resolve, determination and perseverance. Because grit means never quitting. It means coming back time and time again until you succeed...."

Every day I try to teach my son this.

He wants everything right now and without the work, it just kills me when I think about that kind of mentality.

[kenn1320]

Always hate to hear this. Theres a mentality in the thumb of Mi that anybody can get lucky and poach a big buck. These guys poach any buck and brag how many a year they shoot. That to them determines who is the best at this game they dont see as shameful. The right place at the right time to them, doesnt mean sitting hours in a stand, but rather sitting in their truck when a buck is within range.