From deer hunting, to AMERICAS MOST WANTED!

[G0ALY]

Today was the first day of muzzle-loader deer season here in Ohio. The plan was for me, and two friends to go. Last night, one of the friends called and stated that his son would like to come along, but he did not have a muzzleloader. No problem! I have a couple of extras….

I offered the use of a .58 caliber civil war replica, or a Mossberg model 500 12guage pump shotgun with a .50 caliber single shot muzzle loading conversion barrel installed. My buddy chose to use the .50cal., and let his son use his muzzleloader. For some reason, my buddy felt that he should be responsible for my gun.

Its 7AM and into the woods we go…

About 11AM, we are gathering to move to another woods, I hear an airplane overhead and instinctively look up… You guys can understand, we all do it, you just HAVE to look. Its just a plane twin engine, a little low, but not that unusual. Then it flys by again, and again, and again…

I’ve seen this before, this guy is flying cap over us!

My truck is about a mile away and we begin our walk towards it. The plane never leaves our sight, it keeps doing a circular pattern around us just like a vulture over a capped base in AH. I started looking around and notice a Department of Natural Resources pickup near my truck. Then we notice another DNR truck coming from the North and a third from the South… They have us surrounded!

As we approach my truck, a DNR officer is waiting for us. The first thing he asks is to see the .50cal Mossberg that my buddy is carrying. He is certain that it was a pump shotgun being used out of season.
After a thorough examination of the gun and, some lengthy explanation of the workings of the conversion barrel --- and a pat-down of my buddy just to make certain that he was not carrying any shotgun shells. The rest of our firearms, and all of our licenses and written permission slips were all checked. Of course everything was just as it was supposed to be, and we were sent on our way.

Here is a picture of a regular Mossberg shotgun, and one with the muzzle-loading barrel. You can see how they could be mistaken. But do you need to call in the Calvary?



In the end, although we saw a few deer, but nobody took a single shot.

[Choocha]

Go to the supermarket...there is plenty of meat left.

[Halo]

Must have been a slow day.  But at least you gave them some drill practice for all their expensive equipment.  

Didn't realize conventional firearms could be converted to muzzle loading like that.  Fools me even after the explanation and looking at the closeup photo.  No wonder the wardens got excited from only aerial surveillance.

[eskimo2]

You should have brought this French guy along.

[Golfer]

Goaly they just busted up a big big big big big poaching ring up in northern Ohio.  ODNR officials have been on guard especially up there (where I think it is you live...in one of the northern counties) for people doing illegal things.

I've yet to see an ODNR wildlife officer in any of my time in the woods.

I've walked up on enough poached deer (headless bucks) to know that if I ever caught someone doing it there would be some problems and they wouldn't be having a good day in the end.

[sluggish]

Originally posted by Golfer

I've walked up on enough poached deer (headless bucks) to know that if I ever caught someone doing it there would be some problems and they wouldn't be having a good day in the end.

I'd think twice before I gave a poacher a hard time.  You never know what someone might do who: 1. Obviously has no misgivings about breaking the law, and, 2. is armed.

Unless you really want to get into a gunfight with someone, I'd just ignore them or give them a friendly greeting then report it to the DNR.

[Ball]

Originally posted by eskimo2
You should have brought this French guy along.

him and his wife are American or Canadian, cant you hear the accents under the voice over?

funny nonetheless

[cpxxx]

Something similar happened to a couple of buddies of mine years ago. They were out in the fields plinking with their .22 but lookalike M16 and M1 carbines. As they returned to their car. They suddenly found themselves surrounded by what we call the 'Special Branch', anti terrorist officers armed with Uzis.

After a scary few moments all was explained and licences shown. Someone had reported seeing IRA members out practising. Not surprisingly with the military looking weapons they were using.  

[Golfer]

Originally posted by sluggish
I'd think twice before I gave a poacher a hard time.  You never know what someone might do who: 1. Obviously has no misgivings about breaking the law, and, 2. is armed.

Unless you really want to get into a gunfight with someone, I'd just ignore them or give them a friendly greeting then report it to the DNR.

Gee I just planned on walking up to them shouting "Draw!"

[Sweet2th]

Originally posted by G0ALY
Today was the first day of muzzle-loader deer season here in Ohio. The plan was for me, and two friends to go. Last night, one of the friends called and stated that his son would like to come along, but he did not have a muzzleloader. No problem! I have a couple of extras….

I offered the use of a .58 caliber civil war replica, or a Mossberg model 500 12guage pump shotgun with a .50 caliber single shot muzzle loading conversion barrel installed. My buddy chose to use the .50cal., and let his son use his muzzleloader. For some reason, my buddy felt that he should be responsible for my gun.

Its 7AM and into the woods we go…

About 11AM, we are gathering to move to another woods, I hear an airplane overhead and instinctively look up… You guys can understand, we all do it, you just HAVE to look. Its just a plane twin engine, a little low, but not that unusual. Then it flys by again, and again, and again…

I’ve seen this before, this guy is flying cap over us!

My truck is about a mile away and we begin our walk towards it. The plane never leaves our sight, it keeps doing a circular pattern around us just like a vulture over a capped base in AH. I started looking around and notice a Department of Natural Resources pickup near my truck. Then we notice another DNR truck coming from the North and a third from the South… They have us surrounded!

As we approach my truck, a DNR officer is waiting for us. The first thing he asks is to see the .50cal Mossberg that my buddy is carrying. He is certain that it was a pump shotgun being used out of season.
After a thorough examination of the gun and, some lengthy explanation of the workings of the conversion barrel --- and a pat-down of my buddy just to make certain that he was not carrying any shotgun shells. The rest of our firearms, and all of our licenses and written permission slips were all checked. Of course everything was just as it was supposed to be, and we were sent on our way.

Here is a picture of a regular Mossberg shotgun, and one with the muzzle-loading barrel. You can see how they could be mistaken. But do you need to call in the Calvary?



In the end, although we saw a few deer, but nobody took a single shot.

I to hunt in Ohio and you can thank all the dumbarses that helped get us treated that way.Those DnR guys are Dix anymore.I duck hunt on Indian lake in Logan county and got stopped one time, the guy checked everything he could possibly check, even to the point of tearing open one of my shells to make sure it was steel shot and not lead.come to find out , one of the local residents who feeds the wild ducks called in on me and my huntin partner and said we was huntin in a restricted area.The ducks i shot that morning were of course stupid and flew around the island i was on and Lit in my decoy spread right in front of her, so she called the DnR on me.

[Pei]

Cue Warner Bros sketch:

Muzzle-loading season!

Breach-loading season!

Muzzle-loading season!

etc....


Sorry couldn't help myself.

[G0ALY]

I have no problem with the DNR guys. If a complaint is made, they have to check it out. I know that they have a thankless job to do, not an easy one either.

My original post was made while we were still laughing about it. In a strange way, it gave me the best hunting story from the whole season.

[Masherbrum]

Originally posted by sluggish
I'd think twice before I gave a poacher a hard time.  You never know what someone might do who: 1. Obviously has no misgivings about breaking the law, and, 2. is armed.

Unless you really want to get into a gunfight with someone, I'd just ignore them or give them a friendly greeting then report it to the DNR.

The 2nd year I went hunting with my father-in-law.   I shot at the closest of two 6-point bucks.   I aimed for the shoulder, the neck was behind a tree.   I went for a heart/lung shot.   I wait about 30 minutes and a family friend (lives 1/2 mile away) comes by to help us track it.   My father in law has 120 acres and about 40 of em are hand planted pine trees that the deer and turkeys LOVE to sleep in.   We use 2 ways to communicate easier and safer.

My father in law is going to get his truck and bring it back to the area I shot it.   Gary and I stroll along the blood trail and we notice a gut pile and a deer.   "Is this my deer Gary?"   "Must be, but take a look over here, someone's cooler with lunch, and a thermos lying on the seat."    Bottom line:  the neighbor (as does everyone else) knows that these pine trees are poached throughout the year.   This guy hops over the fence (again) and starts shouting "Get the f*ck away from my deer, I shot it!"    I quip back "Oh, so you just admitted to poaching on private property without permission of the land owner?"  "I shot it on my land and followed it here."   Now I hate liars so "Oh I see, so the deer grabbed your cooler, seat and while rigor mortis carefully laid your thermos on the seat?"   "You just got caught and now yer lying to try and wriggle out of this."   He starts to slowly tinker with his rifle.  "If you so much as move that rifle towards me, you will regret it."  

By now my father in law strolls over and ask to know what's going on.   We tell him what happened, and he calls out the neighbor by name and asks "Why are you hunting on my property?  Had you asked me, I would have let you hunt in here since none of us would be shooting towards this area (it is also elevated).  But now that you just poached a deer, you can have it, but if you EVER poach on my land, I'll nail your a** to the wall, got it?"   We've since posted signs and set up a proper fence (they cut some of the barbed wire sections prior) and have never had another problem.

Another classic involves Gary.   Gary always mows my father in law's land around the cabin.   He is pretty much family to the two of us.   Just a great guy that will let us borrow that tool we don't have, from his hardware store in Reed City.   Gary was hunting on my dad's land since, my dad wasn't hunting.   He's sitting in a blind about 50 yards off of the main road.   He's smoking and notices a truck stop, and a guy get's out and shoots a deer.   They take off (went to get a tag), not realizing that Gary was in the blind.   Gary drags the deer towards the blind and used the meat.

I despise poachers.   Golfer, I heard about that ring "The Clan" as the dolts called themselves.   I'm glad Andrews got nailed, and hope he's learned his lesson.   I've given my father-in-law my unused tag.  He'll either get a deer for himself or give it to Gary.   Gary, as most of the people up north live off of hunting season, they need the meat more than I do and I have given some of the guys up north quarter's from some of my deer.   The last 3 years there have been paltry sized deer, or none at all.  I usually only go for 3-4 days.   As always, if any of my signed tags are passed on to him and go unused.   He'll save it, and when I go up, he'll show me (I know how many he'll have) and burn them right then and there with his lighter.   He doesn't "save old tags, just in case", like others do in that area.

GOALY, the DNR nationwide are inept, corrupt, and a perfect example of why "some have jobs when they clearly don't need one."    The DNR here in Michigan are getting away with "legalized extortion" to allow my Off Road club host a winter run up in West Branch.   After all of the trails (legal to begin with  only an ORV sticker) were submitted.  They "all of a sudden needed $1000" in  combined fees.   As I said legalized extortion.   The $1000 was NEVER discussed in ANY of the correspondence with the Roscommon County DNR.   They are no better than the poachers as I see it.

[sluggish]

I live in Roscommon county.  I know some organizations like the Snowpackers ask for a fee to ride on the trails that they groom but for the DNR to ask for money like that seems fishy.

One thing to remember about the DNR is that they are the one law enforcement organization that deals with armed people most of the time.  Most of the CO's I know are pretty decent guys (and gals) but there's always a couple hard tulips in every crowd.

[Masherbrum]

Originally posted by sluggish
I live in Roscommon county.  I know some organizations like the Snowpackers ask for a fee to ride on the trails that they groom but for the DNR to ask for money like that seems fishy.

One thing to remember about the DNR is that they are the one law enforcement organization that deals with armed people most of the time.  Most of the CO's I know are pretty decent guys (and gals) but there's always a couple hard tulips in every crowd.

The DNR is Michigan is a joke, like in most states.   They get paid for doing nothing.   I used to have sympathy for em, but they has waned as I got older.