When I looked back through my phone log of the violations that were reported, the two that kept popping up were those of trespassing and road hunting.
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Conservation Agent Jade Wright
As the January extension portion of firearms deer season came to a close this past week it got me thinking about my first deer season as a conservation agent. When I looked back through my phone log of the violations that were reported, the two that kept popping up were those of trespassing and road hunting. It is important to note that these two usually go hand-in-hand. Most “successful” road hunters do not care if they have permission from the landowner. I realize how
frustrating this must be for landowners.
First of all these offenses are a safety concern. You know what I’m talking about if you have ever been sitting in your tree stand, see a strange car stop on the roadway, and begin firing shots at a
deer running through your field. It’s not exactly a warm, fuzzy feeling you get when you hear bullets zinging through the nearby trees. I think the last thing going through a road hunter or
trespassers’ mind is safety. They don’t know or care where other hunters are or if they have a safe backstop. Other common complaints are property damage (i.e. cutting fences, rutting up fields),
leaving gates open, and littering.
Besides being maddening for you, the landowner, I can tell you it is no picnic for a conservation agent. A lot of time is spent through deer season responding to these calls only to arrive at the
scene to find a gut pile and a couple of shell casings in the roadway. This is why it is so important for us to work together. It is essential for those reporting the offense to get a description of the vehicle, those involved, and a license plate number. Please do not confront the perpetrators, leave that to me. It is a dangerous combination when tempers are flared and everyone has a loaded gun. Another way for landowners to do their part is to prosecute ALL
trespassers.
As for me, it is crucial that I get there as quickly as possible. I encourage people to call me at home for anything, however I am hard to get a hold of through deer season. It would be better to call the Daviess County Sheriff’s department and they can get a hold of me over the radio. It is also great to have a Sheriff’s department willing to respond if I am busy or at the other end of the
county.
The best tool we have to combat road hunting and trespassing is the deer decoy. Since 1989 1,628 arrests throughout Missouri have been made using the decoy. In recent years the number of arrests have began to decline. Either road hunters are getting smarter, conservation agents are getting dumber, or road hunting is less of a problem. We are always looking for new places to put a decoy. If you own some land near a road hunting problem area and would like us to consider placing the decoy there, please give me a call at 660-684-6758.
Something for road hunters and trespassers to chew on! When we do catch you; up to a $500 fine, 6 months in jail, or any combination of the two are punishments you may receive.