Utah Needs to Wake Up!!!!!

30inchbucks

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I'm only going to make 2 simple suggestions out of many to get others opinions. Have not been on here in a long long time but this year alot of hearsay on the same old Utah habits got my blood boiling again. Heard of several instances of hunters reusing tags over and over again, etc. It really erks me to think that we can't make a simple change to the tag (for instance like Arizona with the sticker tag) so it cannot be used again once it is on the deer. Can you imagine the deer that would save alone with one small change. And the lawbreakers that would now get caught. Suggestion #2 Why can't we as residents buy a lifetime license? I know I could have years ago when I was a poor college student (glad I didn't now because of where the general deer hunt has gone). I don't need the guaranteed deer tag like the original one. It would be nice not to worry about buying one every year so you didn't get out hunting small game or to the fishing hole and realize your license has expired. Let me know what you think or if these changes are in the works already. They need to be in my opinion. Thanks
 
I will add one more suggestion to your list. Utah needs to stop issuing valid hunting tags to convicted felons who are prohibited from possessing a weapon anyway. I presented this to my local legislator and he was shot down by the DNR stating that it was too expensive to run background checks on all applicants. It is absurd to think that the simple box you check on your applications deters many felons (they had to do something bad to be a felon, why would they be honest on their application?)

On the flip side, I was happy with the new unit boundaries that the DNR went to this year. Far less people in my area, I have high hopes for good bucks in the near future.
 
Wait a minute. You've heard of several instances of hunters reusing tags? I hope you have reported all of these instances. You'd have collected much reward money and possibly have gotten DWR to reconsider changing to a sticker system.
 
Another solution in search of a problem.

I have no doubt there are law breakers out there in the field. I also have no doubt that there are law breakers in AZ and every other state. No changed to the physical tag is going to stop illegal behavior.

Turn in those you know have broken the law. Don't condone illegal hunting. The problem will solve itself with your help.
Bill
 
+1 on that. I have never heard of someone using a tag multiple times. I guess it could happen. But if you have heard of it happening the problem is you for not reporting every single instance of that.
 
The system we have right now is as good as a sticker. You have to notch the Month and Day slots which make it then "unusable" on a second deer.

The main problem here is that many "hunters" will simply not tag their deer as they should. I dare say most of these "hunters" never get far from a road and it is probably not very diffucult to get that buck home before being stopped by the DWR.


Like stated above there really isn't anything that will "make" anyone be more lawabiding. It will take some small amount of morals to do that.


I would like it if Utah offered the lifetime lic. again but it makes sense why they don't now.


Good luck in your hunting.
 
I make a post about a problem and a solution and then get the blame. That figures. Nothing has changed on here. Let me tell you about reporting. A few years ago I reported a bull elk being taken off of the Pahvant unit on someone else's tag. The guy that shot the elk had been hunting with someone that had the tag. He shot it then his friend said I'm not going to tag that. So he hauled off the mountain without the tag. The guy that had the tag also shot an elk so 2 for 1. The fish and game did nothing. Did not even check into it. Never contacted me back. This year in July I heard some shots about 11:30pm right out in front of my house. Went out there and witnessed 2 guys with flashlights over by this tree. Went back inside my house and they drove off. Went over there the next morning and there is a dead 4 point deer laying there. I report everything I saw to the fish and game. The deer lays there for a week bloating. The landowner finally hauls it off. The fish and game never contacted me or the landowner back or anything. They didn't even come out to check on it. Again, nothing done. This state has some issues. Do you honestly think they are going to do something about hearsay!!!! You are naive if you do. The tags are 2 easy to put on and take off again. At least a sticker tag wouldn't come off and go back on without looking pretty mangled and ripped. The cheaters would have to haul it off without the tag and maybe get caught. I don't know why I'm even talking. It's amazing how people can twist things into being your fault on here and want to argue. I will just go stick my head in the sand for another 5 years and not come to this site. What a joke!
 
Nobody is blaming you on anything. Not sure where you got that on anything that was said. I did talk to a fish and game warden a little while ago, asking him what the absolute best information that I should collect if I see something illegal going on. He told me a license plate. A license plate is the most important thing because it's the only way that they can tie anything to anyone. Maybe they didn't think they had enough information.
 
wow 30" have you got some thin skin. Good solution if some don't agree with you: to go pound sound for 5 years.
 
The only way that a Utah tag is reusable is if you use it on multiple animals on the same day, or if the notches aren't cut out (which will earn you a nice ticket you're caught).
 
Well shoot I didn't mean to hurt your feel goods. But neither case you just stated is an example of what you are griping about???

SO it would seem to me that either this is not as big a problem as you make it out to be. OR you have heard of this from somebody close to you and did nothing about it.

Why not tell us who it was that used their tag multiple times??
 
LAST EDITED ON Oct-29-12 AT 09:03PM (MST)[p]apollosmith said, "THE ONLY WAY THAT A UTAH TAG IS REUSABLE IS IF YOU USE IT ON MULTIPLE ANIMALS ON THE SAME DAY" ding ding ding we have a winner! How many deer do you think you can haul off the mountain in one day? I could haul off quite a few Utah trophies. Especially, if I had them hanging in the trees from days before. LOL
 
I say everyone should have to wear the same style orange vest that has a clear pocket which displays your tag number and the year it is issued for. This way hunters could police themselves a little better. Because I'm sure there are plenty of people hunting without a tag every year and really, there is no way to know if the hunter you bumped into out in the woods is legal or not....
 
In the end, more laws will not restrict unlawful behavior... Lawbreakers will always break the law. What we can do is report things when we hear them.

I am surprised at the 30inchbucks's list of incidents he reported that were not investigated. I've seen DNR officers show up to a road kill the same day it was reported to verify no illegal activity. I have talked with DNR officers who received a tip and drove from Monticello to the Book Cliffs the same day in hopes of finding offenders. When I was in high school, some guys (maybe girls) put 3 ducks they shot that morning on the hood of my car. During third period, a DNR officer was at the school questioning me about them. I didn't know who had done it, or when, or why.

In my experience, DNR officers investigate everything. It's tough when they are spread thin, but those I have met take reports of poaching very seriously.

"Therefore, wo be unto him that is at ease in Zion!" 2 Ne. 28: 24
 
I am with you Browning, my experience with the DNR is that they are pretty good about looking into anything reported. A couple of years ago my younger brother hit a 2nd cow elk on the back side of the cow he got. (He was 14 at the time so I hope you can cut him a little slack here). He did not realize the 2nd cow was hit, and the landlowner reported the dead animal.

Dad paid the ticket for him, but the DNR was sure to look into it.

Then just last year on the same CWMU a small bull was shot and left. Again the landowner reported it. They rounded up all the hunters that were on the unit at that time and did a balistics test on the rifles. They knew what they were looking for, as it was a .308 caliber gun with only 2 riflings.

Needless to say they found the hunter, not us this time, and the case was closed.

Also had a neighbor about 10 years ago blast a goose with his .223 in the fields behind his house. His brother, also next door neighbor reported it. The guy got a ticket and lost the .223 as evidence. Could have had more happen to him.

I just don't by stories of the DNR not looking into reports. They are spread thin, and I know they will not catch every wrong doer, but my experience is the dead opposite. Usually someone comes pretty quick when something is reported.
 
LAST EDITED ON Oct-30-12 AT 02:50PM (MST)[p]pookiebar, really? I have nothing better to do than come on here and tell fibs about contacting the fish and game and reporting violations. I did call the poaching line on the one and did in fact talk directly with the game warden over the unit on the other one. I gave the warden names and everything. And the deer did in fact sit there and bloat for 7 days on the other one. You can think what you want to think I guess. I'm sure phone records would show my calls but some wouldn't buy it with those either. lol It would be nice to live in perfect world where everyone is obeying the laws and those who don't always get caught but we don't. I made a suggestion to make a situation better thats all. Didn't need to start an argument about it. If you feel that strongly that I'm just telling fibs, pm me and I will give you the land owners name and number as a second witness to my reporting claims in the above post. Have a good day.
 
I agree with the others. Most of the citations that the DWR hand out come from info given to them from the public. If we knew there side of the story I am sure it would all make sense.
 
I always wonder why it is that the guys with all the answers never work for the DNR. We could have this chit cleaned up in 2 months.
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Ive got another option.
Lets make people check deer in at a check station like they do in nebraska and other states, with the head and proof of sex and then put a tag on the horns.
Anyone who dosent comply should get charged with poaching.
They could set up several check stations around the state and offer a reward for anyone that turns someone in.

Shoot em till their dead
 
Not saying you made up stories. But why would DNR need to contact you again? Did you watch that deer every hour of every day to make sure a DNR officer came and looked at it? Maybe they were leaving if there to see who might come by and pick up the horns? Maybe your landowner friend was unwittingly tampering with evidence? Did you call the officer back to see why the animal was still laying there?

I can think of a bunch more questions for you. But I guess you are the expert in investigations and how to catch poachers.
 

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