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lantonas t1_iwcuwkk wrote

Reply to comment by TheMobyDicks in Purchasing Venison for the holidays by vtbb

I don't think "I've already shot four deer this year, so I'll give away the 5th" is a legal option either.

If your buddy is giving away deer so he can shoot more he sounds like a deer poacha' of the first order.

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NapalmCheese t1_iwcx51r wrote

> I don't think "I've already shot four deer this year, so I'll give away the 5th" is a legal option either.

Generally speaking at least, it is not a legal option:

https://www.eregulations.com/vermont/hunting/deer-hunting

> Annual Deer Limit > > A person shall not take more than four deer in a calendar year, only one of which may be a legal buck (see below). Youth and novice hunters shall be allowed to take two legal bucks, provided that one is taken during the youth or novice season, not to exceed the annual limit of four deer.

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lantonas t1_iwcxsb8 wrote

He quite literally admitted that he is a terrible hunter so he lets his friend use his tags so his friend can shoot more than four deer.

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NapalmCheese t1_iwd1uji wrote

Game management is a weird thing. It could be that Vermont supports enough deer for every hunter to harvest 4 deer a year and maintain the herd. In that case, while what they are doing is against the letter of the law, it's still within the intent (maintaining a healthy deer population). On the other hand, it might be that Vermont is gambling that most hunters won't take 4 deer a year, and so using someone else's limit towards your own limit is not only against the letter of the law, but also the intent.

I'm not a lawyer, and I'm not even a resident. I'm just some shmuck thousands of miles away that inherited some VT property from a deceased parent many years ago. I'm also a hunter and conservationist. I honestly can't say if what they are doing is in line with Vermont's projected deer harvest, so won't pass judgement; other than to let them know that what their buddy is doing is technically illegal.

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lantonas t1_iwd34td wrote

Let's say you go fishing and the daily limit is six trout. A game warden shows up and you have ten trout on the stringer.

Would "Sorry officer, those extra four are for my neighbor, but don't worry, he has a fishing license!" or "Sorry officer, those extra four count towards tomorrow's bag limit" get you very far?

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NapalmCheese t1_iwd3sdm wrote

Oh no, no matter what it's technically illegal, and if caught I would expect someone to get cited.

What I'm getting at is, from a conservation side of things, though it is illegal it may not be wrong (i.e. anathema to the conservation and maintenance of VT deer herds).

I imagine however that VT is depending on the fact that most people won't kill four deer a year, and as such, 'using' someone else's tags is likely also (from a conservation and herd maintenance standpoint) wrong.

For instance, as a non-resident landowner I can hunt my own property and take up to four deer. I doubt VT's deer herd models are expecting that to happen. Almost certainly VT does not have enough of a deer population to sustain having every single landowner, and every single hunter, shoot four deer while maintaining a healthy deer population for next year.

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Ok-Glass7272 t1_iwfeyga wrote

Not a terrible hunter at all. Have gotten about a dozen legally. Otherwise...well...

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TheMobyDicks t1_iwcvvpk wrote

He's not, he's just better than I am. I always buy the license but get skunked early (last two years and so far this year) and - because of my job - can't hunt later in the season. So, deer count stays right, my buddy gets to hunt more and I get venison in the freeza'.

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lantonas t1_iwcwf1y wrote

Yeah, your buddy shooting deer and using your tags for it is... poaching.

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df33702021 t1_iwcxjbc wrote

This happens so much especially within families, I really don't think wardens even bother with it just as long as each deer has a tag.

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lantonas t1_iwd4en9 wrote

I'd be willing to bet that the wardens will gladly pursue a case of somebody plainly admitting that their friend is shooting deer and using his tags.

We're talking about fines, restitution, license suspension, possible weapon confiscation. And this goes for both parties.

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df33702021 t1_iwdelyp wrote

Sure, but you would have to get someone to quite literally turn themselves in. We're not talking reddit post. I don't think wardens are going around looking for this. It literally has to drop in their lap.

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lantonas t1_iwhmp9v wrote

He posts enough personally identifying information on Reddit that a Warden might have a fun time putting all the pieces together.

The town he lives in, his job, his age, his previous jobs, previous places he has lived, how many kids he has, the country his wife is from, how long they have been married, his fantasy football team name, and even how tall he is. lol

After that all the Warden has to do is knock on the door and ask him to take him to the kill site for his deer.

And since is actually in New Hampshire they can make an entire spectacle of it for TV!

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somedudevt t1_iwf89vo wrote

This is not like it was 40 years ago. It use to be a common open secret that the husband and wife would get a tag, the husband would use the wife’s tag and no one cared. That’s changed. The law hasn’t but the enforcement has.

It’s the same as in 1980 you get drunk and go off the road the cop would drive you home, and tell you to sober up, today they bring you to jail. Everything is stricter now

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Ok-Glass7272 t1_iwfe5z6 wrote

Lighten up, Francis.

Flatlanders call it "poaching". We call it jacking.

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GA19 t1_iwdiosw wrote

As a Vermonter who hunts every year this is absolutely infuriating. You think you can impose your will on our laws because “work is too busy.” The laws are not designed that way and they definitely don’t expect every hunter to tag 4 deer each year. It’s people like you who give hunters a bad reputation. I hope you both get caught, fined, and have your weapons seized.

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Sharp_Path3354 t1_iwsh4ov wrote

It’s kind ‘o like shooting at Blinky. I bet they can’t drive by without poking their rifles out the window.

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