Should Montana Judges Get This Tough on Poachers?

With so many hunters per capita in our state, poaching is a hot-button issue that many hunters take very personally.

My guess is many of them would commend the actions of a district court judge in Grayson County, Texas, for the sentence imposed on a man for poaching a trophy whitetail buck. Just to give you an idea: the this was a 19-point buck with a gross Boone and Crockett score of 202, using a rifle in an archery-only county. The hunter was also trespassing on private property.

In addition to five years' probation and fines totaling over $18,000, the judge has ordered the hunter to spend every weekend of hunting season in jail for the next five years! He is also prohibited from purchasing a hunting license while on probation.

Hmmmm....wonder how great that Boone and Crockett score feels now.

DB