These poachers lose their mind when the see bucks of this magnitude!
It sounds as if the poacher/thief certainly had time to think this through but still decided to spotlight and do the wrong thing.
Antler envy at its finest!

The reality is that most jails are too full of drug dealers, theives, rapists and murderers to take up space with poachers.

You could fine them, but it seems like most of these losers don't have two nickels to rub together.

I don't think there is an easy answer to this problem.

There is MUCH more to this story...

http://www.emporiagazette.com/news/2012/feb/13/confirmed-man-acccussed-p...

Those of us close to the original tragedy have known about this connection for several days, but have been waiting for the confirmation...and now have it.

This is an unbelievably sad story, and one that could have been prevented. We all need to push our State Legislatures for more stringent laws against poaching...maybe some inkling of good can ccome from these incidents.

After reading the additional story it is just sad that this was allowed to happen in the first place. Congrats to the game wardens for making this case and hopefully they can throw as much at him as they can. Its disturbing that there are people like this out there who go to these lengths to take an animal.

Seems to me like these guys don't care about rules and feel like they can do whatever they want. The poacher was an accomplice to murder?! Bunch of pieces of sh*t. Hopefully, what goes around, comes around.

its sad people think that the size of the antlers = how good of a hunter you are

unfortunately no amount of fines or loss of license will stop people from doing this...

the problem is (i believe) all these big buck competitions, people seem to go to any length to "win" the competition, no matter the means.

maybe forfeiture of associated equipment including vehicle/weapon used in the offense might have an impact, but the only way they cant poach is to change their value system or be in jail...

Just like I said in the "Boone and Crocket records have risen 400% blog" More and more big deer are being killed by poachers and entered into the books than you would ever think because of all the wonderful advances in technology, trail cameras, range finders, crossbows,better rifles and ammo, etc. etc. etc.

Thanks for taking a buck that someone who actually follows the law could have harvested legally.

Poaching Needs Harsher Laws
More Money
More Jail Time
Forifet Of All Hunting Related Gear One Owns

The second story brings this to a whole new level. Killing another hunter while road hunting is not a hunting accident. What I have to say about these guys in not very nice, so I'll keep it to myself.

Walt Smith - Despite the advances in technology, the poachers of today tend to use the same equipment their forefather poachers have used in the past...a vehicle, a .22, a spotlight, and complete disregard for honest hunters. I think more and more record book bucks are getting killed because of changes in deer management that are sweeping the nation. Many hunters are passing young bucks, or being forced to pass young buck due to antler restrictions. Combine that with putting quality food and habitat on the ground, and you create a scenario where there's just more trophy deer roaming the landscape. Regardless of what is causing more poachers to kill more trophy deer, we need to do our part to help prevent it. One of the best things people can do to help prevent poaching is plant a barrier. Planting trees, and bushy shrubs along the roadside of feeding fields prevents poachers from being able to see and spotlight deer. Some properties provide better poaching access than others. Recognize where you're properties weaknesses lie, and then strengthen them.

The only way to put a dent in this terrible practice is to hurt them BAD in their POCKETBOOK. Take everything, Truck, all guns and gear and no more hunting licenses-EVER.

It's no surprise that someone who disregards hunting laws would disregard criminal law too. Too many men -- and women -- think they are a law unto themselves unless someone is looking over their shoulder. Today's decline in morals and ethics is nothing new; it's just better publicized. What's appalling is that this person not only broke several laws, but was so proud of it that he displayed the antlers.

Kudos to the Kansas game wardens and Lyon County sheriff's department officers who investigated both crimes and decided to prosecute him.

By the way, I'm not related to the decedent, but it did make me blink to see the last same name. He should be thrown under the jail.

Yes, it appears that the drive to harvest record deer is leading to illegal methods and disregard for fair-chase ethics.
As one reader noted above many hunters are falling into the mode wherein they believe good hunting is judged by the size of the rack for harvested bucks. In reality, good hunting should be based on the ability of a hunter to trek into deep woods or vast tracks of hunting land to locate and harvest a deer.
In these cases a nice (4) pointer may be more of a trophy than a P&Y taken in someone's backyard.
This is not to slight those hunters that obtain legal permission to hunt small patches of land, backyards but you can not compare the challenges.
Big bucks living in or near developed land are much easier to pattern, even if they detect you one day they generally come back the next. In states where baiting is allowed they will come back even if shot at.
On the other hand hunt deer in large tracts of land and once you spook a big rack that may be the last time he will visit the area. This is why outfitters in most states do not allow their hunters to roam about their hunting properties.
As far as jail, or as one reader here suggested, murder a deer and "what goes around comes around" these are extremes.
Perhaps we should look at Canada's solution; caught poaching, you lose your license, weapons and vehicle.
Word gets around and poachers,those that hunt illegal land and others not practicing fair chase are well known. When these hunters record a record deer all of the sport shops and locals know where it came from, or how it was harvested. Amoung themselves they are proud, amoung the hunting community as a whole they are looked at in disdain.
Problem is many of these hunters take distain as jealousy.
Game Wardens have their hands full trying to catch these hunters, F&G budgets are shrinking and quite frankley the hunters that ignore fair chase are stealth and organized.
So the best we can do is hunt legal, practice fair chase, report poaching, push for laws that make sense, like mentioned above, forget jail terms and wishing ill health on poachers.
Lastly, don't let these hunters get under your skin and ruin your hunting enjoyment. Don't ever feel like you are not a hunter when you spend the time and effort and harvest a nice but not trophy buck. When you make the decision to take that shot and you are successful, be proud of the take, regardless of trophy status.
A trophy is not measured in rack size, it includes many aspects of hunting.
As for trophy, record deer conficated, they still deserve their place in the record books. This is not only about other hunters chances of harvesting that deer, it is about a cunning, magnificent animal that was deprived the right to outwit the hunter, his breeding rights violated preventing the passing on of those trophy genes and his earned right to spend another year of his life in the wilderness. SAD.

There is something about this pic of the buck's rack that does not make sense to me. Why is it still on the skull, most folks would have a piece of the skull with antlers attached as a taxidermist would have sawed it off. No big deal, but why does it look weathered slightly in front of the eye orbits, and why is the nose end look weathered? Bleach can do that but if it were bleached why is that dark area still present in front of the eyes. Why is the very bottom of each beam white as if it is weathered or the skull has been boiled. I can only assume that his taxidermist (or the poacher) boiled the skull so the guy could carry it around?

It's not true that poachers usually don't have the money, Usually the problem is that a DA or judge simply don't regard the illegal shooting of an animal as that big of deal. Fines should be increased. It's a cultural thing fines are not more.

We can all help stop these poachers if we step up and keep your eyes and ears open. It seems like every area that has alot of good deer has poachers too.Ilive in eastern Iowa in farm country. Most of the poaching here occurs during the rut which also is the peak of corn harvesting. the big bucks are easy prey for these guys with a pickup and rifle. My neighbors and my harvesting crew broke up several attempted poaching incidents which saved several good bucks and let the poachers know they are being watched and we arent afraid to get involved. Poaching reports have decreased since we started this.

When I was growing up we had a couple Oregonians come into WA to hunt. They had all the right licenses and tags however apparently couldn't read. I say that because they drove onto a whitetail game preserve (Columbia River White-Tail is endagered)because they saw a huge bull elk in the herd that runs there. No matter which entrance they used theyhad to pass a 10' x 15' sign and there are smaller signs all along the fence. They parked across from the ranger's building climbed the fence, took a BIG bull and a cow (had a couw tag). The rangers let them pack everything out then arrested them. They lost hunting rights in WA and OR for 10 yrs, their bows, arrows knives, coats, boots and all other clothing except for 1 set, fined $10k didn't get the meat, and it was reported the only reason they were allowed to keep their vehicle was "We wanted them out of the state as quickly as possible". General consensus around town was they should've lost their truck too.

I believe that poaching is a real problem all over the country. I don't know what the answer is to stop it either. There are poachers in my area that have been caught and had guns, trucks, hunting priv ect. taken way and the next year they get caught again. It never seems to bother them either. They trespass all the time and get fined. I know person that has gotten caught trespassing several times on the same land by the same owner after three time the landowner told him if he was caught again there would be no law involved as he owned a backhoe. It is really sad the it has come to this all over the country I believe that the money involved is the biggest force that drive poeple to poach. Hell if you get a record buck it could possibly mean thousands of dollars in endorsements alone.I know one famous couple here in Iowa that my brother in law contacted about his fertlizer for an endorsement and was told for a price of $300,000.00 they would talk to him. and we wonder why poeple poach deer?

If I had photos of a potential state record on my land then someone else poached it. Some things would go down... Lol

the way I see it they should be stranded in a dark night field and be themselves spotlighted and when they find them they get covered in paint balls then thrown into jail for some years