# Alabama hunting fines?



## turtlebug (Nov 24, 2008)

Okay, so this girl at work, who works in another department, started hunting this year. She's a really sweet girl and we've always gotten along. I thought kind of highly of her..... until today.

She shot an 8 point (her first ever) a few weeks ago. Was proud of her and all.

Then, she tells me last week she was going hunting over in 'Bama. Can't remember which county BUT today, she informs me that she will be heading back to Alabama with her hunting party to appear in court.

They got six of em for...
1. No hunting license
2. Hunting over bait
3. Something about a "Harvest Tag" (not sure about this cause if you don't have a license, then of course you don't have a tag).

She said one person in their party owned up to a buck but the DNR officer didn't confiscate the buck but he did take their cameras and such (not the rifles though) and told her it would be up to the judge if they got their belongings back. 

She said he let the guy keep the buck and didn't write a ticket for it but she has three charges she has to appear for on herself. I don't understand the "harvest tag" thing if she didn't kill anything. 

IN NO WAY am I taking up for her. She said the officer told them that with all three tickets, they were looking at more than $2400 each. At first, I felt a little sorry for her, but after about 30 seconds, I was mad with her. I mean who did she think she was to go to another state, hunting with no license and so on..... especially over bait. 

Anyway, just wondering if anyone has had any run-ins or dealing with Alabama DNR or have any idea about that third charge. Is it gonna be expensive? 


I hope so.......


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## fountain (Nov 24, 2008)

sounds like ga. people should stay in ga to me---if they are not going to obide by and be considerate of another states' laws.


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## germag (Nov 24, 2008)

Yeah, I've heard that Alabama recently revamped their wildlife laws.....a lot tougher now and fines are a lot higher. I guess the storal of that mory is.....if you're going to hunt in Alabama, obey the laws. 

If she knew she was breaking the law, I wouldn't feel bad for her at all....if she didn't, well....she _should_ have. It's her responsibility to be aware of the legality (or lack thereof) of her actions.


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## discounthunter (Nov 24, 2008)

do you really think she even has a geogia license?


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## turtlebug (Nov 24, 2008)

discounthunter said:


> do you really think she even has a geogia license?



As of today, I know she doesn't.


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## BKA (Nov 24, 2008)

turtlebug said:


> As of today, I know she doesn't.



Is she hot?


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## rhbama3 (Nov 24, 2008)

She picked a doozy of a time to commit the crimes. House Bill 677 went into effect this year. I don't remember all the particulars, but many of the fines were QUADRUPLED from the previous amounts. The $2400 is probably right.


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## fountain (Nov 24, 2008)

i feel for her--$2400 is a lot to pay right now---with the crappy economy, christmas coming up and all. 

HAVE A HEART!


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## BKA (Nov 24, 2008)

fountain said:


> i feel for her--$2400 is a lot to pay right now---with the crappy economy, christmas coming up and all.
> 
> HAVE A HEART!



Um, how about this......DON'T BREAK THE LAW...........


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## fountain (Nov 24, 2008)

thats all kool too----look above at my post.  always read from top to bottom, left to right.

i know that--but still.  yep they broke the law.  i just dont see $2400 there--that's all.  
i would like to know what the harvest tag is all about


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## JustUs4All (Nov 24, 2008)

Alabama Gubberment gotta have money too.


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## LIB MR ducks (Nov 24, 2008)

If you are gonna be stupid you gotta be tough!


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## Jeffriesw (Nov 24, 2008)

LIB MR ducks said:


> If you are gonna be stupid you gotta be tough!



Yep, and evidently you gotta have deep pockets if your gonna be stupid in Alabama.



I do feel sorry for anyone who has to come up with that kind of money to pay the fines, but good Lord you have just got to be smarter than to go out and break that many laws at one time.


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## BamaBart (Nov 24, 2008)

I live in Alabama and heard this about why the fines went up.
Some guy got cought hunting without permission last year and went in front of the judge. After the judge told him the amount of the fine, he said " That's ok, I can get cought a few more times and still not pay what it cost to join a good hunting club." 
I'm not sure if this is true but I did hear this.


Bart.


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## BKA (Nov 24, 2008)

LIB MR ducks said:


> If you are gonna be stupid you gotta be tough!



I like that..........


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## robertyb (Nov 24, 2008)

She is actually very lucky. I live in Polk County which abutts the Alabama line in places. I know several people from here that have been caught violating the hunting/fishing laws in Alabama that were carried to jail and made to post bond before being released. That is before being made to appear in court and being fined. Some of the bail bond fees were as high or higher than the fines.

It is simple. Do the crime and EXPECT to pay if caught.  

I have always just considered it easier to be legal and pay up front.


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## nc/ga hunter (Nov 24, 2008)

Know a guy from here who got caught in AL breaking the laws a few years ago. He had a new F250  truck less then 5K miles on it and the confiscated it, plus fines in the 2K range.


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## Trizey (Nov 24, 2008)

She's lucky they didn't take everything from them.  Alabama has increased fines this year and sounds like they did some good work.


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## olcowman (Nov 25, 2008)

We keep a small lease in Russell county, yes that is some big fines, but the Ala non resident hunting fees are pretty expensive to start with ($350+) There is more than a few fellers I have run into who risk it every year and don't buy the permit, but our property is a favorite hang out of the local ranger, so we are all legit. 

He catches most of them when they park their trucks, with the Ga tags and may even have some sort of way of cross checking the registration from the tag info with the non-resident permits? I've seen him camp out on a couple of the culprits on an adjoining club waiting on them to return to their vehicle, while seemingly passing on by other out of state hunters after a quick look at the tags? I don't know what his system is or what tools he has, but he has kept all of us at our camp on the straight and narrow for last 4 years.


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## Sylvan (Nov 25, 2008)

> Is she hot?



Well is she?


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## DSGB (Nov 25, 2008)

I know hunting without a license is $1000 this year. So, $2400 sounds about right.


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## whitworth (Nov 25, 2008)

*One things for sure*

She sure won't be happy at work til after the New Year.  
Of course, having a job is better than spending a month in an Alabama jail.


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## Trizey (Nov 25, 2008)

olcowman said:


> We keep a small lease in Russell county, yes that is some big fines, but the Ala non resident hunting fees are pretty expensive to start with ($350+)




$275 unless you buy over the internet, then it's $279.  They actually went up a little this year.


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## turtlebug (Nov 25, 2008)

Well, it just keeps getting thicker. There was a certain "officer" from Georgia involved. His identity and location were hidden because the party was worried about him losing his job had he been caught hunting in another state illegally while his job here in Georgia is to make sure that folks ARE hunting legally. 

In other words, they didn't tell the 'Bama ranger that there was another person or where he was. 

It's getting deeper and deeper. Her Georgia "officer" boyfriend has actually been letting her hunt illegally here in Georgia.

I'm trying real hard to ease into getting his name. Maybe I should stay out of it, but officers should follow the law just like anyone else.


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## elfiii (Nov 25, 2008)

fountain said:


> i feel for her--$2400 is a lot to pay right now---with the crappy economy, christmas coming up and all.
> 
> HAVE A HEART!



1. Hunting without a license - Sorry, no heart here. Throw the book at her. Heck, throw the printing press that printed the book at her too.

2. Hunting over bait - Maybe a little heart if her testimony is convincing about not knowing she was hunting over bait. In view of 1. above, that testimony is going to have to be real convincing and corroborated by someone else who admits he/she placed the bait, unbeknownst to the young lady.

3. See 1. above.


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## Keebs (Nov 25, 2008)

turtlebug said:


> Well, it just keeps getting thicker. There was a certain "officer" from Georgia involved. His identity and location were hidden because the party was worried about him losing his job had he been caught hunting in another state illegally while his job here in Georgia is to make sure that folks ARE hunting legally.
> 
> In other words, they didn't tell the 'Bama ranger that there was another person or where he was.
> 
> ...



Amen!!!!!!


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## Bruz (Nov 25, 2008)

Trizey said:


> $275 unless you buy over the internet, then it's $279.  They actually went up a little this year.



Yep.....Paid em $278.95 just last week over the phone......The girl gave me a number and said I was good to hunt so I don't understand the harvest record issue.......I'll call the GW for my area and find out.

Robert


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## Trizey (Nov 25, 2008)

Bruz said:


> Yep.....Paid em $278.95 just last week over the phone......The girl gave me a number and said I was good to hunt so I don't understand the harvest record issue.......I'll call the GW for my area and find out.
> 
> Robert



Robert-  You'll need to go online and print the harvest tags yourself.  Actually you'll be printing the license with the deer and turkey harvest tags on it.

T


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## gadeerwoman (Nov 25, 2008)

Unfortunately she is not alone...and it happens in Ga too. Folks just don't seem to care until it starts some serious hurt to their wallet. Sure hated to see GA drop the item confiscation years ago. That put the stop on some folks once they lost their vehicle and guns. Thumbs up to AL for putting some serious teeth into the laws. Wish our own state would belly up to the bar and do the same


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## tinytim (Nov 25, 2008)

Wow.....Now I know what is meant by who you know instead of what you know.


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## Throwback (Nov 25, 2008)

turtlebug said:


> Well, it just keeps getting thicker. There was a certain "officer" from Georgia involved. His identity and location were hidden because the party was worried about him losing his job had he been caught hunting in another state illegally while his job here in Georgia is to make sure that folks ARE hunting legally.
> 
> In other words, they didn't tell the 'Bama ranger that there was another person or where he was.
> 
> ...



Well this should be interesting...


T


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## olcowman (Nov 28, 2008)

Trizey said:


> $275 unless you buy over the internet, then it's $279.  They actually went up a little this year.



Thanks, my bad, I got some big ole' fingers and need to proof-read my posts.


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