Bowmaker,
In the past I have read many of your posts regarding the low numbers of deer in your area. Have you ever thought about hunting somewhere where there is actually a good number of deer? In fact I have shined around the Eldon wildlife area when I worked down there last fall and in fact know there are still quality deer in that area anyone of us would shoot just not as many, did you know that? I also know if you drive less than 30 minutes away you could be in some of the most prime public areas around in this state where it is not uncommon to see many deer over 150 inches up into the 200's. Call me crazy but if I lived down there I would know where I would be and know where I hunted last fall which I happened to see tons of great whitetails. The only way I even knew how good these areas were was by shining a light. I walked every inch of these places before shining them and I didn't know the gold mine I had found.
I guess I don't understand if you guys have such a bad poaching problem in SE Iowa why don't you do something about it instead of sitting around talking about it? If I knew there was a poacher in my area I would find him really soon or I would quit watching guys run a spotlight and not ever go talk to them. Think about it, you are pretty much promoting poaching if you watch guys drive by and never do anything about it. Sure you can call the DNR but what's that going to do? Nothing, a guy can drive along ways away in 30 minutes without ever shining a light. A guy that is doing nothing wrong shining will stop and talk to anybody, let them search their truck whatever they want. I know I have before. A poacher would be stupid to come back to an area if he regularly gets stopped.
Guys that shine for recreation is about like adding reinforcement to the DNR, If they see something wrong, such as somebody shooting at something, do you think we are just going to let it happen? I think Not. I would personally love it if someone was always out in my area doing what they love looking at deer and protecting the herd if they see something wrong.
Sometimes it makes me wonder how people think it will save deers lives by making shining illegal. My god they are poachers. I do not think they care about the law. A serious poacher is not going to run all over the county shining every field so the law can just follow the light based on peoples phone calls. Do you think if they took away our guns that poaching still wouldn't occur?
You guys might not like people shining on your ground but I hate to say it but if you got a world class buck coming out in a field every night in the summer before dark, I would still be parked on the gravel snapping pics for my photo album. Sure you can come up and Ream anyones A$$ for doing it but what's that going to do for you?
Some say it's not a great scouting tool, obviously you don't know what you are talking about or missing out on. Looking at a big rub or scrape tells you nothing.
As far as John Whitaker goes, I am not saying anything but that I have hung out with his sons for more than 3 years because I lived with one of them, and I have heard stories that will make any true hunter cringe and that is all I am going to say about that.
I respect everyones opinion and know nobody is going to change their minds about nothing. But all I do know is take a ride into the wee hours of the night with me once, and I will see a smile on your face soo big that all you be able to think about is the monster buck you saw on X-avenue last night
My final note is I bet poachers are creaming in their pants right now hoping this law will go through because it makes the playing field WIDE OPEN, you won't have guys like me out their every night looking for everything. It will give them a much greater chance to take that trophy buck off your place this fall