# Effectiveness of reporting Hunter and Angler Harassment



## bottomfish (Apr 10, 2015)

I often see people say that you should report people who harass you while you hunt and fish. For example, I've seen videos of people grabbing a fisherman's fish and throwing it back or jumping in the water to scare away fish. There will be a bunch of comments on how you should report them. I'm just wondering when you report these people how often anything actually happens to them more than a warning. I'd think even with a video it'd be unlikely anything would happen unless the DNR happen to be there or get there before they leave. I understand it depends on the severity of the situation too on how much effort the DNR puts into it. Just hoping some of these people are regularly getting in trouble(assuming it isn't super rare. Haven't personally had it happen to me).


----------



## JWICKLUND (Feb 13, 2005)

bottomfish said:


> I often see people say that you should report people who harass you while you hunt and fish. For example, I've seen videos of people grabbing a fisherman's fish and throwing it back or jumping in the water to scare away fish. There will be a bunch of comments on how you should report them. I'm just wondering when you report these people how often anything actually happens to them more than a warning. I'd think even with a video it'd be unlikely anything would happen unless the DNR happen to be there or get there before they leave. I understand it depends on the severity of the situation too on how much effort the DNR puts into it. Just hoping some of these people are regularly getting in trouble(assuming it isn't super rare. Haven't personally had it happen to me).


Harassment is taken very seriously by the COs and courts. In my experience, in every harassment case I’ve been involved in has resulted in maximum fines/costs and revocation. In the past, when a harassment complaint came in, COs would have to play the role of a hunter/angler to observe the harassment and obtain a conviction. With the advancement of technology, video and audio recording is generally sufficient in meeting the burden of proof. Harassment and interfering with someone’s opportunity to recreate outdoors will always be an issue so I hope that everyone reports it promptly so it can be dealt with swiftly. 


Sent from my iPhone using Michigan Sportsman


----------



## Bucket-Back (Feb 8, 2004)

The family that lives just downstream from the Pine Road River access on the Muskegon river hates tubers, canoes, boats , fishermen and people in general.

I was fishing in the fall, with my muck boots on, and they were making all kinds of lewd jokes and starting tossing rocks near me to spook the fish.

They called the MDNR and told them I was snagging, so of course they showed up.

MDNR said I was GTG, and he would tell them to cut it out. I had to inform LE I was carrying, so....


----------



## DirtySteve (Apr 9, 2006)

I have a coworker who's wife boards horses and teaches riding lessons at her home. Every morning while she is tending to the horses and cleaning stalls etc.. she plays a radio in the barn. The 40 acres next to theirs has a beautiful swamp and the neighbor started letting some family bownhunt. One day mid october the DNR showed up investigating a hunter harrassment complaint. One of the kids hunting felt she was intentionally trying to ruin his hunting with her music. This kid never once confronted them and my buddys wife had no idea anyone was even hunting in the area so she was quite confused.

The DNR sorted it out and told the kid there was no harrasment going on. The kid ended up losing his hunting privileges over it for causing issues in the neighborhood.

Moral of the story is yes they do investigate complaints.


----------



## bottomfish (Apr 10, 2015)

JWICKLUND said:


> Harassment is taken very seriously by the COs and courts. In my experience, in every harassment case I’ve been involved in has resulted in maximum fines/costs and revocation. In the past, when a harassment complaint came in, COs would have to play the role of a hunter/angler to observe the harassment and obtain a conviction. With the advancement of technology, video and audio recording is generally sufficient in meeting the burden of proof. Harassment and interfering with someone’s opportunity to recreate outdoors will always be an issue so I hope that everyone reports it promptly so it can be dealt with swiftly.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Michigan Sportsman


That's good to hear. I also meant that a lot of these incidents seem like random encounters that are unlikely to be repeated if CO staked the place out. Even if you get a video, unless you know who the person, how is the CO going to find out who they are to ticket them? But I agree its worth a quick phone which could get the person caught



DirtySteve said:


> I have a coworker who's wife boards horses and teaches riding lessons at her home. Every morning while she is tending to the horses and cleaning stalls etc.. she plays a radio in the barn. The 40 acres next to theirs has a beautiful swamp and the neighbor started letting some family bownhunt. One day mid october the DNR showed up investigating a hunter harrassment complaint. One of the kids hunting felt she was intentionally trying to ruin his hunting with her music. This kid never once confronted them and my buddys wife had no idea anyone was even hunting in the area so she was quite confused.
> 
> The DNR sorted it out and told the kid there was no harrasment going on. The kid ended up losing his hunting privileges over it for causing issues in the neighborhood.
> 
> Moral of the story is yes they do investigate complaints.


Sucks that happened to her but at least shows they look into these things.


----------



## bottomfish (Apr 10, 2015)

Bucket-Back said:


> The family that lives just downstream from the Pine Road River access on the Muskegon river hates tubers, canoes, boats , fishermen and people in general.
> 
> I was fishing in the fall, with my muck boots on, and they were making all kinds of lewd jokes and starting tossing rocks near me to spook the fish.
> 
> ...


Sorry that happened to you. This definitely seems like a case where they should've done more than ask them to cut it out. I'm guessing they did nothing because of the lack of evidence. Would hope they'd pretend to be fishermen and see if it happens to them in this kind of situation.


----------

