Suspicious activity

[dragoncjo]

Guys, a heads-up to all members, I've recently caught wind of alot of poaching activity going on around cranberry bogs in our pine barrens, primarily of spotted turtles. If anyone sees large turtle traps in the pines let me know, they look like crab traps for the most part. I've been in touch with a federal agent, and nj game warden's and hopefully these scumbags can be caught. I know many people on here spend lots of time tromping through the pines in and around bogs and swamps, just be on the look out. If you see any traps release the turtles but leave the traps so the people can be caught in the act. Please let me know through a PM. Trapping snappers is legal but within season, all others are illegal. If you see anything suspicious please let me know. Thanks much
Chris

 

[james ungehajer]

Chris, are they the large commercial crab traps, or the smaller triangle or square traps?

 

[Teegate]

If you see anything suspicious please let me know. Thanks much
Chris

Will do for sure!!!


Guy

 

[dragoncjo]

Thankfully I've never seen one in person, if you google turtle traps you will see some pictures. I was notified by a fellow herper, and have since been making it a personal mission of mine to find the culprits. But since in all my time in the woods I've seen one game warden in two years, I'm leaving it up to people on here as sort of a citizens patrol to keep everyone eyes on suspicious activity. Look for things like people with nets, buckets, etc. Legitimate herpers only take cameras to the woods knowing that anything else will attract much attention.

 

[james ungehajer]

Thankfully I've never seen one in person, if you google turtle traps you will see some pictures. I was notified by a fellow herper, and have since been making it a personal mission of mine to find the culprits. But since in all my time in the woods I've seen one game warden in two years, I'm leaving it up to people on here as sort of a citizens patrol to keep everyone eyes on suspicious activity. Look for things like people with nets, buckets, etc. Legitimate herpers only take cameras to the woods knowing that anything else will attract much attention.

The reason i am asking if it is commercial traps, in 1992 there were turtle excluder devices installed in them, i used to have two of these for blue claw crabs at my marina in big sheepshead creek in little egg harbor and i never found a turtle in them, they do work, so they are also taking these devices out which is more trouble for these creeps. I and other people at the marina who had traps were being poached all the time, the lawbreakers never got caught, then to top it all off, they stole our traps, they were never caught, it was reasoned they came late at night to do their dirtywork. I will be on the lookout on my future outings rest assured. The state passed a law in 1998 that these excluder traps are mandatory.