To catch a thief....or Operation Game Thief...or just let the thief go...

[CrappieHusker]

A few weeks ago I witnessed a guy cleaning a fish basket full of crappies....filleted them quickly, and I would guess he had over a limit in the basket. Two or three minutes later, he is back cleaning another basket of crappie, yes I am sure they were crappie....another limit minimum. Now I was interested. After filleting the second basket, here comes another large basket. This time I counted each carcass he threw in the water after filleting each fish. It only took him thirty seconds to fillet and skin one side, turn the fish over and fillet and skin the other side. I counted a total of 23 crappies this time.
I later talked to another fisherman on the same dock, and he told me there were three people fishing on the dock and they were way over their limits.....found out later only two of the three had licenses. This was over the 4th of July weekend and at a busy condo, and the next afternoon I saw the same guy him fillet another two baskets of crappies.
Now what would you do?
Someone did call OGT (Operation Game Thief) and two of Missouri's finest.... conservationists.... came out a day or two later. I understand they did check all guys on the dock for licenses and did talk to the actual culprit, but the guy had probably frozen, given away or eaten the evidence. They did not find anything wrong and did not go in the guy's condo. Found out later that they did not want to make a scene as it was a busy holiday and there were tons of people around. They did say that they would keep an eye on the dock especially on weekends.
Anyone have thoughts out there, and how far can an agent go as far as checking the inside of a residence?
Husker

[Speck]

They would either need the owners permission or a warrant based on probable cause to search the residence. Other than that, if another law enforcement agency was searching the residence while investigating a different crime and found evidence of a wildlife violation, I believe they could then call a conservation agent for assistance.

[Rees Guide]

If they are doing it and you know it for a fact then call and have their tales busted. With that said be dang sure you are rite when you make those accusations and even if you are the reprocussions could be bad. I hear guys all the time, "just look, aint no way that fish is legal", well whether it is or not is not my affair but if I take it on myself to get in the middle of it I had dang sure better be rite.
I don't condone taking from our resources illegally but for the most part I just don't spend time worrying about what someone else is doing, that's the Game Wardens job.
This case sounds pretty blaitant, do what ya gotta do.

[peculiarmike]

If you know for sure what you saw is a violation THEN is the time to notify law enforcement. County sheriff's office, they will notify the area MDC agent.

[beagle man]

hard to prove, and if the conservation agent can't get a confession it would be hard to prove, Look at it this way, Bill caught 15, mike caught 15, george and ralph and zethro all have 15, udell cleaned all of them for each of the guys, hard to prove he did not, and if each labeled all there catch after cleaning, and put in there apartment well again hard to prove, but since you notified the agents in charge I am sure they will watch pretty close.

[MBO]

No one likes a game hog. Better yet which condo dock we talking.

[beagle man]

one more thing, I have been to crappie camp and one guy cleaned 8 different peoples fish, and I have sat and watched some sippi boys clean my,there,others fish,,,, so who knows but the shadow

[Billbob]

true beagle

[dfar]

Heck if I had known that at camp I would have brought my 2 fish over......

[Sawdustsavage]

Next time take a few pics and send them to your state troopers or whoever is in charge of fish law enforcement.
We had a problem where I bank fish salmon.
You have to release wild fish unharmed. A few jerks were dragging the fish they had to release up in the dry sand then taking numerous pictures before releasing the fish. These fish are as good as dead. It only took a few pics to the state police and that ended that.