# Attempted turtle spearing?!?!



## cooper138 (Aug 8, 2012)

Just read on the interwebs that some yahoo shot a turtle around the frisco pier. Turtle did get away. I'm guessing this would be the same guy who shines a white light in your face at night.


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## drumrun (Dec 5, 2007)

A POS, whom I hope gets caught and justice gets served. The absolute last thing we need as a user group. Not to say he is in our user group but thats not how it be portrayed.


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## lurebuilder (Sep 2, 2015)

I have never been a big fan of the whole spear fishing thing to start with. Seems very unsportsman like to me.


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## Nico (Aug 18, 2015)

my question is what if you spear something that isnt legal length or do those rules not apply, i really dont know anything about spear fishing


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## cooper138 (Aug 8, 2012)

Nico said:


> my question is what if you spear something that isnt legal length or do those rules not apply, i really dont know anything about spear fishing


I don't know to be honest I would assume length and limits apply. I don't understand why they wouldn't guess you better be good with the ol eyeball ruler


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## Nico (Aug 18, 2015)

cooper138 said:


> I don't know to be honest I would assume length and limits apply. I don't understand why they wouldn't guess you better be good with the ol eyeball ruler


yea if you spear an under size fish im assuming it kills it or badly damages the fish and will eventually die, such a waste


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## DaBig2na (Aug 7, 2011)

cooper138 said:


> I don't know to be honest I would assume length and limits apply. I don't understand why they wouldn't guess you better be good with the ol eyeball ruler


Think about all the flounder that are gigged and when you get them out of the water they are just shy of being legal. If it is undersized the law says you can not posses it. You have to put it back in the water to a most certain death and meal for the crabs.. Cooper your presumption is correct.

Lurebuilder, there is a guy in Rodanthe named Eric that would strongly disagree with you. That man is a spearfishin machine. Not to mention in really great shape from all the swimming he does. If I'm not mistaken he uses an Hawaiian Sling most of the time. 

2na


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## bronzbck1 (Jun 13, 2007)

That flounder is 15". Oops my bad


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## Loop Wing (Aug 23, 2006)

I am an avid spearfisher. If the fish is even close to being near the minimum size, you don't pull the trigger. I am also an avid rod and reel fisherman. I would say by far Spearfishing is much more sporting than rod and reel fishing. We have to enter the fish's domain and beat them as a predator. Rod and reel fishing I just have to throw the correct bait. I know it is more complex than that, but so is Spearfishing. Right place, right time, and an understanding of fish. 

With all that being said. The POS that tried to shoot a turtle or actually shot a turtle should be prosecuted to the full extent of the law!!!!!


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## speckhunter80 (Oct 3, 2011)

Officials try to find who injured rare sea turtle 
HATTERAS ISLAND | Federal officials say they have found the carcass of a rare sea turtle near the old Frisco Pier, days after it was struck by a spear. 
The Virginian-Pilot of Norfolk reports officials from the Cape Hatteras National Seashore said law enforcement rangers have identified a suspect who they believe used a speargun to shoot the turtle while in waters near the pier. 
The turtle’s carcass was found on Friday in the area of the pier after it was speared on Wednesday. At first, it was believed to be one of five threatened or endangered species found on the Outer Banks including loggerhead, Kemp’s Ridley, Green,leatherback and hawksbill. 
Seashore officials say violations involving an endangered species can bring fines of up to $50,000 and a year in jail.


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## bctom (May 25, 2007)

http://islandfreepress.org/2015Arch...illSeekingTurtleInjuredByManWithSpearGun.html


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## Alexy (Nov 1, 2010)

The turtle was recovered ( dead) yesterday by the pier . NPS had ID'ed the guy already and several people there got pictures of him doing it and driving away. He is looking at some severe penalties as the turtles are covered under the Endangered species act.


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## DaBig2na (Aug 7, 2011)

A while back I posted a correspondence I received from CCA about a turtle that was killed by someone with possibly a hammer.

My hope was that something like this would not happen on Hatteras Island or get the NPS involved. This will give them (NPS) a reason to shut the beach down completely. Especially, when the big Drum are starting to turn on. 

Now, if this person is found guilty and convicted. The legal system needs to make him the "Poster Child" what can happen when a crime like this is committed.


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## River (Sep 30, 2006)

I agree with the Poster Child thing DaBig2na ..... But this crime was not committed by a recreational fisherman or a Commercial fisherman .... and that section of beach does not allow beach driving this time of year ..... Also its one of the most convenient beach walkover on the island ..... So I don't see how they could hold that against fisherman and beach driving but you never know, if they shut the easy walkovers down, gonna make a lot of people mad that don't fish or drive on the beach ...... They'll probably tear what's left of the pier down cause the NPS owns it and that's what draws the spearfishing ... and that'll hurt bad enough, I luv that place ..... River


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## cooper138 (Aug 8, 2012)

From IFP article that Tom linked the suspect said he was aiming at a fish and the turtle swam in the way. I would like to think that nobody would intentionally shoot a turtle cause that's messed up. But damn just like shooting a gun you need to completely aware of your surroundings and what may or may not come into your line of fire.


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## DaBig2na (Aug 7, 2011)

Very True River... What I am saying is, regardless of who did it. This incident would just give the NPS a reason to shut it all down Between them, and the environmental wakos blah blah blah, etc, would love to make the whole thing off limits to humans ALL THE TIME.

I hope I'm making sense, and conveying correctly what I am trying to say...

You can call me 2na (Tuna) for "short"


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## Papa-T (Sep 5, 2011)

Problem is; even though this POS did this. It looks bad on all fishermen. Even though he wasn't fishing. Some how it will make all of us look bad. Just gives them another reason to tighten the rope a little more. This really pisses me off.


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## Alexy (Nov 1, 2010)

River said:


> I agree with the Poster Child thing DaBig2na ..... But this crime was not committed by a recreational fisherman or a Commercial fisherman .... and that section of beach does not allow beach driving this time of year ..... Also its one of the most convenient beach walkover on the island ..... So I don't see how they could hold that against fisherman and beach driving but you never know, if they shut the easy walkovers down, gonna make a lot of people mad that don't fish or drive on the beach ...... They'll probably tear what's left of the pier down cause the NPS owns it and that's what draws the spearfishing ... and that'll hurt bad enough, I luv that place ..... River


I thinking it was a walkover . The article says they filmed him followed him and took pictures of his car when he got in it and drove away. if the article is written correctly it sounds like he parked at the old pier lot and then walked out to the pier shot the turtle and hauled a-- when confronted. I agree he should be keel-hauled forit. What a dumb move.


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## surfchunker (Apr 10, 2006)

and now there is a spearfisherman missing at Oregon Inlet ...


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## cooper138 (Aug 8, 2012)

surfchunker said:


> and now there is a spearfisherman missing at Oregon Inlet ...


 Hatteras mafia. Don't mess with them


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## H2OHEAVEN (Aug 29, 2007)

I was down at Topsail last week on vacation and they had 3 nest of turtles hatch while I was there. Do you guys understand that out of the 350-450 eggs hatched that only 1% survive to be an adult. That is only 3-4 turtles. That is really sad.


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## surfchunker (Apr 10, 2006)

but if they take them out to sea and drop them off the rate goes way up


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## DaBig2na (Aug 7, 2011)

They do that in South America but for some reason they will not do that in this country.
I've heard or read that the scientists feel that if they were to take them out to sea after they have hatched. Maybe their offspring may evolve to become dependent on humans for the free ride out to sea, and forget how to crawl their way back to the ocean. Fresh out of their shell.

Ya know very much like the DEPENDANT Class we have in this country, who are always waiting on THEIR CHECK.


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## Alexy (Nov 1, 2010)

Open up the belly of a dolphin fish and you will see where all the turtles go.


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## letmefish (May 23, 2015)

Oh My Gosh, DaBig2Na:

/\ /\ /\ Good one.!!! /\ /\ /\

It's funny how our government (local or otherwise) seems smart enough to understand that sometimes when you attempt to "help" something you could actually make it weaker in the long run, but they don't have any problems handing out all those "Freddy The Freeloader" checks.

Everyone talks about "term limits" on Congressman; when are we gonna get some "term limits" on this kinda crap??? It has become a generational thing now I think. Next, they will be teaching students in public schools how to fill out the forms for government assistance.

I digress!!!

So this guy was just walking around on the beach looking for stuff to spear??? I smell something, and it isn't rotting fish either. How does one "accidentally" spear a large turtle anyways? The guy claims he was aiming for a fish and the turtle swam in front. BS, last I heard, turtles don't swim that fast.


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## Nico (Aug 18, 2015)

what blows my mind is you can get a free fishing licences if your on government assistance, so you cant feed your self but you can afford a rod and reel. priorities in this country are all fouled up. 

but anyways i really do hope this guy gets hammered for his offense.


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## DaBig2na (Aug 7, 2011)

Yeah That One Pegged my Bull S^*+ meter as well...

I wonder if we opened up a Pipping Plover's Belly, would we find any turtles??? Hmmmmm????

THEN WHAT???


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## StillSearchin (Apr 9, 2007)

Here some little ones


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## letmefish (May 23, 2015)

WOW!!!!

Bad, bad fish for being a pig.

It looks to be about 20 to 25 baby turtles in there. What a pig! I've heard of over fishing before, but over "turtling"?.. Hehehe. This is a silly question I know, but were any of those little fellas still alive?


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## StillSearchin (Apr 9, 2007)

Don't know letme. Just a pic I found out in cyber space.


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## SloppyTilapia (Oct 4, 2013)

It looks like the two off the heap are crawling away......maybe that's me just hoping for them lil' fellers.


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## letmefish (May 23, 2015)

SloppyTilapia said:


> It looks like the two off the heap are crawling away......maybe that's me just hoping for them lil' fellers.


Yeah that's what got me to thinking maybe they weren't all dead. One can hope right.


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## SloppyTilapia (Oct 4, 2013)

letmefish said:


> Yeah that's what got me to thinking maybe they weren't all dead. One can hope right.


No doubt, that's an amazing picture, BTW.


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