hunters/outdoorsman beware!

This isn't mom and pops growing the weed up here. These are criminals, some with connections to mexican gangs and illegal aliens. Recently just south of Rhinelander a field of 130 plants was found on private land and just south of Minocqua 150 plants were cultivated in the state forest. There's been a lot more. We have big drug problems up here with meth, heroin and rx drugs being some of the worst. How the hell do I know what I'm coming across in the woods when I'm hiking with my dog. I don't give a rats a$$ about what someone grows for their own personal use. I don't care if you use it. But what's going on in the forests are criminals using public land and most likely, have the means to defend it. I love it up here and I'm not going to let the criminals ruin it for me or anyone else. And you idiots that are defending this don't have a clue as to whats going on. Some of you are so f'n hypocritical. You get angry when the some cops harass you for doing something legal - carrying, yet you don't want to raise a hand to bring attention to someone doing something illegal. I'm sick of this group. There's been times I've avoided it due to the petty bickering but I don't think I've ever been so angry as I am now. What's wrong with you, approving of people breaking the law and wanting someone like me just looking the other way? Do you actually think that if you or I came across a guarded grow or lab, the criminal would also look the other way and let bygones be bygones?
I have never written a post like this but this topic really hits home. I am always out in the woods and I always have a gun on me or with me. Thank God I can do that. I'm not afraid to be out there, but gun or not, I don't stand a chance against the criminals manufacturing drugs up here. I'm grateful that most of us up here would do the right thing and report it.

Cobbersmom said:

. What's wrong with you, approving of people breaking the law and wanting someone like me just looking the other way? .

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Some of us believe a victimless crime should not be a crime.

johnny amish said:

Some of us believe a victimless crime should not be a crime.

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It wont be a victimless crime when you come across one of these fields when someone is tending it and they don't know your feelings and they do whatever they can to stop you from telling about their operation.


When cartels use our public lands to finance their criminal activities it no longer is a victim less crime.

Cobbersmom said:

This isn't mom and pops growing the weed up here. These are criminals, some with connections to mexican gangs and illegal aliens. Recently just south of Rhinelander a field of 130 plants was found on private land and just south of Minocqua 150 plants were cultivated in the state forest. There's been a lot more. We have big drug problems up here with meth, heroin and rx drugs being some of the worst. How the hell do I know what I'm coming across in the woods when I'm hiking with my dog. I don't give a rats a$$ about what someone grows for their own personal use. I don't care if you use it. But what's going on in the forests are criminals using public land and most likely, have the means to defend it. I love it up here and I'm not going to let the criminals ruin it for me or anyone else. And you idiots that are defending this don't have a clue as to whats going on. Some of you are so f'n hypocritical. You get angry when the some cops harass you for doing something legal - carrying, yet you don't want to raise a hand to bring attention to someone doing something illegal. I'm sick of this group. There's been times I've avoided it due to the petty bickering but I don't think I've ever been so angry as I am now. What's wrong with you, approving of people breaking the law and wanting someone like me just looking the other way? Do you actually think that if you or I came across a guarded grow or lab, the criminal would also look the other way and let bygones be bygones?
I have never written a post like this but this topic really hits home. I am always out in the woods and I always have a gun on me or with me. Thank God I can do that. I'm not afraid to be out there, but gun or not, I don't stand a chance against the criminals manufacturing drugs up here. I'm grateful that most of us up here would do the right thing and report it.

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I am not defending the wholesale sell out of our public lands or private for that matter. One of the big points is you say you always have a gun on you and thank God you can do that, point is if you follow the law you can't do that. The DNR and DEA want us to join the fight disarmed in State Parks, County Parks and other forested areas like fisheries and preserves. You can bet I am not defending the ruthless Drug Cartels and their operations but I am also not going to make myself a target informant when I will get no protection from law enforcement. Most of who I would run into are local growers trying to earn a little spending money, like the fellow caught on the deer cam in Vernon County who turned himself in when his picture was printed in the paper. Minoqua may be a different story, I don't live in that area. I am also not defending the Meth labs, in fact I said they are of great concern because you are dealing with a whole different criminal profile. I am saying that I would be more than willing to cooperate with law enforcement if they would give the law abiding a fair shake all the time across the board. I some cases that I have helped law enforcement, I have also become a suspect because of the knowledge I had and how I obtained that knowledge. 130-150 plants are a very small operation, likely not organized crime, yes I do think they should be growing it on their own land not yours, mine or public. As you stated your bigger problems are with Meth and Heroin, again a whole different more aggressive, dangerous, violent and desperate criminal profile.

Eventually, someone is always a victim of a crime. We may not agree with a law, but if we don't abide by it, we are no better than those we blast for not respecting our rights.

An illegal drug operation is a dangerous game and who is going to play by "the rules"? It's anything goes for the criminal. Beware I can see why Cobbersmom is upset. This is nothing to play around with. And yes, maybe there is a better solution. But, until then....

Regardless whether you would or wouldn’t report a drug operation, everyone here can agree that being in the outdoors is one of the places that everyone should carry. Doesn’t matter if you are hiking or bow hunting or whatever. There are two and four legged predators and plenty of ways to get hurt or lost.

There is risk in reporting and risk in looking the other way. Personally, if I found something on public land, I would anonymously inform the cops and if on private land I would inform the owner and let them decide what to do.

Main thing would be to always be aware of your surroundings.

My origination of the post was not to defend growers. My intent was to point out the hypocrisy. For years peope have tried to strip our rights to carry on public lands. Whether it be county parks, which can be great vast, to national forest and parks. All this time they have been preaching of how there is "no reason for someone to go armed in a park" (sic). And acting like the parks are big safe zone or something. I know from personal experiece that you can run accross some pretty interesting charactors back in the woods, and I would prefer to be armed when I am (typically) out of cell range and usually all by myself. Now after all this preaching about how all these lands were a "safe zone" they admit that they aren't quiet as safe as they've been saying they were. And now after they have ostrisized a large portion of the "outdoorsman" type, now they are asking us for help.
I personally am not a big fan of these grow operations, alhtough have no problem with people getting smoked up on their own time and in their own home. I have run accross a couple abandoned operations. They leave most of thier waste and junk. I demand respect for the woods and won't leave so much as a gum wrapper in the woods. Additionally they divert water any way they can, sometimes for very long distances with hoses and everything else. They have no respect for the land or the critters that live there. They typically leave booby traps and everything else to deter people. It is not unheard of for the tenders to camp on site with their crop. Heck in the Delavan/Darien area they have found at least two grow ops along the turtle creek with camps made. All indications were that it was immigrants of a south of the border type that were running them. It is not something that anyone should have to worry about, but it is a thing that makes our common cause of carrying personal protection even more reasonable and plausible.

phred said:

SNIP Eventually, someone is always a victim of a crime. We may not agree with a law, but if we don't abide by it, we are no better than those we blast for not respecting our rights.

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No bashing Congress, please.

PS: Saw a photo of a political sign out west somewhere that said, "Fight organized crime. Don't vote."

Viral campaign banner.

HURT
U.S. Congress

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.

cobbersmom said:

this isn't mom and pops growing the weed up here. These are criminals, some with connections to mexican gangs and illegal aliens. Recently just south of rhinelander a field of 130 plants was found on private land and just south of minocqua 150 plants were cultivated in the state forest. There's been a lot more. We have big drug problems up here with meth, heroin and rx drugs being some of the worst. How the hell do i know what i'm coming across in the woods when i'm hiking with my dog. I don't give a rats a$$ about what someone grows for their own personal use. I don't care if you use it. But what's going on in the forests are criminals using public land and most likely, have the means to defend it. I love it up here and i'm not going to let the criminals ruin it for me or anyone else. And you idiots that are defending this don't have a clue as to whats going on. Some of you are so f'n hypocritical. You get angry when the some cops harass you for doing something legal - carrying, yet you don't want to raise a hand to bring attention to someone doing something illegal. I'm sick of this group. There's been times i've avoided it due to the petty bickering but i don't think i've ever been so angry as i am now. What's wrong with you, approving of people breaking the law and wanting someone like me just looking the other way? Do you actually think that if you or i came across a guarded grow or lab, the criminal would also look the other way and let bygones be bygones?
I have never written a post like this but this topic really hits home. I am always out in the woods and i always have a gun on me or with me. Thank god i can do that. I'm not afraid to be out there, but gun or not, i don't stand a chance against the criminals manufacturing drugs up here. I'm grateful that most of us up here would do the right thing and report it.

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thank you cobbersmom!!!!!

phred said:

Eventually, someone is always a victim of a crime. We may not agree with a law, but if we don't abide by it, we are no better than those we blast for not respecting our rights.

An illegal drug operation is a dangerous game and who is going to play by "the rules"? It's anything goes for the criminal. Beware I can see why Cobbersmom is upset. This is nothing to play around with. And yes, maybe there is a better solution. But, until then....

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Quick Question:

What stretch of Interstate Hwy is the most used for drug trafficking in the entire USA?

There are things that we know and things that we don't know -- and things that we don't know that we don't know. WITS, how would we know?

Maybe eye95 - I-95 - from Fl to DC.

FMJ45 said:

Quick Question:

What stretch of Interstate Hwy is the most used for drug trafficking in the entire USA?

Click to expand...

I'm going to throw out a SWAG; I-10?

SWAG?

I used to drive for SWAG Engineering's SCCA Racing Team. SWAG; "measure once, cut twice, mark it with a grease pencil, cut it with an axe, trim to suit and paint to fit."

Doug Huffman said:

SWAG?

I used to drive for SWAG Engineering's SCCA Racing Team. SWAG; "measure once, cut twice, mark it with a grease pencil, cut it with an axe, trim to suit and paint to fit."

Click to expand...

SWAG= From the depths of American rock n roll roots, AND corporate events:

Sheeet We Ain't Gittin


As to the WITS, the most used section of interstate highway for drug trafficking in the USA is

Hwy 51, from Wausau, WI. north to the Border. (Any lurking LEO can attest to this)

This trivia is brought to you in support of hiking biking hunting anti-drug conversations relating to the Minocqua and the surrounding northwoods area of Wisconsin.

FMJ45 said:

SWAG= From the depths of American rock n roll roots, AND corporate events:

Sheeet We Ain't Gittin


As to the WITS, the most used section of interstate highway for drug trafficking in the USA is

Hwy 51, from Wausau, WI. north to the Border. (Any lurking LEO can attest to this)

This trivia is brought to you in support of hiking biking hunting anti-drug conversations relating to the Minocqua and the surrounding northwoods area of Wisconsin.

Click to expand...

Really?
I know it used to be I-95 through Brevard County FL, and I-75 up the gulf coast back in the cocaine-filled 90's.

I kinda doubt 51/39 is as drug filled as you think. Unless all those 6-place enclosed snowmobile trailers are filled with bales and bricks. And the livewells and rod lockers of the ranger boats are filled too.
But, there has been lots of tar heroin showing up around here lately, and the cops have a good idea who is moving most of it already.

I would think it would be I-35. It's pretty much a main line from Mexico all the way up to Minnapolis.