Ugh... one bird too many. How screwed am I?

I’m fortunate to have a great job and can afford this. $525 for some folks is half a monthly income. That’s way out of line for the “crime” committed.
Don’t forget that the “victim” here that demanded restitution in the amount of $300 was the Crown. This principle is ridiculous. Nothing but backdoor extortion and should be treated as such.
 
My point was it was a federal offense. Anybody who thinks $300 is nuts should just plead guilty and check into a federal prison for 6 months. Fine could have been up to $15,000.00 for offenses. Wearing a seatbelt should not be a law but it is. What’s the fine for it. Couple hundred dollars?

Plus the OP got to keep his gun and rights to hunt.

What’s “nuts” if true, is that killing a common bird would get you 6 months in prison, $15,000 in fines, confiscation of personal property and loss of hunting privileges which have typically been a GOD given right to survive. This is a bird, not a white rhino. This was also done on personal property not in a game land.
 
I've never been involved in a court case that didn't involve cost of court regardless of the outcome and today that's well over $100. Was that not a part of the $300 as well? The kicker to me is the lawyer who got paid over $200 for making a phone call, knowing that was all he would have to do.
 
I've never been involved in a court case that didn't involve cost of court regardless of the outcome and today that's well over $100. Was that not a part of the $300 as well? The kicker to me is the lawyer who got paid over $200 for making a phone call, knowing that was all he would have to do.

Yeah that’s something that I need to clear up on Monday as well. I had the impression court cost would be involved as well but maybe a wildlife charge is a little different...
 
Honesty at this point I’m just trying to feel out what to expect. A clean criminal background is necessary in my job and I’m afraid of losing it depending on what a guilty plea would mean in this situation.

Unless your boss already hates you, there's no way you're gonna get fired for a hunting violation. If you lose your job over this, it was comin' anyway...
 
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If ya can't do the time.....don't do the crime..... Be thankful you didn't get a judge trying to make a name for him/herself.....

What's the moral of the story?? Learn to count...

What crime did I commit? Apparently the judge didn’t think what I did was a crime or he would not have dropped charges correct?

Im just baffled at how the cost of a dove is figured. Again, I was not charged a fine of $300 for a crime. I was charged $300 for the cost of a bird. Can you with a straight face tell me that my season limit of 45 dove is worth $13,500? Who in there right mind came up with that value?
 
What crime did I commit? Apparently the judge didn’t think what I did was a crime or he would not have dropped charges correct?

Im just baffled at how the cost of a dove is figured. Again, I was not charged a fine of $300 for a crime. I was charged $300 for the cost of a bird. Can you with a straight face tell me that my season limit of 45 dove is worth $13,500? Who in there right mind came up with that value?

A Judge wouldn't have a say at all if a case is dismissed. Prosecutors drop cases all the time. In fact judges have very little control over plea deals at the misdemeanor level.
 
A guy I work with thought turkey season opened a day before it actually did. He and his son both killed a bird .
His neighbor saw him come out of the woods with two turkeys and called the game warden.
And though the game warden said he believed it was a honest mistake it still cost him 8000 a bird and the suspension of his license for a year.
So you did very well
 
A guy I work with thought turkey season opened a day before it actually did. He and his son both killed a bird .
His neighbor saw him come out of the woods with two turkeys and called the game warden.
And though the game warden said he believed it was a honest mistake it still cost him 8000 a bird and the suspension of his license for a year.
So you did very well

Supermarkets are way undercharging at Thanksgiving then.

I wonder if a Game Warden ran over one of my pet turkeys if I could hand him a bill for $8,000...?
 
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I see you want this thread to be a place to vent about the high cost, but that’s the cost.
View attachment 256939

Incorrect, the original intention of this thread was to try and resource this exact sort of information. Alone I could not find anything along the lines of the information you presented. Even the game warden couldn’t give me a clue as to what to expect.

Thank you for this is helpful information albeit a month late.
 
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Don’t forget that the “victim” here that demanded restitution in the amount of $300 was the Crown. This principle is ridiculous. Nothing but backdoor extortion and should be treated as such.
Yup.
Do people realize how many birds are hit and fly off and die or can't be found after they go down in a thick field.
This whole thing is BS.

When they start fining people who run over animals because they are not paying attention or on their phone or just not a safe driver, then I'll agree that there should be a fine for the bird that dog drug in.
 
I've never been involved in a court case that didn't involve cost of court regardless of the outcome and today that's well over $100. Was that not a part of the $300 as well? The kicker to me is the lawyer who got paid over $200 for making a phone call, knowing that was all he would have to do.
I recall my one and only speeding ticket on the way back from Wilmington, the fine was ony $5 but the rest of $150 cost was administration and court fees.
 
That's about the same price I paid for drinking a beer in the wrong place once
would have lost my concealed carry "privilege" for about 7 years too. It was suspended by the county as is, pending out come of the court. Then I had to go before the county gun board and explain to them why I should have it restored.
Gun board unanimously agreed it was stupid all around and the city was trying to railroad me.

long story short, me and my buddy walked into court, brought a pitbull lawyer who will not say what the arrangement was with the prosecutor, but somehow we ended up with tickets for impeding traffic instead.

I hope to never have a beer so expensive again.
 
I recall my one and only speeding ticket on the way back from Wilmington, the fine was ony $5 but the rest of $150 cost was administration and court fees.

NC has some of the most expensive seat belt tickets in the country. The fines are federally limited to $25. NC, and other states, had a cha-ching moment and tracked on $160+ in court costs.
 
i think it sucks that it seems like you have to be a lawyer to talk to the da before the court case. they probably got together and decided on $300 in 1 minute but chatted for an hour to bill you...
 
What crime? Forgetting some guys dog brought you a bird? Should have thrown it in the weeds.

That dog couldn’t find squat all day but as soon as the wardens had us all sat down checking guns it suddenly became a decent bird dog....
 
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i think it sucks that it seems like you have to be a lawyer to talk to the da before the court case. they probably got together and decided on $300 in 1 minute but chatted for an hour to bill you...
The whole systems a racket. It’s why it’s a legal system and not a justice system. Does $300 for a bird the dog dragged in sound like justice?
 
NC has some of the most expensive seat belt tickets in the country. The fines are federally limited to $25. NC, and other states, had a cha-ching moment and tracked on $160+ in court costs.

And this is why it is a good idea to pay that 75 for an attorney to go to court for you or to do the research yourself and know what to ask for.

(e)Any driver or front seat passenger who fails to wear a seat belt as required by this section shall have committed an infraction and shall pay a penalty of twenty-five dollars and fifty cents ($25.50) plus the following court costs: the General Court of Justice fee provided for in G.S.7A-304(a)(4), the telephone facilities fee provided for in G.S.7A-304(a)(2a), and the law enforcement training and certification fee provided for in G.S.7A-304(a)(3b). Any rear seat occupant of a vehicle who fails to wear a seat belt as required by this section shall have committed an infraction and shall pay a penalty of ten dollars ($10.00) and no court costs. Court costs assessed under this section are for the support of the General Court of Justice and shall be remitted to the State Treasurer. Conviction of an infraction under this section has no other consequence.
 
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Total bs cost. I'd like to know when and if they start doing anything about blowing grass clippings in the road. Ya know something dangerous to motorcycles and cars alike. Won't even hold them responsible when they are doing this and damage a vehicle or break a side glass
 
Total bs cost. I'd like to know when and if they start doing anything about blowing grass clippings in the road. Ya know something dangerous to motorcycles and cars alike. Won't even hold them responsible when they are doing this and damage a vehicle or break a side glass

Back when I was riding I was on the way back home from a work week up north. Coming through VA on 15 I rounded a curve and the whole lane was covered with thick grass and the dude was still throwing more out there. I was able to dodge it and within a mile I met a State Trooper. Waved like crazy and hit the brakes and saw his lights come on so I pulled over. He came up behind me and I told him about the situation. He said he would stop and check it out. When he left I turned around and rode back that way to see him on the side of the road with his lights on, talking to the guy with the mower. At least one guy listened.
 
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I am ok with the fine for the bird- it's got to hurt some or you don't remember it, lol

I guess I should expound on this more....

I am fine with $300 for bird- IF it goes to replace or build habitat for bird.

Lawyer fee is a separate cost- either you have to fight your own battle and live with cost, or pay extra for someone with juice to fight it for you. I don't live in a world where everyone get a "fair" shake. Lawyers get a deal that most don't, same as a guy that knows a friend that does plumbing or a/c, or guy that works at gun store, or guy that has a hook up with some ammo place- We all have a hook up somewhere that others don't.

Flat out "court cost"---- that is what pisses me off. Taxes pay for court, don't add on top of it.
 
Bwahahahahah

We as land owners provide the habitat.

That money went into someone’s pocket.

Well I will agree-ish, lol.

small land holders will sometimes make good habitat.
Larger farms do not- Which I am ok with because they are a $ making venture.

If that $ goes into a game land to make more habitat, good for it . But too a degree, a part would go into a non-hunting zone- not every dove is going to a game land.
 
Well what I want to know is how do I get into the business of providing these $300 doves to the state to replace the ones that people get fined for. That sounds like a very good business opportunity.
 
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