No more trash man, how about you?

[Backwater Eddy]

(FACT) - The #1 reason landowners shut down access to hunters and fisherman is littering and general disrespect for private and public property.

This season we have all witnessed more trash and waist on our lakes and rivers then ever before. Has anyone seen a single violation issued? I have seen not one issued, even when reported in a timely manner.

Responsible sportsman and sportswoman pack it in and pack it out when they leave. This is not a difficult concept to wrap ones mind around as I see it.

We pick it up; they toss it out again the next day. When you can pick up a 30-gal trash bag one day and then return the next day and do the same, you have become the garbage man for the irresponsible and uncaring. I think we got this all wrong. It is time for a change as I see it.

No more trash man for me, report all litter's, document the events, turn them in, collect evidence, press charges, show up in court and make it stick, that is the new plan for me. Cameras, and camcorders are a handy tool, use them well.

Courts need to issue mandatory trash pick up sentences and a healthy fine after they do so. No more pay the fine and leave. Hand them a bag on the spot to pick up trash or sit in jail until you do pick up your fair share of trash. Being responsible for your own waist will soon appear to be a better choice then littering, and a much better use of their time.

They will learn, or at least think twice, before they litter our woods & waters again. If they repeat, guess what, twice the pick time or jail, or both. I see this as the only way to change their individual habits.

The tips line number is on ever license issued in my region. Use it, or call the local police and INSIST on action.

If we don't we will see more and more loss of hunting and fishing access rights. The outdoors we once hunted and fished will soon become a trash dump for the irresponsible and the uncaring.

It is our choice.

Ed Carlson

(AKA

Backwater Eddy......><,,>

[DRHOWES]

Very moving........ I will strongly agree because my father taught me when I was young and it is still with me.......I plan on teaching my kids someday if I have any.
How hard is it to walk five feet to a dumpster or garbage can and throw your garbage away. The cans , wrappers , fast food bags have been in your vehicle for a week.....why not wait another day and throw it out properly instead kicking it out of the vehicle when out huning or fishing. I know someone like this very close to my friend wise........he is wising up around me.....you would think someone 30 years old would know better.....then I met his father and can understand why. We need to imbed this into people at an early age. Can't wait to fish......come on rainy open up soon.



"The only thing I can cure is my thirst"

[mac]

Got a good lesson from my dad when I was young. We were driving down the street and there was a broken beer bottle in the road. He stopped, picked it up and continued on without any comment. I've never forgotten it and have always have done the same.
I was road hunting pheasants once and one of the guys in the back pitched a pop can out the window. I stopped, backed up, got out and put it in the trunk with out comment. Sure was silent in the back for a long time.

[KP]

Great post! I carry a garbage bad in my boat to pick up what debris I can. If I see who is the culprit, I write down their boat or vehicle number. Same thing if I see someones boat motor spewing oil into the water. Don't stop what your doing but please take one more step. Recycle if you don't already.

[brushpile]

OK I own a small contracting business. Hired a guy this summer that was clueless. Kept throwing cig. butts all over my yard(shop behind my house). I said something to him about it. in one ear and out the other. My wife started picking them up and putting them in a zip-loc. 10-15 in the bag she hands them back to him. Doesn't faze the guy. Wife keeps picking them up, I pick them up. 10- 15 more in the bag I hand them to this idiot again this time I said--Rick every cig. butt I pick up out of my yard I'm taking 5 bucks out of your check. For every cig. butt that one of my kids pick up it will cost you $50. Just like you said Eddy hit them where it hurts.

[Jim Ordway]

BE, with you all the way. I get ticked when I see people throwing their cigarette butts on the ground. They should all get tickets for littering. Leave it the way you found it, unless you can make it better.

[Cangl]

Despite the uglest problem we have in the metro areas ( homes of glass and plastic built to close to a lake) litter makes everybody look like trashy person that dumps on us. Its an act of sheer pity for myself and them that I do pick up alot of the crap. Sorry but I have no pity for vanity or the ignorance of disregard.

She get's angry with the gum wrappers in pockets laundry day, uttohh
better go check.

[THUMPER]

I agree Eddy.......I have seen lots as I'm sure all you guys and gals have over the years. When we get permission to cross property and I have permission to take a buddy I make sure he understands that we ask each and every time. At the end of the year I bring the man a bottle if we use it frequently and will also give him fish or game as gifts through the season. I always take the time to converse with the man if he is in the yard. I always make a point of informing the guy if we are doing something that he doesn't like please let us know. Made some good friends over the years that way.
I have posted property at our summer camp here in NW Ontario and guys were running it (trespassing) in the fall on quads hunting Moose. Absolutely no respect!!!!

[Gilligan]

Eddie..I have a friend, a now retired PA Waterways patrolman. This man literaly camped out in areas receiving lots of litter. Common dumping spots saw him spending all nighters laying in the grass over the bank waiting for a bag of garbage to tumble over. He took it personal when someone littered especially in his juristiction. He drew salary, could have been home after 8 hours unless something pressing occoured, he chose to do this on his own for no extra pay. When I occasionaly have a 'weak moment' and think it would be simpler to slip a gum wrapper out the car window I invision Stan hiding by a nearby tree waiting to catch a litter bug!

[Den]

B.E. I agree , it does get sickening to see what is throwed along the way. i usually have a bag with me when i go to the river, and one thing i really enjoy is seeing somebody that i reconize throwing wrappers, or just plain trash in the water, or on the bank. i pick it up, and on the way out i have been know to put it on the persons car, or in the bed of a pick-up truck with a note saying " i think you forgot to bring this back with you", i do know that it has worked in most cases.and even some of them are doing the same thing now. good luck and good fishin.
Den

[beetle]

How hard can it be to take out with you what you came in with??

[Backwater Eddy]

Slobs are creatures of habit and therefore easy to catch. Most of the worst offenders do it time and time again.

I will be fishing for more them piggys this year. I have had enough of seeing the same beer can, motor oil dumping, and bottle chucking Bozo's slop up our recourses.

I always carry zip-lock bags and a telephoto camera and I will show up in court to testify if need be.

The local cops don't push it so we need to help out and make sure they KNOW we know they know about the litter situation!

Example - Last year someone dumped a pickup load of junk including a engine block, unopened mail, oil, plastic bags with credit card receipts in them and gobs of other miscellanies junk mail all with the same address in the boat ramp.

I knew the time frame down to less then 3 hours and I called the local police to look into it, and waited, and waited and eventually was forced to leave to get on with life.

They did show up, 4 days later, I get a call. “Ah where was that again, we will go take a look right away?”

Then they requested the park board to remove it with a loader. I followed up on this 4 times and got the same response. “There was not enough proof to link it to anyone”. GIVE me a break! There was proof everywhere that could have linked it back if they bothered to look and fallow up on it.

Someone needs to know WE CARE, and how much we do care.


Backwater Eddy ~ ~ ~><sUMo> ~ ><>

http://home.talkcity.com/ResortRd/backwtr1/index.html

[risor39]

Watch out you nasty Bugs eagle eye Eddy is going to get you.Very well put Ed.They should keep running the commercial with the indian crying that one really hits you.

[GBII30]

Good job guys. I am glad to see that I'am not the only one. Good luck fihing SEE ya GBIIW30

[reddog]

Eddie, 30 some years ago, I was 13 years old, and my dad had just passed away that fall. One of his co-workers took me out on a hunting excursion one weekend, and as usual,that evening, there was some drinkin (him, not me). As you all may know, times were different that way back then, and he wanted me to drive. I drove for a while, and opened up a stick of gum and pitched the wrapper out the window. He proceeded to ask me if I wanted my kids to see all the junk that I had thrown out the window while I was growing up? I said that I hadnt thought about it. To make a long story short, It made a HUGE effect on my life, mainly becasue he had taken the time to enlighten me. Nobody had ever told me or shown me that it was wrong to dispose of waste that way. I think that is the bigggest problem, it just is not taught.
Several years later, I was out on a date with my girlfriend, now my wife, and I did almost the same thing to her, only I backed up and made her pick up her pack of cigarettes that she threw out. What an impact that made. No one had ever told her either, but she does not throw anything out anymore either, and we just celebrated 25 years together yesterday. Our daughter is the same way and isnt shy about telling her friends not to do it either. I think it all boils down to someone explaining that it is unacceptable behavior. Surely, there are those that will not change. but you never know until you try to tell them. It is a life long comittment once you have been enlightened. Do not be afraid to make an impact!

[Pitts]

Not to stir the pot or anything but how many people have had the garbage from a new bait sail over the side when under way and turned around to find it but to no avail.
I wish that tackle Co's would start packaging there tackle in reusable ziplock bags and get away from the cardboard and plastic that when you tear it apart it becomes 2 peices, or the cardboard box and plastic lid on cranks with a peice of paper telling there life history. This is the kind of stuff I have trouble with in a boat it will even fly out of my garbage can under the dash of the boat so I drape a towel over it and tuck it in the bugee holding it in place.
Not to pick on one manufacturer or the other Eddy why don't ya put a bug in the maker of the Chubby Darter I know for a fact I have lost the plastic cover for at least 2 of them out on the ice and could not find them even after searching. A plastic zip bag and hook gaurds with good printing on the bag should suffice.
All the tackle Co's need to take a look at there packaging to reduce waste and litter in our lakes and streams.
Thanks for listening


Pitts

[Backwater Eddy]

A good point.

I try to load all the new stuff in my tackle box’s and eliminate all packaging materials at home or before I hit the water. Less junk in the boat, and less stuff to be kicked around.

My personal major pet peeve is Styrofoam and plastic bait containers.

Oh boy, here we go!

Someone please tell me why do we really need Styrofoam bait cup containers? It adds expense to the bait dealer and us fisherman and not very environmentally wise. A night crawler crib or a leach locker is by far the best method of bait storage. Paper core bait products made from recycled materials are at least biodegradable if the slobs do toss them into the water.

If the bait can't sit in a waxed paper core container for more then a few days, the bait is highly likely to be poor in the first place from old age.

I see Styrofoam bait leach and crawler containers everywhere and have picked up thousands in just a few years. Personally I wish they would outlaw the dam things or at least place a deposit on them high enough where they do not end up in the water.

A Styrofoam bait container will outlive you and I put together and likely our kids too. We will rot long before they do.

OK, I vented, I feel much better now.

Backwater Eddy ~ ~ ~><sUMo> ~ ><>

http://home.talkcity.com/ResortRd/backwtr1/index.html

[Kaz]

Hi Eddie: I know what you mean!! Some people think the are on a higher level and leave junk all over the place. I remember going to a shore lunch spot on LOTW and had to clean up the place before we could move in. Would you believe I found a magazine with a name on it and called the jerk when I got back to the cities, and burned his ear about what slop he was. I think I scared the stuff out of the guy and he couldn't figure out how I knew he was up there. I still clean up the places because maybe the "Fishing Gods" will know and "Shine on Me"!! Always with a BIG BLACK BAG HANDY......Kaz

[Randy G 2]

Kaz: I always knew that you were a neat guy by the way you kept your table clean when we had bagels at Bruggers. Give me a e-mail and let me know how things are with you.

Randy G 2

[luvtotroll]

I agree 100%. I have heard rumors about the some areas around WI River dams being closed to fishing because of the litter. I make it a point to tell people to pick up there garbage.
My biigest beef is all the smokers that I see throwing their cigarettes out the window. Smoke if you want, just don't litter.

Scott