How does one become a poacher?

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Nov 28, 2022
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I asked CPW several years ago if I could hunt these deer. They said "Oh ya, you can hunt them all you want........you just can't legally discharge a weapon in the city limits". SMH
Weapon or firearm? There may be some loopholes depending on which word is used.
 

ODB

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It all starts with our fixed, flawed human nature and whether it can be controlled.
 

Happy Antelope

WKR
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Not to try and defend any actions, but in the spirit of discussion. You should of seen my morals at 22, they sure aren't the same as today.
I bet you are correct sir....lol I'm sure a lot of us were the same, and it's even worse today.
 

3forks

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I used to think it was just degenerates that poached, but I’m starting to wonder when normal upstanding guys who are pissed about how hunting is being affected by anti-hunting legislation, over crowding, wolf introductions, point creep, CPW ignoring their feedback, etc. in states like Colorado are going to start poaching. Little chance of being caught, and quickly diminishing opportunities are probably making some question whether it’s worth playing by the rules at all.
 

mtwarden

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In my 24 year career I had exactly one poaching incident that involved killing for eating. Large family and poor.

All of our confiscated game went to meat processor (they ground everything into burger) then it was doled out via the food bank, local rest home etc. We were also able to transfer confiscated game to individuals (with just a short form to fill out). I told them I would get the deer they needed, just quit poaching them. Never had trouble with them again.

The vast majority of poaching basically boiled down to ego, sad but true.
 
Joined
Nov 28, 2022
Messages
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I used to think it was just degenerates that poached, but I’m starting to wonder when normal upstanding guys who are pissed about how hunting is being affected by anti-hunting legislation, over crowding, wolf introductions, point creep, CPW ignoring their feedback, etc. in states like Colorado are going to start poaching. Little chance of being caught, and quickly diminishing opportunities are probably making some question whether it’s worth playing by the rules at all.
CPW already estimates that there are as many poached animals annually as there are legally harvested. I wonder if that’s mostly folks out in the woods knocking over deer on public, or if a lot of that is private land owners who know they’re never going to get caught on their own property.
 

3forks

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CPW already estimates that there are as many poached animals annually as there are legally harvested. I wonder if that’s mostly folks out in the woods knocking over deer on public, or if a lot of that is private land owners who know they’re never going to get caught on their own property.
Geez! I hadn’t heard that stat about the ratio of legal to poached animals.

Very discouraging to hear that.
 

Happy Antelope

WKR
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CPW already estimates that there are as many poached animals annually as there are legally harvested. I wonder if that’s mostly folks out in the woods knocking over deer on public, or if a lot of that is private land owners who know they’re never going to get caught on their own property.
More deer are killed on the highway in Lincoln, MT than hunters harvest I believe as well.
 
Joined
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CPW already estimates that there are as many poached animals annually as there are legally harvested. I wonder if that’s mostly folks out in the woods knocking over deer on public, or if a lot of that is private land owners who know they’re never going to get caught on their own property.
I am not surprised. It would be super easy to poach. Too east actually.

Last year, I heard 15 early morning and late evening single rifle shots on the mountain from what could only have been rifle Bear hunters.

I will be interested to see how many bears got turned in vs how many shots I heard. A couple rifle shots came from canyons with elk bugling in them......Not a fan of the bear rifle seasons during the elk archery for this very reason. It would be so easy to poach and not even get caught. Especially with silenced rifles.

Could be people actually shooting bears...

OR

Could be people shooting at coyotes while they are out rifle bear hunting...

OR

Could be someone target practicing in the middle of nowhere for no particular reason at prime time.

OR

Its people whacking and stacking bulls and bucks with zero concern of being caught.

Either way, I can only control what I do. Not what others decide to do with their moral values.
 
Last edited:
Joined
Nov 28, 2022
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I’ve had the same thought every time I go early season. Nothing against those legally shooting bears, but it’s such an easy cover to have a bear tag and never get caught stacking up deer and elk with a rifle.
 
Joined
Dec 13, 2023
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In my 24 year career I had exactly one poaching incident that involved killing for eating. Large family and poor.

All of our confiscated game went to meat processor (they ground everything into burger) then it was doled out via the food bank, local rest home etc. We were also able to transfer confiscated game to individuals (with just a short form to fill out). I told them I would get the deer they needed, just quit poaching them. Never had trouble with them again.

The vast majority of poaching basically boiled down to ego, sad but true.
Very nice, but this practice is something that hasn't always been practiced. A buddy back home has a son that is a state game warden (officer?). He tells me quite often of his kid giving needy families/people processed game.
Food banks may take it, but the retirement homes I know anything about, no longer "cook"!
SYSCO, a restaurant supply business drops off frozen foods and canned goods. "Cooking" consists of thawing/nuking foods and opening institutional size cans to heat up
 

2531usmc

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I went to West Virginia University and it was pretty common for kids to go home every other weekend or so and poach a deer out two. It’s how they fed themselves in college.

Not saying it right or wrong….
 
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