The morality of poaching

[MKern85]

Poaching is a legal term by the government. Feeding your family when you really have no other viable option is a moral thing. If my family was hungry and I needed to feed them then I would do what I have to do. Fortunately God ha blessed me and I have never had to worry about it.

 

[Rob5589]

so one would have to sell his bow for a cheap bow. use the left over money for food. run out of food then sell the cheap bow for a knife. use left over money for food. then find a stick widdle a spear with the knife. sell the knife for some money for food. then hike out and acquire a deer for food.

Interesting deduction.

 

[fatlander]

Every part of the country is different, but I think for the most part in the lower 48 there is help there for those that need it. Hunters for the hungry is a wonderful program that should be utilized before poaching to feed your family is considered.

Any government assistance should be used before poaching. I see EBT cards getting swiped from time to time at the grocery store. The help is there, you’ve gotta go find it.

50 years ago, not so much. In todays time, I really don’t see any excuse unless you’re in a real survival situation. And there aren’t many places in the lower 48 that I could imagine you having the time to hunt for sustenance before you’ve just walked out or been found.


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[Traveler]

I am from a rural economically depressed area. The poor families on the brink that poached didn’t do it for the meat but the fun and antlers. The poor families on the brink that enjoyed legal hunting just got second jobs or more hours during the off season.

 

[Toledo]

The states have done a good job of redefining poaching as killing animals illegally by any means. It has given them some power to classify anyone breaking game laws in with the really bad guys. Seems the label "poacher" used to be reserved for those trespassing to hunt, killing out of season/ over limit, etc

Personally, I feel people should have a certain amount of right to the animals on their land (within reason obviously). I have no problem with the poor family killing a couple deer out back of their house. Does doing it without paying for a license, using bait when not allowed, etc make them a poacher? Not in my book.

 

[CoStick]

The biases run deep

 

[GSPHUNTER]

Is it immoral to break the speed limit in an emergency?

I got pulled over one time doing 90 in a 55 zone on a desert road. once I told the sheriff I was trying to get my friend who had been bit by a rattle snake (before cell phones) he turned on his lights and siren and said follow me. we were less than five mins. to hospital. He could not have radioed for, and got help in less time than it took us to get to hospital. I Never got ticket. So yes it ok.

 

[CoStick]

14 million people in the USA are going hungry. Might be a good idea to further this idea for the good of the people. Should be enough game to feed them.

 

[OutHeavy]

So if poaching is appropriate to feed your family, what's wrong with stealing if the same logic applies? Poaching laws are set up to protect the resource and laws against theft are set up to protect property. If we're going to go down the road of deciding which illegal activity is more "appropriate" I'd rather see someone walk out of the grocery store with a basket of groceries they didn't pay for than poaching wildlife. Just sayin'.

 

[Huntin Fool]

A lot of people here seem to condone poaching, that is if you really need it. Well then who gets to decide how bad off you have to be to get to that level? And if it is “Ok” for one guy to poach then where do we cut it off, for it not to be ok? As far as I’m concerned taking of game illegally is poaching/stealing doesn’t matter how you spin it. Let’s say you live in an area that has very few deer and is a very limited draw. Then lucky you is finally able to draw a tag after years of applying, but low and behold you can’t find a deer anywhere, because the less than fortunate guy down the ”street” has been shooting most of them to feed his family. How do you feel now? Is it still acceptable? We have game and fish departments that study and decide populations and set tag limits for a reason……Now I’m not saying they always get it right, but they do their best

 

[Huntin Fool]

14 million people in the USA are going hungry. Might be a good idea to further this idea for the good of the people. Should be enough game to feed them.

I agree let’s just open it up to the “hungry”. Should be enough wildlife to feed everyone, that claims to be for a few days…..

 

[stonewall]

I believe Game and Fish departments set the regs and they should be adhered too. Without order, there would be chaos.

This discussion makes me think of Les Miserables - (Jean Valjean stole a loaf of bread because he and his sister’s kids were starving).

 

[Pacific_Fork]

One thing I've learned over the years is this: you never know what someone will do in a situation until they're actually faced with it. However, unless you live in the middle of nowhere BFE, there's many options to get food without breaking the law, (gov't, food bank, church, neighbors, etc.).
It's not OK to steal someone's property & sell it to buy food or take food from his garden because you're hungry. Just because you can talk yourself into something being OK doesn't make it right.

Begging for food like a bum would be one hell of a way to hit rock bottom of self worth. Procuring your own meat to survive would at least carry some dignity in one’s self. There a huge difference in what this thread is about and poaching. Guys can sit on their high horse all they want, but all humans have a right to eat. They are eating the over abundant white tail does, not big horn sheep lol.

 

[87TT]

Yep and stealing from Walmart won't hurt anyone either.

 

[Huntin Fool]

Begging for food like a bum would be one hell of a way to hit rock bottom of self worth. Procuring your own meat to survive would at least carry some dignity in one’s self. There a huge difference in what this thread is about and poaching. Guys can sit on their high horse all they want, but all humans have a right to eat. They are eating the over abundant white tail does, not big horn sheep lol.

So what if those same humans, that you say have a right to eat, start shooting a bunch of mature bucks? Or they start decimating the doe population, leaving only bucks left? How do we decide who’s too hungry and who’s not hungry enough?

 

[Huntin Fool]

That’s the problem with theory: People who are to poor to feed their family, should be able to shoot wildlife as they chose, to get by. How are game and fish offices supposed to regulate that? And where do we make the cut off for the too “poor”? Or the family that “needs“ help? Or the ones that shoot just “enough” to get by? Or the ones that are only taking the “over abundant” ?

 

[Zappaman]

Some folks just never leave the "shack"... poaching is a cultural practice (petty crime) that's been handed down since time began. These guys live on the edge of poverty and the law. They are thankfully the SMALL minority of law abiding citizens living around here-- and we kinda know who they are.

A few of our rougher local guys are always out day and night on the dirt roads. I see them around the farms where they are often driving around through the year (at night too when I coyote hunt). I have no doubt the cross-bows I've seen in a few of their cabs (at the small local gas station, etc.) are being used for more than "practice". But they don't bother anyone, and are friendly enough (in a Mayberry Andy Griffith kind of way). They are characters for sure, and I've "chatted" with a few of them over the years.

Some are suspected, but if they are shooting a deer to eat and nobody (including the land owners) seem to be too worried, it's accepted- sorta. No farmers or ranchers around here will admit it, but I really do think a few (I know well) "let" these guys poach as long as they never really "see" it. I think it's because they feel it's more of a PITA to mess with it- and they'd say something like, "well... they're poor old boys who don't know better- and they got four kids." (another problem) But as long as no other damage is happening, seems some here tolerate it as part of the community they live in.

NOW... if someone's tools, gate panels, or items (in our often unlocked garages) goes a missin' (very rare here), then it's in the newspaper and people start talking about it and it's usually someone not from around here coming through (and chancing a bullet for sure- we ALL have shotguns at the back door around here). Most "shot" thieves in the news the last 10 years around here are always from somewhere else.

 

[Customweld]

I grew up in the area that @87TT lives now. An area that isn’t as destitute as wvroach grew up in, but hard up , to say the least. Poaching was cultural and prevalent amongst certain families. Not because they needed to eat, but out of sheer greed. I’m sure that there were folks that enhanced their winter supplies. They didn’t brag or talk about it. The ranchers there were the hardest on the mature animals and it wasn’t because they needed the meat. They knew they could get away with it.
It’s an interesting question, although I think there are very few folks that are in acute danger of starving.

 

[thinhorn_AK]

Yeah interesting subject. I have no problem with people poaching too feed their families/kids.

Poaching for sport though…no.

 

[Wvroach]

Yep and stealing from Walmart won't hurt anyone either.
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Coming from the guy that says it is okay to take big cats and wolves whenever it suits their needs.

I'll agree that I think it is as well but the "rules for thee but not for me mentality is flawed."