Poaching

Poaching—the unlawful taking of wildlife resources—is a deviant practice that has existed for centuries. Historically, in England and Europe, the nobility and elite members of society owned the wildlife, and poaching laws were used to keep members of the lower class from killing their game. In the United States, extensive and unregulated market hunting in the 19th century was having a destructive effect on wildlife populations. As a result, game laws and regulations were enacted beginning in the late 19th and early 20th centuries to protect wildlife populations.

Poaching occurs when individuals hunt or fish illegally and takes a variety of forms. The term poaching is generally associated with the illegal killing of game that occurs outside of prescribed hunting seasons. However, poaching encompasses a variety of offenses that may occur outside of as well as during established hunting and fishing seasons. For example, deer poaching is a common offense. It occurs when someone illegally kills a deer before the hunting season begins. It would also be poaching if someone killed a deer during nighttime hours with the aid of a spotlight within the time frame of an open hunting season. Poaching also includes exceeding bag limits of fish or game. Thus, it is considered poaching if a hunter takes an over limit of deer even if it is during hunting season. Another type of poaching offense is party hunting, which occurs when a hunter illegally takes a deer for another hunter during the hunting season.

Whatever the particular form it takes, poaching is a timely topic since considerable social change is occurring at the present time with respect to the value placed on animals by different segments of society. Given increased concern for the environment in the context of an increasing human population and rapid urbanization occurring in modern society, poaching is considered a serious social problem because it depletes fish and game populations. This entry discusses poaching in contemporary society and gives an overview of the topic that includes information about locations of poaching, characteristics of poachers, reasons for poaching, and why enforcement of poaching is difficult.