This is pretty hypothetical, but it's an interesting thought, I think. I know we all abide all game laws and strive to be the most ethical hunters we can be. BUT.....if it came down to it...... If you know of somebody that hunts and takes deer, turkey...or whatever out of season, but are doing so to put food on the table......Do you keep quiet? I sure as hell do. IMO, there's a HUGE difference between providing for your family and poaching, even though TECHNICALLY it is the same. What say ye?
I agree....but if they are killing the deer and selling the meat and buying malt liquor, I have a problem. SB
I'd look the other way if I knew they were out of alternatives. If it was desperation. If I saw them spending money on other stuff that might not be needed, (beer, cigs, etc.), and then claiming to be broke and in need I'd have a problem with that and would consider calling Operation Game Thief.
My Dad was a game warden, so, I grew up with a huge respect for the laws of Ohio. But, that being said...I go turkey hunting in Kentucky & where I go they have usually killed something for their family to eat that day. It may be in season, it may not. But, I wouldn't turn them in. I know them & I know they are truly feeding their family. At one time there were no laws on what you could kill. The Indians & pioneers killed whatever they needed. There is a huge difference in what people need to survive & poaching. On the other hand...there are creatures that don't have limits on them. If I were going to kill an animal for my family I'd shoot some of those creatures.
I agree Sunset. around here there are a lot of feral hogs. No limit and no season. They may get tired of pork but they can get what they need legally.
Sounds like a pretty accurate paraphrase of Aldo Leopold. Good source to quote too. We had a discussion similar to this at work Monday. And seriously, it got a little heated. The current economy could very well push previously law-abiding hunters, who maybe are closer to financial ruin than others, to poach, if you will, for survival purposes. Yeah, it's still unethical and illegal, but understandable. However, let's suppose it gets even worse out there. Even more hunters... and possibly non-hunters, with little or no hunting experience, decide to fend for themselves. When does it turn into total chaos and anarchy? Hopefully never. Would I tell on someone? It'd be a circumstantial answer. Would I do it if they offered me some of the take? Probably not. Would I do it? Reluctantly - yup, I probably would.
Situation A. A guy looses his job and is barely scraping by. He kills a few deer/turkey/rabbits to feed the family until he's back on his feet. Situation B The person in the checkout at walmart has $400 worth of tombstone pizza's, pepsi, t-bones and toasted raviolli. He whips out his food stamps and pays for the grub. Given the choice, I would rather see situation A any day of the week.
I can understand doing so as a last resort, and would turn my head the other way... But there are a lot of inexpensive alternatives to eat without killing animals out of season.
It's kind of a difficult question, isn't it? I don't think there are any wrong answers. Places where feral hogs exist, yeah.....you could kill all of them you want, legally....and feed your family. We don't have feral hogs around here, that's not an option. In fact, there aren't any game animals around here that don't have a hunting season attached to them. I know without question that if it came down to it, I would be in a treestand this weekend if I had to be.
Hell, let me be honest about this "feeding" my family...let us say i got fired my wife and family left me...so I was living all alone....I'd be eatin anything I could get my hands on....season or no as well as dogs, cats, chickens, the neighbors poodle.... I ain't goin out easy. SB
Like GMMAT said, ethical and legal aren't always the same thing. Definitely would keep my mouth shut, but then again the man were hunting with $3000 worth of the latest equipment and gear I probably would find myself in somewhat of a moral quandary
I wouldn't tell a soul.Would I do it, Hell yes to feed my family I wouldn't be proud of it but what ya going to do.
I can't imagine getting to that point. I'd hope if I was headed that way that I would have the foresight not to sell my hunting equiptment before hand. It's a thin line, but I'd have to know the exact scenerio to make the call on if I thought that specific case was ethically right or wrong.
LOL!!! SB would take his four wheeler with Q-beam and my .06 and head out about midnight. SB hungry as all git out
I don't think anyone could argue that they needed to do this with their bow, if they have access to a .22 and a soda bottle. After all, if I were pushed this far, I would be taking every precaution not to get caught as it would mean certain starvation to my family if I were to be incarcerated.
I'm old school Virginian.. (but I'm not Virginian)... If a man wishes to hunt and kill an animal and eats ALL of it. Kudos to him and I could care less. Even if he/she wasn't "in need" of money.. or had a starving family. Who am I to judge what a man eats. If he/she eats it all and does it with the want to eat it all.. I don't care one way or another. In fact.. I actually think it's comical that modern humans have to set seasons and limits on the animals they hunt. :evil:
I dont think its comical. Nowadays i think it is based more off of tradition than anything. Back in the days of commercial hunting populations were really and truly put in danger of survival. Therefore some restrictions had to be put in place. Since the outlaw of commercial sales of game I think that seasons are more out of tradition and beliefs than anything. I think we would loose some of the excitement and passion if we did away with seasons.
