The problem I have with a thread like this is basically with the use of the word "poaching". Over time it seems the term has been so corrupted that it's used to include anything from some trivial violation to downright criminal behavior. The net effect has of course been to render the term just about meaningless. The way many, if not most, use it when they say someone was caught poaching, we have no idea what or how severe their offense was. As and example, my cousin was once ticketed for not displaying his back tag. His specific act was to have his tag attached to his coat but then put on a back pack which of course hid the tag from view. Certainly a violation but now he's a poacher? lol...

In this thread nearly all are ready to say that the fines for "poaching" aren't high enough but even in the examples posted of fines and jail times to show what other states do we don't even know what these guys actually did. All we know is they are poachers (whatever that means). Now I understand what guys like TRYKON are getting at and I don't necessarily disagree but imo without specifics this whole thread is just meaningless noise. I have heard of many examples where imo the fines were too low but I have also heard of many where imo the fines were much too high given the circumstances.

So r pa fines a joke? Well imo, some are and some aren't but some are a joke in that they're too high and some are a joke in that they're too low. Now if you're talking about fines for "poaching" however, I don't think the question has any viable basis for a discussion.