I think if it were maybe a one-time thing--family shivering in the dark with nothing to eat--any one of us would understand (or at least be able to rationalize) shooting a deer to feed the wife & kids.

But it's a slippery slope. It doesn't take long for someone to think that it's not only okay to do it, but that he's *entitled* to do it. Let's face it, none of us wants to walk around saying to himself, "Yeah, I'm a game thief, all right." Instead, we soon think we're some kind of heroes for defying an evil system that's trying to keep food from our kids' mouths.

Given the availability of government programs and the incredily cheap food here in America, I simply have trouble believing that someone is forced to resort to regular poaching to feed his family.

(And don't give me that "too proud to take charity" line. The guy in question is already taking charity from the game warden who knows what he's up to and hasn't arrested him.)