Rwalter63

I look at this question of is poaching ok during times of very hard times for a family as a very theoretical equation. There are way to many factors involved in this question for any of us to answer unless your at that stage in your life right now! I know I am against poaching, I wouldn't poach and don't think its right for others to poach. With that being said if I lived in the country and was faced with letting my sons starve I know I'd do anything within my power to put food on the table for my boys. I live in NY state where the Welfare system is the cream of the crop, so it would never come to that point. And of course I'd sell just about everything of value to feed my family. However with all that said I look at the few Amish people who I have met that live not to far from where my property is. (not my house I live in a suburb of Buffalo. I am fortunate enough to own a few acres boardering state land in WNY that I hunt on near a large Amish community.) The Amish live very meager lives. Most of the ones I know have no electricity, phone, car, or any of the other worldly goods we take for granted. They live simple, religous lives, living off their farms, lumber, mills, craft shops and small wood working shops. They are very good and hard working people. I'd find it very hard to find fault with them if they had to go out and "poach" a deer to feed there family during a rough winter. They still live in the days of the American pioneer. If you haven't visited an Amish community do so. It is amazing to see that people still live that way. Often walking around with no shoes, working very hard to make a living so they can pay the property taxes on there property. They don't take welfare from the state and they don't believe in it. They do take care of the community though the church, friends and family.

I guess my point with all of this is "never say never" to anything. Just my two cents.