I consider poaching to be a conscious violation of a game law in the course of hunting. In other words, I am not gonna consider it poaching if someone gets ticketed for accidentally having a loaded gun in their vehicle while driving home from a hunt.

All I have to say is that things aren't always cut and dry(balck & white).

It's not poaching until you kill something. Here in MA the retail stores used to have to stay closed on Sundays and that is gone and the package stores had to stay closed and that one isgone also. The only one left is the NO hunting on Sundays.

If you cut a couple of shooting lanes on public land which is illegalin most states and then kill something are you then a poacher? If so I guess I fall into that category. I never think much about clipping a few branches although technically you are damaging the tree. Yikes!!!

I consider no huntin on Sundays to be one of the biggest breaches of separation of Church and State ever. I would never follow that law and would consider breaking it to be an act of civil disobediance instead of poaching.

I think for "public" land, the government has the power to set rules like the Sunday hunting rule. But, IMO, if the land belongs to me, then I can manage that land the way I see fit. I pay for the land, insurance, upkeep, and taxes. I think my sunk cost is enough to earn the right to set my own hunting rules on my own land. The government would do well to mind their own business, their shop is in enough disarray, I can manage just fine without them.

I would have to agree that not being able to hunt on Sundays should never have become a law. Its the same to me as not being able to buy beer on Sunday in some states or not being able to buy beer until a certain time. Its ridiculous and shows zero seperation of church and state.

I agree 100% with what Rybo said.. everything is not so black and white.

Please do not acuse anyone of poaching.. it is a serious accusation.

With that said, this post should be dropped all together in my opinion.

It's up to the court to look into that thin edge between black and white for any gray area and, since I'm not too hot on the idea of banking on the hope that some judge would agree with my assessment of 'grayness,' I obey the law.

Of course, you guys who would hunt on Sunday in states that don't allow it, once you're busted for it you might be able to get your case all the way to the Supreme Court and get the law thrown out. I wonder what effect the media exposure would have on public sentiment regarding hunting.

There are ways to get laws overturned without taking that risk. Join your state hunting organizations. Write to your state consgressmen. Write to the DNR. Express your views. VOTE! They won't do anything to change it until they see a lot of popular support.

Just going out and breaking laws you don't agree with is stupid, whether it's poaching or not.