JagerMister

Poaching is Poaching and is against the law.
Plus if you happen to have a life-time license in your hip pocket you stand a chance to loose it including your gun also.

I do remember the recession of the 80’s which I think cardeer is referring to and I had to feed my family with no to very little employment. Yes, there are some assistance programs out there for a person to get help like food stamps. But believe me that just isn’t enough, what the government says you can live off of and what your family’s need are don’t always match up.

But a man will do what ever he has to feed his family but this doesn’t mean he has to poach any deer to do it.

JerseyJim

This topic is too deep for me! I hope me and my family never have to make a decision like that! I know I wouldn't starve though!!!!!!!

North Texan

I follow these same lines of thinking. Poverty is not an excuse to justify crime. Poaching and robbing are pretty much the same in the eyes of the State of Texas. New laws were enacted some time back because poachers were making a dent in landowner's pockets. It's hard to lease a place for hunting when someone else is shooting all the deer. If we turn our heads to poaching, why not robbery? Why not a single mother that is selling a little heroin every now and then to make ends meet and support her young son? Where do you draw the line?

chaco

As some others have said, I don't think the choice "poach or starve" is realistic situation. If, and it's a big IF, it ever really did come down to that choice - yes, I would poach. It would still be poaching and it would still be against the law, but I certainly wouldn't starve or let my family starve. I am talking about really starving - not just missing a meal here and there! I expect that there are a lot of things I would do if it came down to that - poaching might be the least of them. I am looking across the road right now at some cattle - lot's more meat on a cow than any deer I know of .

James B

If it came to the only choice to feed my family then you better believe I would shoot wild game to do so. Its true there are some other options but if those were exhausted and I needed food then I would go hunting. When I was a kid there were very few hunting seasons where I lived. We lived on the farm and deer was on the menu sometimes. My mother would tell me to go get some meat. I would take the old 22 that Grandpa gave me and go get whatever was available. We were poor as hell and usually had to save the livestock to sell. We always did have chickens though. Lots of them. However you can't live on fried chicken all the time. Those were different times and things were not like they are today. I would sure go back though if I could.

North Texan

What?!?!?! Not across the road at my cows I hope. I'm gonna have to keep my eye on you.[8D]

BowHuntingFool

Here we go again.....poaching is poaching no matter the time or situation. My father is over 80 years of age and he always had food on the table. His father raised cows and chickens to feed his family in the backyard. Slaughtered them in the garage but it was legal, not poaching! Poaching to feed your family is a cop out no matter how you look at it!!!!!! JMO!

i shoot stuff

what u guys that our sayin get another job isnt that easy my grandpa had to feed 4 girls including my mom and his wife and he had jobs and they still were poor

nchawkeye

what's your possum recipe????????????????? i gotta know!!!!!!!!!

ewolf

It is still breaking the law however, I would do it. Reason #1 nobody will ever chatch me running through the woods at dark on my property. #2 I will never take handouts from someone else. If it puts food on the table, it puts food on the table. As for those that say this is not realistic, get out of the suburbs.