The sport of hunting is one that is enjoyed by many but it is also abused by some. Some people hunt for the pleasure of killing, or the trophy, and that is it. This act is known as poaching, which is when someone kills something to take the horns or the head as a trophy. Disrespectful hunting is when you just kill it to kill. My dad always taught me that if you kill something while you are hunting, you better eat it. I find it really disrespectful to just kill for the fun of it. Poaching is a topic that comes up a lot when people talk about hunting laws. It is also a real problem that people who hunt face all the time.

Many people believe that poaching is not against the law, but it is. There is an average of 100 million animals are killed each year in the United States by poaching. So many people get away with it, but there are ways to fix that. There needs to be more DEC officers that are either on call or patrolling the woods. There are currently 3000 DEC officers in New York. (“Employment.”) So there are a lot of officers already but it seems that the amount is not enough. (The Everyday Hunter®) Fish poaching is also a big problem. When someone poaches in the water, it can kill so many fish. It harms the wildlife around them. Fish poaching is very harmful to the environment. It can kill plants that are in the water: when people use electrocution and poisons to fish it kills more than just the fish.

One of the things that really drives people to poaching is the award at the end. A bear’s gall bladder is worth a lot of money for Chinese herbal remedies. A lot of times, poached animals are sold on the black market. Big horned sheep antlers can go for twenty thousand dollars when you find the right buyer. (“poaching”) Even though poaching is clearly a way to make money, it is not a good and honest way to do it. In a way, it is like stealing because poaching can lead to orphaned babies who die. Because of that, legal hunters are robbed of their chance for the sport.

Now some people might argue against these statements. People might say that they poach because they need to get food. To that, I say that someone should try and find a different way to do so. Maybe try having a garden growing your own food, or even to try their luck at actually hunting legally. Hunting is something that takes patience. Some people might also argue that poaching is hunting like the Native Americans used to. But most poachers just leave the body and take the horns for the trophy, or they might take something else in or on the body. Native Americans used to hunt and use every single thing from that animal. Either they would eat it or use it for clothing or some kind of weapon or tool. So when people claim that they are being like the Native Americans when they poach because they killed anything all year around, they are wrong. Most poachers don’t even use half of the animal when they kill it.

People might also argue that they poach because it is easy. Its quick and simple. However, with that the simple things can have the worst consequences. So to anyone who does, it you take the huge risk of going to jail or getting fined. It all depends on what you did and how many counts of it you have. Fines and jail time all vary by state. Some states have harsher jail time and less money for fines. Others have bigger money fines and less jail time. Pennsylvania in particular ha s a very low tolerance for poaching. The fine for a third offense of poaching is up to a $10,000 fine, one to five years in prison and a lifetime hunting license revocation. (“How Poaching Works.”) Poaching is something that so many people do and it needs to end.

Works Cited

“Poaching.” The Humane Society of the United States. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 May 2017.

The Everyday Hunter®. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 May 2017.

“Employment.” Employment – NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 May 2017.
“How Poaching Works.” HowStuffWorks. N.p., 09 Dec. 2008. Web. 05 June 2017.