'Thrill killing' poachers pose threat to wildlife

[Nagishkaw 510]

Deer, elk and even raccoons have a new type of predator to worry about: Poachers who kill increasingly for the thrill of it.

Scott Talbott, an assistant division chief with Wyoming's Fish and Game Department, calls it "wanton destruction" that goes beyond shooting.

Poachers run down deer with cars or snowmobiles, and chase raccoons, then beat them to death with clubs. They also shoot deer, elk and antelope, sometimes removing valuable antlers but often leaving the carcass to rot on the ground, Talbott and other wildlife officials said.

"It's thrill killing — people just going out and killing stuff," Talbott said. "We have seen a significant increase of that in Wyoming. It's disturbing."

In Wisconsin, state wildlife officials are teaming with researchers from University of Wisconsin-Green Bay to study the trend, which they said has emerged in recent years.

The thrill killing usually involves youths ages 14 to 23, who gather in groups with the intent of killing as many animals as possible, said Chuck Horn of the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.

"These are cases where they're just looking for something to do," Horn said. "It seems like in some of these cases kids are looking for instant gratification, like a video game."

Last April, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources wardens apprehended a group of 15 youths, five of them juveniles, who were running down raccoons, muskrats and possums, then clubbing them to death with spiked clubs and baseball bats, Horn said.

"Basically it was anything slow enough they could chase on foot," Horn said. "This group's sole intent was to do what they call '####### bashing.' "

Randy Stark, head conservation warden in Wisconsin and president of the National Association of Conservation Law Enforcement Chiefs, said that a recent membership survey showed an increase in thrill killing of wildlife. "People are just shooting the game with no intention of using it," he said.

Elsewhere:

•Montana. Jim Kropp, law enforcement chief for the Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks Department, said elk and deer are being killed, their antlers removed and the carcasses left in fields. Kropp said poaching happens when hunting seasons are open or closed, and on public and private land.

•Pennsylvania. Richard Palmer, director of the Pennsylvania Bureau of Wildlife Protection, cited a 2008 case in which a group of juveniles dazzled deer with spotlights at night, shooting 50 or more over a few weeks and leaving the dead animals on the ground. Four juveniles convicted for the incident were fined from $4,000 to $4,800, he said. The state game commission passed a law that adds a $5,000 restitution fee to normal penalties for trophy-class animals that are poached.

•Washington. Officials are proposing a new law that would make "spree killing" of wildlife a felony with large civil penalties, said Bruce Bjork, chief of law enforcement for the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. Bjork cited several instances last year in which people killed five to 15 animals at a time, leaving them to waste or using them to barter for drugs.

Stark said he's hopeful the upcoming study on thrill killing will shed light onto what causes such behavior.

Rob Buonamici, chief game warden with the Nevada Department of Wildlife, said understanding such crimes could prove difficult.

"You have to wonder what was going through their heads when they pulled the trigger," he said.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2010-0...l-killing_N.htm

[spookyturtle 9,465]

Maybe they are compensating for the lack of genitalia?

[natty bumppo 297]

can the poachers be poached?

[Craneman 2]

Deer, elk and even raccoons have a new type of predator to worry about: Poachers who kill increasingly for the thrill of it.

Scott Talbott, an assistant division chief with Wyoming's Fish and Game Department, calls it "wanton destruction" that goes beyond shooting.

Poachers run down deer with cars or snowmobiles, and chase raccoons, then beat them to death with clubs. They also shoot deer, elk and antelope, sometimes removing valuable antlers but often leaving the carcass to rot on the ground, Talbott and other wildlife officials said.

"It's thrill killing — people just going out and killing stuff," Talbott said. "We have seen a significant increase of that in Wyoming. It's disturbing."

In Wisconsin, state wildlife officials are teaming with researchers from University of Wisconsin-Green Bay to study the trend, which they said has emerged in recent years.

The thrill killing usually involves youths ages 14 to 23, who gather in groups with the intent of killing as many animals as possible, said Chuck Horn of the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.

"These are cases where they're just looking for something to do," Horn said. "It seems like in some of these cases kids are looking for instant gratification, like a video game."

Last April, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources wardens apprehended a group of 15 youths, five of them juveniles, who were running down raccoons, muskrats and possums, then clubbing them to death with spiked clubs and baseball bats, Horn said.

"Basically it was anything slow enough they could chase on foot," Horn said. "This group's sole intent was to do what they call '####### bashing.' "

Randy Stark, head conservation warden in Wisconsin and president of the National Association of Conservation Law Enforcement Chiefs, said that a recent membership survey showed an increase in thrill killing of wildlife. "People are just shooting the game with no intention of using it," he said.

Elsewhere:

•Montana. Jim Kropp, law enforcement chief for the Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks Department, said elk and deer are being killed, their antlers removed and the carcasses left in fields. Kropp said poaching happens when hunting seasons are open or closed, and on public and private land.

•Pennsylvania. Richard Palmer, director of the Pennsylvania Bureau of Wildlife Protection, cited a 2008 case in which a group of juveniles dazzled deer with spotlights at night, shooting 50 or more over a few weeks and leaving the dead animals on the ground. Four juveniles convicted for the incident were fined from $4,000 to $4,800, he said. The state game commission passed a law that adds a $5,000 restitution fee to normal penalties for trophy-class animals that are poached.

•Washington. Officials are proposing a new law that would make "spree killing" of wildlife a felony with large civil penalties, said Bruce Bjork, chief of law enforcement for the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. Bjork cited several instances last year in which people killed five to 15 animals at a time, leaving them to waste or using them to barter for drugs.

Stark said he's hopeful the upcoming study on thrill killing will shed light onto what causes such behavior.

Rob Buonamici, chief game warden with the Nevada Department of Wildlife, said understanding such crimes could prove difficult.

"You have to wonder what was going through their heads when they pulled the trigger," he said.

Nothing new about this.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2010-0...l-killing_N.htm

[Ban Hammer 13,336]

can the poachers be poached?

what's the bag limit on poachers?

[Nagishkaw 510]

can the poachers be poached?

Yes. They can also be scrambled or fried.

[natty bumppo 297]

what's the bag limit on poachers?

how much ammo did you bring?

[Peikko 1,575]

Thrill killing should be illegal. If you have no interest in the kill, you should not be allowed to shoot it. Of course, another way around would be to require those who buy guns to take a license test, but, that would be against the spirit of the 2nd amendment

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

Thrill killing should be illegal. If you have no interest in the kill, you should not be allowed to shoot it. Of course, another way around would be to require those who buy guns to take a license test, but, that would be against the spirit of the 2nd amendment

Um...it IS illegal Madam Cleo.

Hunters in all 50 states are required to recover and make use of game killed while hunting. Hunters in all 50 states are required to be licensed and pass hunter education courses (I taught them for 10 years+) Hunting has nothing to do with the 2nd amendment, less than 20% of firearms owners hunt. You will notice that the article states many of the criminals use cars and snowmobiles to run down and kill the animals. (poaching is, by definition, a crime, just like "burglary" and "robbery" Poachers are no more related to hunters than a bank robber is related to the guy using his ATM to check his balance, or a pharmacist is related to a cocaine dealer)

we need to have a TEST and licensing to prevent irresponsoble and ignorant posting on topics by people that have NO CLUE what they speak of. But that might be against the spirit of the first amendment.

[Peikko 1,575]

Good, I'm glad it's illegal and I hope they put in plenty of resources to catch the idiots who engage in it.

[Ban Hammer 13,336]

we need to have a TEST and licensing to prevent irresponsoble and ignorant posting on topics by people that have NO CLUE what they speak of. But that might be against the spirit of the first amendment.

[natty bumppo 297]

^ ...

[Peikko 1,575]

I didn't read the article properly, I deserve that. In my defense, I really can't stand killing for its own sake and just ran with that thought

[anya-D 8]

[Laveau 67]

What cruelty. How very sad.