Kids Outdoor Outpost – March 2021

What Is A Poacher

I bowhunt in a suburban area north of Atlanta, so my deer season officially ended on Jan. 31, 2021. Georgia has one on the longest whitetail deer seasons in the country, and that is one of the great benefits aligned with hunting in Georgia.

Our 2021 turkey season opens on March 20, so there is not a whole lot of down time between seasons. So, is this the start of a new hunting season? If feels like it with the warmer weather that will soon be arriving.

We buy licenses every year to legally hunt wild game. Those funds go to support our favorite recreational opportunities. I always purchase the Sportsmans License that covers hunting, big game, fishing and trout. It also allows me to access Wildlife Management Areas that I may want to hunt. It’s a great deal, but if I was younger, I definitely would get our lifetime license.

Buy one for an infant at only $500. For those 2 to 15 years old it costs $600. You’ll also see prices for adults and even “Gramps” who can get one for just $70. All are great deals to enjoy this wonderful hobby that we call hunting.

But what about those who don’t want to buy a license and choose to hunt and kill game species? Here’s a question: What is a poacher?

I usually ask my class attendees that question when teaching the Georgia Hunter Safety course. The answers range from night hunting, spotlighting, hunting without permission, killing more than the legal limit and hunting out of season. I would add not purchasing a hunting license to that list.

I also ask why do people poach? I remember one answer shared a long time ago to one of my sons by someone he went to school with. He told my son that the peer pressure was so great to take an 8-pointer that they had on camera that he just had to do it by other means. My son later heard rumors that the deer was shot with a crossbow at night.

Did you know that you can actually be paid to turn in a poacher? If your lead turns into an arrest, you could receive reward money and can remain anonymous. Get a description of the violator and the violators vehicle, the location and the type of violation. You can call the Ranger Hotline at 800.241.4113 on a 24/7 basis.

The Georgia DNR website says, “A poacher is a thief who steals wildlife that belongs to you and all other Georgians. Poachers rob you of recreational opportunities that you pay for through hunting and fishing license fees. You can be paid for turning in a poacher! If your TIP leads to an arrest, arrangements will be made for you to receive reward money even if you wish to remain anonymous. If you see or learn of a violation, try to write down: a description of the violator; a description of their vehicle; the location of the violation; and the type of violation.

“The Ranger Hotline program is part of the Georgia Natural Resources Foundation, whose mission is to protect wildlife by increasing public support for wildlife law enforcement. Contributions to the Ranger Hotline program are greatly needed and appreciated.”

Don’t let others steal our wildlife and proudly purchase your license each year.