MISSOULA - Wildlife poaching is not only unethical, but a new study shows it also costs state wildlife agencies millions every year, so one hunting organization wants more punishment for poaching.
The Boone and Crockett Club released a 150-page report on Tuesday, that estimates that approximately 95% of big-game poaching goes undetected. Based on that “dark figure,” the resulting replacement costs and loss of unpaid fines nationwide are estimated to be more than $1.4 billion annually, according to the study.
Boone and Crockett Club CEO Tony Schoonen said that’s more than the amount of money raised by the Pittman-Robertson Act sporting tax or the amount of gross revenue earned by all states from the sale of hunting licenses. Both annually raise about $1 billion each.
“Poachers are stealing from these users, but they are stealing from all of us, whether you hunt or not, because wildlife belongs to all of us. This is a theft of a public resource,” Schoonen said during a press conference on Tuesday.
The study results were based upon surveys of hunters, landowners, wardens and prosecutors nationwide; a review of related scientific research; and statistical analyses of big game poaching data.
The study was even able to get some self-identified poachers to respond to questions. Since it focused only on big game, the study doesn’t have information on the poaching of fish or birds other than turkeys. It also didn’t look at the challenge or thrill-kill poaching associated with predators like wolves or grizzly bears.
The report identified nine motivations of poachers, and a survey of more than 1,000 conservation officers or wardens believed that a majority of poachers are either going after “trophy” parts or are being opportunistic.
Kristi Blevins, Eastern Kentucky University criminal justice professor and co-author of the study, said a few poachers claim they’re doing it for subsistence reasons, but many conservation officers doubt the truth of their claims.
The officers say it’s easier for people to go through other channels for food, such as food banks, than to poach an animal, Blevins said.
Jonathan Gassett, Wildlife Management Institute field representative and study co-author, said social media has probably contributed to an uptick in poaching.
“Social media, popular television shows, all focused on the kill and the quality of the animals. It makes people aware that those things are out there, there’s opportunity and there’s probably a subset of bad actors that will go out there and blow things away,” Gassett said. “I think modern media, especially social media, is probably pushing folks in that direction.”
All crimes can be difficult to detect and prosecute. For example, reporting rates for burglary or robbery are around 42%. But part of the problem with poaching is it often occurs in remote locations and there are few, if any, witnesses, so just 4% of poaching incidents are reported.
Schoonen said improving the detection rate would equate to more money for each of the states, which lose, on average, $6.1 million in fines and $22.7 million in replacement costs.
“We have a lot of money sitting on the table. If we could even raise our detection rate to the level of larceny and theft, around 25%, we would have all the funding we need to support our states,” Schoonen said. “It’s going to be a step at a time, and it may take some initial investment. But with that kind of money sitting on the table, it’s going to get people’s attention.”
To help states collect that money, the report includes recommendations on how to help understaffed conservation officers cite more poachers and how to prosecute offenders once they’re caught.
First, the Boone and Crockett Club is going to push for legislation to make some poaching crimes a felony and to standardize replacement costs across the nation. Second, they will educate county prosecutors about wildlife crimes and the cost to ensure that they are prosecuted. Sometimes, even when poachers are caught, prosecutors don’t bother to press charges.
Third, push for more boots on the ground by funding more conservation officers and anonymous poaching hotlines. Gassett said some officers, particularly in the West, have to cover districts that are 7,000 square miles by themselves, making it almost impossible to stop poaching.
The final goal is to educate the public about the difference between hunters and poachers and publicly shame the poachers.
“We need to show that lawful hunters are not poachers, and we, as lawful hunters, will not tolerate wildlife crime. It was less than 50 years ago that drunk driving was more socially acceptable, and it took a motivated public to push for social change. Legal hunters can help elevate the stigma against poachers and be additional boots on the ground supporting our conservation officers,” Schoonen said. “We hope that the message that will come out from this effort is ‘If you poach, you will pay.’”
Contact reporter Laura Lundquist at lundquist@missoulacurrent.com.
