Wildlife poaching costs the United States $1.4 billion annually, according to a five-year Boone and Crockett Club study.
Researchers tied 27 antlered deer in West Virginia to poachers, with 12 requiring at least $2,500 each in replacement fees.
The study highlights that over 95 percent of wildlife crimes go unreported or unpunished, giving poachers little deterrence.
Experts Quantify Poaching Impacts
Jon Gassett and Kristie Blevins measured illegal kills, lost hunting licenses, uncollected state revenues, and trophy replacement costs.
They applied criminology research methods to analyze poachers’ motivations and the scale of crimes across the United States.
Poaching fits on a continuum of crime, from theft to domestic violence, making it relevant to criminality studies.
Legal Hunting vs. Poaching
Boone and Crockett CEO Tony Schoonen emphasized distinguishing legal hunters from poachers, stressing ethical hunting protects wildlife populations.
Schoonen said poaching steals from everyone, not just hunters, because wildlife belongs to the public.
Managed legal hunting historically restored U.S. wildlife populations, a success often confused by anti-hunting groups.
Detection Rates Remain Shockingly Low
Researchers found poachers face detection in only 4 percent of cases, far lower than other serious crimes.
Aggravated assault detection reaches 57 percent, rape and sexual assault 46 percent, burglary and robbery 42 percent.
Limited game warden numbers, vast rural areas, and nocturnal, cryptic poaching make enforcement extremely difficult.
Poachers’ familiarity with land and lack of witnesses or forensic evidence further reduce the chances of capture.
