Pushing for stiffer poaching penalties

Another push is being made to persuade the Pa. General Assembly to adopt stiffer penalties for wildlife poachers.

Pushed by sportsmen's groups, the Pa. Game Commission (PGC) is leading the charge, arguing that poachers in Pennsylvania have too little to fear from the law.

Pennsylvania -- second only to Texas in the number of hunting licenses sold - is seeing more deer and bear killed by poachers.

"You could be convicted of poaching 100 deer and never spend a day in jail," said Rich Palmer, PGC director of wildlife protection. "Game violations are summary offenses, the same as littering or running a stop sign."

Pushed by the Pa. Federation of Sportsmen's Clubs, PGC leaders are appealing to the state legislature to adopt stricter penalties. They've found a supporter in Rep. Ed Staback of Lackawanna and Wayne counties.

He has introduced a bill that includes stronger sanctions, new offenses for multiple violations and a larger pool of money to pay out rewards for information.

Staback said low fines and limited enforcement due to dearth of wildlife conservation officers and deputies have combined to make Pennsylvania attractive to poachers.

"If you kill a bear in closed season, the penalty is $500 to $1,500 and no jail time," Palmer pointed out. "Poaching a deer is a maximum of $800, although it's seldom given, and no jail time. Our penalties aren't deterrents; they're not working."

Poaching is big business for some.

A New Jersey man was busted for selling 90 black bear gallbladders to an undercover game officer in the Poconos. Bear parts, including gall bladders, skulls and paws, are coveted in a global underground that caters to gift shops and practitioners of traditional Asian medicine.

Venison is also a hot commodity. Some restaurants will pay $25 a pound for venison loins.