Poaching an ongoing concern

The hunting seasons for a number of hoofed and winged creatures is approaching in Southwest Nebraska.

That means that it’s also poaching season.

Actually, one type of poaching is hunting out of season, so many poachers don’t pay attention to legal hunting seasons.

In 2020, a large poaching operation around Broken Bow, Nebaska, was broken up, with at least 32 people convicted of illegally taking game by illegal means such as setting bait, hunting at night with lights or from the road, or out of season.

Some of the 118 hunters, who went to Hidden Hills Outfitters from many states, put silencers on their rifles. Others forged hunting permits.

At least 97 game animals, including mule deer, white-tailed deer, pronghorn antelope and turkeys were killed. So were about 100 nongame birds.

At least $627,732 in fines were netted. Some jail time was given to the two owners.

Poaching at that level hasn’t been seen in this area, but poaching is a problem.

“Absolutely,” exclaimed Sgt. Conservation Officer Brian Piernicky of the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission. He said the main poaching problem in the area is of people taking big mule deer illegally.

The full article is available in our FREE Hunting on the Plains section. Click here to read!