Letter: Stop poaching

My letter to the poachers on Chicken Coop Road: How can our community virtually ignore the poachers’ crimes? It is time to report poachers’ crimes against wildlife, the community and Washington state.

Stop poaching

My letter to the poachers on Chicken Coop Road:

How can our community virtually ignore the poachers’ crimes? It is time to report poachers’ crimes against wildlife, the community and Washington state.

First, organizations from federal, state and local levels have laws and regulations established to protect our “natural resources.” With dwindling biodiversity and their ecosystems these organizations are essential to the conservation and preservation of these precious gifts; referred to as “natural resources.”

Furthermore, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife enforcement officers put their lives on the line every time they have contact with poachers. Across this country officers are killed while enforcing wildlife regulations and laws.

Second, The POACHER. Poachers are thieves — they steal from the quality of life from our neighborhoods, our community, state and mostly importantly the lives of our wildlife. They steal from every law abiding hunter, wildlife guardians and conservationist. We won’t honor them with the title “HUNTER”; they kill wildlife out of season. They think they are above the law.

Nothing seems to be off-limits. Residents living in once rural areas are endangered by poachers who use high-powered rifles to shoot from our roadways, driveways and outright trespass.

Lastly, to the poachers in my neighborhood: You have killed a mother doe with a late season fawn. You have left the fawn to fend for herself. She cries and calls out for her mother everyday. The mother doe was fit, healthy but very lean from nursing her fawn — NOT much meat.

Perhaps you don’t get it, understand it or just don’t give two hoots. But I want to tell you that you have committed a crime.

You have stolen from our community one of the creatures that fills our hearts, imaginations and inspired us with her quiet graceful beauty.

It is time to stop poachers and the impact they have on our community, wildlife and the state of Washington.  Poaching crimes are NOT acceptable and should no longer be tolerated.

At the WDFW website (wdfw.wa.gov/enforcement/reporting_violations.html) is a page where you can learn how to report poacher crimes.

Sandra Twomey

Sequim