Uganda: Two Poachers Killed in Murchison Falls National Park
27 October 2009

Two poachers were on Sunday shot dead by game rangers at Murchison Falls National Park in Masindi.

The two, John Opio Okeng and John Okello, residents of Omea B in Aber Sub-County, Oyam District were killed on Sunday night for allegedly hunting wildlife near the Masindi-Packwach road.

Sources say that a third poacher only identified as Okello, was also shot in the buttocks but survived and is receiving treatment at an undisclosed location.

This is the second group of poachers to be shot dead by game rangers at Murchison Falls National Park in recent weeks.

Tom Arach, the LC3 chairman of Aber, says poaching is one of the most common illegal economic activities in the sub-county. He says many young men are lured into poaching because of the ready market for game meat.

Arach however condemned the practice of game rangers who kill poachers on sight. He says it is cruel and unusual punishment, given the amount of damage stray animals cause on peasant farms when they wander away from the national park.

Daniel Odyek, a resident of Nora village which lies along the border with the national park in Aber Sub-County, says his farm was recently destroyed by marauding elephants from the park. He says he cannot grow any food because of consistent invasion by wildlife.

The bodies of the slain poachers are being held at the rangers' base at Karuma. It is expected that they will be picked up for burial later this week.

I say capture them and then publicly flog them. That way, when you capture them again, they'll have the scars to prove it.

quote:

Originally posted by Kathi:
Uganda: Two Poachers Killed in Murchison Falls National Park
27 October 2009

Two poachers were on Sunday shot dead by game rangers at Murchison Falls National Park in Masindi.

A good start to the only viable solution to save Africa's Wildlife.

quote:

Two poachers were on Sunday shot dead by game rangers at Murchison Falls National Park in Masindi.

Sounds like a good start to me!

No problem with it, shame we can't apply the same in the UK

Keep this up and the word will definitely get out. Cruel and unusual punishment? Hardly.

This was one policy that I give Bob of Zimbabwe top points for. Although I wish they would act more when it come to the mass poaching of their Rhino.

Except Steve Latham, How many of you will be willing to extend the same punishment in your respective countries?Does out of season shooting/hunting come under poaching?

I do not support poaching,BTW.

Best-
Locksley,R

Thankfully, Australia does not have a problem with Poaching and the loss of a species due to poaching.

quote:

Originally posted by RobinOLocksley:
Except Steve Latham, How many of you will be willing to extend the same punishment in your respective countries?Does out of season shooting/hunting come under poaching?

I do not support poaching,BTW.

Best-
Locksley,R

I would. If a guy is out there in the US poaching deer or elk to feed his family, he has my sympathies. But state resident hunting licenses are usually cheap. Twenty bucks gives someone legitimacy.

Buddy of mine owns a hunting ranch in SC. He has put a fortune into the place, cutting roads, putting out corn in the winter, planting food plots twice a year, and paying the substantial maintenance on the facilities. I'd cap some poacher if I caught him poaching on the property, but I'd get arrested for manslaughter, so obviously, I would not do it.

South Carolina isn't Africa. You can't compare the African mindset to the American mindset. Poaching is a problem in the states, but nothing like Africa where entire species are threatened by this activity. There are at least 12.5/14 million deer at large in the United States. You cannot compare the impact of killing an outlaw whitetail to taking a rhino or elephant.

Are African citizens allowed to buy a license and kill game for food? Dan

Professional poachers need extreme punishment to be dissuaded. Subsistance hunters are something else. Is subsistance hunting recognized in Africa like it is in Alaska?
Are the rangers in some countries murdering subsistance hunters, and turning a blind eye to Professional Poachers?

quote:

Originally posted by gunbug:
Are African citizens allowed to buy a license and kill game for food? Dan

Most country's, Yes. The problem is that most food gathering poaches have no money.

As an old hunter I am on both sides of the discussion here. Emphatically, I agree with ozhunter's observation. Sure, I don't want game to be decimated by poaching - but I do sympathize with the the pressure on desperate people -and the lure of money for body parts wanted in other parts of the world for reasons having nothing to do with eating.

Were they armed? Did they present a threat to the game wardens? Apparently they didn't finish off the third poacher so just maybe they were being threatened. If the media there is anything like the media here the crook is always the poor victim.

In Texas poaching can get you permanently banned from hunting. Trespassing can get you killed. As far as punishment goes I see a subsistence poacher taking a doe as being VERY different than someone that shoots a buck and then just takes the antlers.