Poaching

"Shhh. Be werry werry qwiet. We're hunting wabbits!"

- Elmer Fudd

Poaching is the act of illegally hunting for live animals. The nature of the illegality may range from hunting animals that are on the endangered species list, hunting game that is out of season, hunting in restricted areas, hunting without the proper licenses and permits, or hunting using weaponry that is prohibited by state of federal law. In the United States, violations of hunting regulations usually fall under the auspices of the Fish & Wildlife Department. Punishment for violating laws usually consists of a heavy fine, but may also include jail time if the nature of the crime is excessive enough.

On American Horror Story: Coven, two poachers named Lee and Roy were illegally hunting alligators in the swamps of Louisiana. Roy devised a tactic of using jerk chicken to foul up an alligator's senses, enabling them to sneak up behind it undetected and shoot it. Both men answered for their crimes, but not through any local law-enforcement agency. Actually, it was a swamp witch named Misty Day who distributed justice upon them by using her magic to resurrect the dead gators, at which point, the hunters became the hunted.