Do you understand the word proximately?
Statistically you would be in more danger crossing the street in Christchurch...
By the way, you don't have higher ground in this discussion, I have been a farmer and landowner as well as a few other things whilst currently a townie...
There is no justification for shooting stock, damaging property or assaulting people - but we aren't talking about poachers now are we now... we are talking about criminals...
It may be convenient for you to lump all together, but I would wager you never see most poachers, cause they don't wannabe seen... they don't damage your property, kill your stock or assault you...
It would seem to me, that the "increase in poaching"? coincides with increasing interest in hunting and reducing access to private property, because farmers now tend to view wild animals that they do not own, as a resource.
It would also seem to me that landowners are more indignant (because of their perception of ownership) about all this, and because they spend most of their time talking to themselves and not developing communication skills, they may not tend to engage particularly well with small bands of scruffy men carrying firearms. From a past life, a place of self righteousness and authority is no substitute for well developed communication skills, particularly when those you are dealing with may well lack in these areas as well.
If you think I lack empathy with the issues, you are mistaken and yes we need to deal with the idiots.... there are plenty of laws to do that... but a lot less paranoia is a better solution than a lot more... we don't want to turn into americans...
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