[concretebob]

When there's guns in the house, one better be yours.

I've always thought "poaching" was taking game out of season, on someone else's land.
Here in VA, you can shoot game any time, as long as you are on YOUR property.
"Ask for permission, before hunting or fishing on private property" is the rule here, also.

[concretebob]

However, we also have counties that restrict the use of rifles.

[muawiyah]

"Poaching" involves the unlawful taking of game, or the taking of game when engaged in some other unlawful practice, e.g. unlawful trespass.

State laws usually spell out exactly what "poaching" consists of.

In Europe, prior to modern democratic times, the various lords and ladies owned the game. Poaching would have also included taking a landowner's game ~ something not possible in a state where the game belongs to the people.

Depending on the state a landowner can usually hunt on his own property without a license, but you usually have to adhere to lawful open seasons, size and age limits. Sometimes a landowner has to have a license, but is otherwise able to hunt animals at any time if such animals are a nuisance (meaning they are actually causing damage, not that they are out there just begging to be bagged, dressed out and put in the locker.)

No doubt this can be a very complex situation. Best bet is to get a license and always check with the property owner.