Poaching is the illegal hunting, fishing or harvesting of wild plants or animals. It may be illegal because:
* The game or fish is not in season, usually the breeding season is declared as the closed season when wildlife species are protected by law.
* The poacher does not possess a license.
* The poacher is illegally selling the animal or animal parts or plant for a profit.
* The animal is being hunted outside of legal hours.
* The hunter used an illegal weapon for that animal.
* The animal or plant is on restricted land.
* The right to hunt this animal is claimed by somebody.
* The means used are illegal (for example, baiting a field while hunting quail or other animals, using spotlights to stun or paralyze deer, or hunting from a moving vehicle, watercraft, or aircraft).
* The animal or plant is protected by law or that it has been listed as extinct or an endangered (see for example the Endangered Species Act for the USA)
* The animal or plant has been tagged by a researcher
Poached from:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poaching