The Boone and Crockett Club has released a groundbreaking study that exposes the true scale and cost of poaching in the United States. Their Poach and Pay research shows that 95% of poaching goes undetected, costing wildlife conservation an estimated $1.4 billion every year. For hunters who value Fair Chase and the future of our traditions, the findings highlight why standing against poaching is more important than ever. Hunters have long known that poaching undermines conservation, but new research from the Boone and Crockett Club shows just how big the problem really is—and why ethical sportsmen should care.
At a press conference in Washington, D.C., Boone and Crockett unveiled the results of its Poach and Pay project, the most comprehensive study ever conducted on illegal take in the U.S. The numbers are sobering: only 4% of poaching incidents are detected, meaning an estimated 95% go unnoticed. The hidden conservation cost? At least $1.4 billion every year in lost fines and the replacement value of wildlife.
Tony A. Schoonen, CEO of Boone and Crockett, didn’t mince words:
“Poaching is not a victimless crime—not only do we lose individual wildlife, we are also losing a valuable public resource with a high cost.”
For hunters who follow the rules and support conservation through license fees and excise taxes, that means we’re paying the price while poachers steal from all of us. Boone and Crockett’s research makes it clear: every deer, elk, or turkey taken illegally is more than just a single lost animal. It’s a theft from the future of hunting.
The study also dug into the why behind poaching—profiling motivations, barriers to prosecution, and even interviewing convicted offenders. The goal isn’t just to highlight the problem, but to find real solutions. Recommendations include stronger deterrents, closing judicial bottlenecks, and improving outreach so the public understands the difference between law-abiding hunters and poachers.
Schoonen stressed that distinction:
“It’s critical to differentiate between legal, Fair Chase hunters and poachers. By quantifying the dark figure of undetected crime and presenting a structured deterrent framework, we can better protect America’s wildlife heritage.”
The Poach and Pay initiative will continue as Boone and Crockett and its partners work to implement these findings. For hunters, the message is clear: standing against poaching is standing for the future of our traditions, our wildlife, and our conservation legacy.
Read the full report at boone-crockett.org/poach-and-pay.
