Amid tough times, poaching is on rise in Arizona

The nation's crummy economy may be claiming a new class of victims: Arizona's wildlife. State Game and Fish agents are not certain of the reason, but they've seen a dramatic spike in complaints about wildlife violations and poaching in the past year, and they think an unfavorable economy may have something to do with it. Their theory: At a time when many Arizonans find themselves in a financial squeeze, some have resorted to the illegal taking of edible game for food, while others are killing for profit. A third group actually may be reporting violators in hopes of getting financial rewards, which also could help explain the notable increase in reports of violations. Whatever the culprit, this much is clear: There were 768 reports of Game and Fish violations in 2009, up 70 percent from 2008 and more than double the year before that. In 2009, the state also paid a record amount in rewards to people who tipped investigators to violations...read more