Thread: Police poachers not charged.

Do people know what 'hunt' means in law?
It does seem reading statutes is no more popular here than any other forum. What people 'reckon' isnt worth much in court.

Wild animal control act - look under definitions:

Hunt or kill, in relation to wild animals, includes—

(a) hunting or searching for any wild animal, and killing, taking, trapping, capturing, having in possession, tranquillising, or immobilising any such animal by any means:

(b) pursuing, disturbing, or molesting any such animal:

(c) taking or using any dog, firearm, vehicle, vessel, aircraft, net, snare, trap, poison, or like method while engaged in hunting any such animal, whether or not this results in capturing or killing any such animal:

(d) attempting to hunt or capture or kill any such animal while engaged in recreational, commercial, or guided hunting or hunting to capture live wild animals for export, farming, sale, breeding, exchange, public display, scientific, or other purposes:

(e) engaging in a wild animal recovery operation

'Molest' has an older meaning to do with harassing - the more modern interpretation of the word probably comes with other charges and is less popular. I hope.

Originally Posted by bang-thud-thump

Do people know what 'hunt' means in law?
It does seem reading statutes is no more popular here than any other forum. What people 'reckon' isnt worth much in court.

Wild animal control act - look under definitions:

Hunt or kill, in relation to wild animals, includes—

(a) hunting or searching for any wild animal, and killing, taking, trapping, capturing, having in possession, tranquillising, or immobilising any such animal by any means:

(b) pursuing, disturbing, or molesting any such animal:

(c) taking or using any dog, firearm, vehicle, vessel, aircraft, net, snare, trap, poison, or like method while engaged in hunting any such animal, whether or not this results in capturing or killing any such animal:

(d) attempting to hunt or capture or kill any such animal while engaged in recreational, commercial, or guided hunting or hunting to capture live wild animals for export, farming, sale, breeding, exchange, public display, scientific, or other purposes:

(e) engaging in a wild animal recovery operation

'Molest' has an older meaning to do with harassing - the more modern interpretation of the word probably comes with other charges and is less popular. I hope.

Good luck arguing this if you get caught with scuba gear....in your vehicle....while in possession of paua.
The onus is on you to prove innocense - and it is bloody hard to do.
If you have a spotlight and a rifle, it is hard to argue you aren't hunting regardless of a paper definition...taking this into account, you fail the test of both b) and c).
Your thoughts?