Some people get addicted to the Lure of Hunting and also Fishing and it is like they are Heroin Junkies. They can't ever get enough and then the money plays into their game. Back in the 80s I worked for Electric Boat in Groton, CT and rented a Horse Farm in Waterford, CT.
I worked with a young guy in his late twenties and he was the BEST Striper Bass Fisherman I ever knew. He was so good that he was catching dozens of Stripers every night off of Niantic, Waterford, Lyme CT. At the time there was a season and limits on Stripers in CT. Well there was a huge market for selling Strippers in NY. He had a lot of connections to sell the Stripers and was making a fortune. He had the newest 4x4 trucks and Boston Whaler boats. He was caught several times and given warning and small fines. Then NY Fish and Game along with Police got involved due to a huge illegal smuggling ring selling fish. I remember that his boats, trucks, and fishing gear was confiscated, and he finally was sentenced to several years in jail.
I remember talking with him before he got caught and then when he was caught several times. He told me that the excitement of catching stripers and then selling them was all he could think about.
I know a person in GA that is addicted to Turkey Hunting and Poaches. GA does not take kindly to Poachers especially for Turkeys.
These guys in the Wyoming story were addicted to the trill of the hunt and the money.
GLAD they got caught! They didn't get near the sentence they should have.
Here is a real kicker.
Jill and I were hunting at Wilson Shoals WMA in GA. while we were there we saw (6) hunters get out along a back road with AKs and started a drive. We cam out of the woods and there was a Fish & Game Law Enforcement officer there. We heard several shots and the oficer walked down the road. There was a hunter that shot three spike bucks. In GA you have to shoot a 4 point one side and then anything else, but only two bucks. We asked the office what is he going to do. He said give him a ticket to show up in court, but the the hunter did not have hunting license, driver's license and was an Illegal so nothing will happen to him and the rest of the group. The Wardend said he has no control and that they will never show up in court.
The warden was then going to give Jill a ticket and fine because she didn't have a special additional $5.00 fee (tag) for hunting a WMA even though she had an everything Hunting and fishing license.
What a Country. Can't make this stuff up. Illegal Alien has no license and shoots three deer illegally gets let go free.