Pokemon Poaching vs. Capturing (differences?)

[Miss Doronjo]

This is an interesting topic, and I just want your guys opinion: In both the games and the anime, people who catch Pokemon for disreputable purposes are called poachers, while people who catch Pokemon for, shall we say recreation, are perfectly fine. Yet there's often little difference in means. Is it just the purpose by which you catch a Pokemon that makes you a criminal, or is it just the means you use to catch them? Throughout this franchise, we've seen both methods used and neglected.

Granted, Poke poachers have been shown to catch Pokemon not with just Pokeballs, but with nets, cages, bombs, and even a Red Chain or two, so there's a distinguishable difference, but that isn't always the case. Poachers can just as easily go out into a forest and toss Ultra Balls at everything they see, and if an Officer Jenny comes along, claim to simply be filling up a Pokedex or starting a ranch or any other excuse. How can you charge someone for a crime when the crime is something that everyone does every day, quite freely?

So if there can exist at the same time Pokemon reserves, where unhindered catching is a crime, and Safari Zones, where unhindered catching is a game, who decides when it's poaching and when it's catching?

Have any theories you'd like tto share about this?

 

[PlatinumDude]

Pokemon catching is done the legit way: having one of your own Pokemon weaken the target and then throw a Poke Ball and pray that it'll be caught. Pokemon poaching, however, is taking the Pokemon illegally out of its habitat, or sometimes from its trainer, by force.

 

[ATM the Mudkip]

Well, in J's Riolu case, she tried to get Riolu, which was destined for something and had to be saved. But in other cases, such has getting rare pokemon, I dont really see the difference considering shes capturing wild Pokemon, so I dont understand what the big deal is. I never thought about it that way, youve got a point.

 

[Mahou Tsukai]

Poachers catch pokemon in large numbers at one go (more caught = bigger profit). Money is the ultimate goal in the poacher's mind. This isn't the case for pokemon trainers, who catch pokemon to raise them. Just my 2 cents.

 

[King∞Nido]

IMO, Pokémon poachers are just people who for one reason or another decided to cut the middle man.
I assume that a Trainer ID costs money, keeping your Pokémon at a lab or ranch costs money, and that poaching only becomes a problem when the person in question isn't buying the ID to begin with.
It's the same difference as a doctor from a drug dealer. The government doesn't care about anything if it's making a cent or two. :\

 

[Zeffy]

I'll say the Pokemon Poachers are those who catch Pokemon, legally or illegally, and use them for profit either by cooking them, making them work too much, or stuff that would be used for profit. There are, however, a few trainers who also work with their Pokemon for profit but their Pokemon accepts what they are doing while those caught by Poachers are working out if will; they didn't accept what they were doing.

Catching Pokemon, by Pokeball or by the Pokemon itself coming to you wanting to join your team, is by no means illegal. Poachers usually catch Pokemon in big groups, using nets and stuff, which I would consider is illegal. However, there are a few exemptions to capturing Pokemon by nets like capturing a group of mischievous Pokemon that are causing trouble.

 

[Mr Cat Dog]

Poaching implies theft with an intent to exploit the capture for 'bad' purposes. In the context of the franchise - although probably not in real life - the concept of battling is not a bad purpose, but poaching a Walrein for the ivory in its tusks to make piano keys would probably be considered 'bad'. There's also territorial stuff to consider as well: Pokemon in the wild are just that - in the wild, so free for the taking, so to speak. However, if there are enclosures for such critters, the removal of them from these areas could be considered poaching.

 

[Dark Piplup]

Poaching is more forced. Also capturing if you are a good trainer is for good and fun so it's not poaching. But catching a Pokemon for evil or mean purposes is what I would consider poaching.