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Hunting in the Middle Ages was not only a pastime but also brought significant economic profit to the king and the nobility who owned the forests. The noble hunters also acted as forest managers, taking care of the game as well as maintaining and protecting the forest. It was forbidden to hunt deer, fallow deer, roebucks, wild boars, and indeed any other game in the forests. Violating this prohibition was punishable by a high fine, or in the case of repeated offenses, even physical punishment. The same applied to unauthorized wood gathering and logging. Many poachers came from poorer social classes and had little to lose, so physical confrontations with the gamekeepers who caught them in the act were not uncommon.
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