One does associate with poachers at last catching game (4)
I believe the answer is:
stag
'one does associate' is the definition.
The definition and answer can be both to do with social activities as well as being verbs in their base form.
Perhaps there's a link between them I don't understand?
'poachers at last catching game' is the wordplay.
'at last' suggests the final letters.
'catching' is a charade indicator (letters next to each other).
'game' becomes 'tag' (children's playground game).
The last letter of 'poachers' is 's'.
's'+'tag'='STAG'
'with' is the link.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for stag that I've seen before include "Excluding women" , "Adult male deer, often with antlers" , "Male at party?" , "Unaccompanied man at party" , "Male-only" .)