Long time poacher busted in CO

[Oak]

Not sure why it took so long for this press release, but it looks like this guy had been breaking the rules since at least 2000. A twenty year suspension isn't a very light penalty in my mind.

3/6/2007
Division of Wildlife
Antler fever drove Colorado resident to poaching

Jeff Coldwell, 43, of Firestone, Colorado recently pled guilty to poaching charges

In May of 2006, Jeff Coldwell pleaded guilty to illegal possession of three or more deer in Weld County. In addition to the loss of the illegally taken wildlife, he forfeited his muzzleloader and the court fined him $7,500 with 36 months probation. Coldwell also pled guilty to abuse of public records in Adams County and received a 2 year deferred sentence for false statements made regarding a bear license. The courts donated a portion of his fine to Operation Game Thief.

The abuses also led the Colorado Wildlife Commission to suspend Coldwell's privilege of applying for, purchasing, or exercising the benefits conferred by all DOW licenses for 20 years. His license privileges are also suspended in 22 Wildlife Violator Compact states.

It all began with a hunch. Wildlife Officer Windi Padia contacted Jeff Coldwell while on ATV patrol in Game Management Unit 20 during the 2005 muzzleloader season. Coldwell had a muzzleloader, but no hunting license in his possession. Noticing a clump of deer hair near his truck, Padia inquired further, but Coldwell denied taking a deer. Coldwell was visibly nervous throughout the contact and told Padia he had been hunting with a family member who had a deer license for GMU 18, about seven miles to the west and over the Continental Divide. After checking the records for Coldwell�s license, Officer Padia found that it was valid for GMU 20 only.

Additional Wildlife Officers, Aimee Ryel and John Koehler, were engaged to conduct interviews in Coldwell's hometown, whereupon he admitted he had taken a large mule deer buck illegally in GMU 18 and had already transported the cape out of the unit by backpack. Another deer was shot by the licensed family member and both animals were left to rot. Officers hiked to the kill site and located the trophy-quality skinned buck, as well as a quartered buck. The meat was only salvageable on one of the animals.

Now, the full arm of the law reached in--a search warrant was obtained for Coldwell's residence yielding evidence that Coldwell used another family member's license to tag a buck in 2000. Padia seized Coldwell�s computer and found further evidence of a wildlife violation--emails from Coldwell showed that he had gone bear hunting in 2005 and finding that people were camped near his hunting spot, promptly told a representative from the DOW that he was not able to go on his bear hunt due to medical issues. Six bear preference points were reinstated to Coldwell based on his statements. This fraudulent activity led Officer Padia to charge him with abuse of public records. After disposition of the case in Adams County, his bear preference points were revoked.

In connection with the case, two members of Jeff Coldwell's family have received citations for wildlife violations and have chosen to pay their fines.

One poaching leads to proof of another

Evidence also seized from Coldwell's computer revealed information from a 2003 Trophy Hunter magazine article depicting Coldwell in Fox Park, also in GMU 18, with a harvested buck. This evidence prompted Officer Padia to obtain another search warrant for his residence. The buck in question was seized and it was determined that Coldwell poached it in 2003 in GMU 18 during muzzleloader season. He did not have a license for GMU 18 that year.

"Transferring licenses, a form of 'party hunting', has severely negative impacts on our wildlife," said Officer Windi Padia. "Hunting opportunities are regulated for a reason: any additional opportunity created by a poacher is one less opportunity for an ethical hunter. Everyone who values our wildlife should know that poaching doesn't pay."

You can help stop poaching. If you see a poaching incident, report it. Poaching is a crime against you, your neighbor, and everyone else in the state of Colorado. Call 1-877-COLO-OGT toll-free or Verizon cell phone users can just dial #OGT. If you'd like, you can e-mail us at [email protected].

 

[Canoe]

20 years is a long time, but to me it seems to fit the crime. He will be 63 when he gets to hunt legally again.

 

[Dinkshooter]

Another one bites the dust.

 

[Dinkshooter]

A lot of people stood up for him on the internet. Probably be really quite now.

 

[wadeerslayer]

It seems like he got what he deserved.

 

[Dangerous Dave]

Last year, I waved two ATV riders who were poaching our land into our camp... real friendly-like. Even gave them beers after they told me their names. The older, bigger guy just kept on talking: "I've already got my buck -just helpin' the other guy to get his... seen lots of big bucks scouting here this spring... haven't met the property owners of this land yet." The guy who had already shot his buck had a big synthetic stocked rifle strapped to his ATV, and here he was poaching my land -obviously without a tag.
When I introduced myself as the landowner, the younger hunter started walking back to his ATV to leave, really embarrassed-like. I looked at the other guy and said something like: "So here you are poaching my land and driving the roads like you own it. You've told me you've already shot your buck, and since they give out only one tag, it means you're hunting without one -or never had one to begin with. By the way, thanks for telling me your names. The law will have an easier time finding you guys if I find either one of you here again." I bet this crap has been going on for years. No wonder they hate us in town.
Same with this guy. Been rippin' Colorado off for years.

 

[schmalts]

Yea they nailed him harder than most would think they would have. He fessed up and cooperated with the DOW and they didnt give him much of a break for being cooperative it seems. Lesson learned, it isnt about getting the biggest bucks to impress everyone because the expectations get higher every year. His violations were driven by the same thing that drives many of the hunters in the limelight.
I have to say he really feels terrible and embarassed for what he did and never once denied anything he did wrong, at least to me .
He is and still will be a good friend in my book because of the way he handled the situation and i truely believe he turned a new leaf on his outlook of hunting.

 

[Ridge Runner]

I agree with schmalts. He fessed up and took his punishment and is getting on with his life. I consider Jeff a true friend and he always will be in my books. When you do the crime you do the time and he got his and in a big way I think. Hell Adam was tempted by the fruit of Eve and we are all still paying for that one. We are not saints and will be tested on a daily bases. Sometimes we slip and fall but the tough ones get up and get on with it. I am sure he will do just that. JMO.

 

[TheTone]

Got what he deserved. Nice to see it actually out there instead of the zipped lips, deleted posts (at MM, not here) and rumors that had been swirling. Hell it might make that other board implode.

 

[Moosie]

As Someone that likes Jeff, I'm not going to change my mind or come out now saying I'm changing my mind about him. I also defended him when someone came on just to bash him in an IGNORANT way. The posts haven't been nasty in this thread but just stating opinions and facts. As long as it stays that way we can continue to post. To me he's always been a great guy and over the years he hasn't changed one bit to me.

That being said he did some Wrong stuff. I would use the word Mistake but it was wrong, not a mistake. He got and will continue to get what is coming to him. Thats part of the pay to play. Do the crime, do the time.

But I still wouldn't spit on him like some that don't know him are doing and will do because he is a good person in my book. I've spat on guys I didn't know that have done what he did or less even. Maybe thats part of not knowing the person. I probably would kick him harder if I had a clean slate across the board. Fortunately I've cleaned up my act many years ago and value killing little bucks more then sitting at home. I wouldn't be nervous if fish and game came over and thats a good feeling to me.

Anyways, bummer is what I'll say...... bummer.

 

[Dangerous Dave]

Seems like when I attempt to cast stones, they have a tendency to ricochet and hit me in the head. My personal life was a shambles until I cleaned up my act. Doesn't excuse me for what I did, and I may spend the rest of my life making up for it.
I wish the best for your friend. Maybe he learned a lesson like I did. DD

 

[Oak]

Moosie, I'm not spitting in anybody's face. I just posted the story. I think a lot of people who were led to believe he made a simple mistake are disappointed to find out that there was a pattern of behavior over at least a 5 year time period.

Personally, I couldn't imagine being suspended for 20 years. To me, it's worse than a $1 million dollar fine or a felony conviction. It's almost hard for me to say that he got what he deserved. But maybe punishments like this are what it will take to make people think twice in the future. I don't know details of the case, but I feel like the aggravating circumstance in this case was the fact that he was out hunting after killing a deer in another unit and apparently leaving it to rot.

There's no reason to bash the guy...he's paying a price for what he did. I just think it's important that as many hunters as possible get to read the story. If it keeps one person from doing the same thing in the future, then something positive has come of a case that's pretty sad, IMO.

 

[AkBearHunter]

He might be a great guy but he's still a poacher and he took opputunities away from other hunters, shame on him. 20 years sounds about right to me.

 

[DRAFTSTUD]

Oak, You are right, it is a shame that he is close to many of the People on this site, so that makes it painful for them. The only thing we can do is to go forward and Not do as he has done. John

 

[Moosie]

Oak, I didn't mean "YOU" were spitting. I meant back last year when the New registered people would come here and stir crap. You are very Artik... Uhhhh arrtici.... Uhhh articul........ UHhhhh You say things in a good way

I agree 20 years is a longtime.

 

[JoseCuervo]

I agree 20 years is a longtime.

Keep in mind he PLEADED GUILTY to the offenses and accepted the 20 year revocation. This likely means that an agreement was reached between the Prosecutor and his attorney/himself. We don't know what was thrown out in exchange for the guilty plea, but there would be no reason to accept the 20 year revocation , $7,500 fine, and 36 months probation unless there was a chance/probability for something even worse.

Not casting stones, but, I think pity for a poacher not hunting for 20 years might be a bit misguided...

 

[Dangerous Dave]

Wow, Jose... I actually agree with you on a well thought out sequence of events. Good job (I'm not being condensending). Dave

 

[Oak]

Jose, that's not exactly how it works in CO. A person agreeing to a plea bargain does so before the review of the case by the Wildlife Commission (which levies hunting suspensions), knowing that the punishment may range from no suspension to a lifetime suspension, in addition to any penalties agreed to in the plea. The case review process generally takes at least six months....I think that's why the delay between the guilty plea and the news release.

 

[schmalts]

I dont think there was anything more that was hidden because of a plea. I am going to say this because I have been to Jeffs house before, and after the violations came out. If there was a lot more that was being kept hush because of a plea, there would be a lot more things that would have been confiscated. He still has all the mounts that i can remember him having before the bust except for the ones that were mentioned in the article Oak posted.
Had more violations been plead, they would have in no way left him in possesion of any of those other animals.
I am not sticking up for him, just telling that i think the "Hushed up plea bargain" stuff is not true at all because of what i have seen myself and thought i would share that info to avoid any more rumors. I have tried to stay clear of these discussions best i could because Jeff has been a great guy to me and didnt want to stir the pot any more than it was.
I lost a good friend once already over a hunting situation, and dont want that to happen again. I offended a good friend when he did a REALLY stupid thing while hunting and i told him i will never hunt with him again because he was not a safe hunter and my safety was not worth losing. He took it very personal and it put a huge wedge between us. I forgave him for what he did but he didnt forgive me I guess so we dont talk anymore.

 

[Dangerous Dave]

Same thing happen to me 2 years ago in Oregon, Schmalts. This had to do with my partner getting constantly falling down drunk and getting abusive with me. I almost threw down on him, but somehow we've remained social.
Man, I can see this is a REALLY sore/sensitive subject involving a good friend who is otherwise worthy of much friendship. Try not to hammer too hard on us who are on the outside of the loop. It's only natural for us to be suspicious and speculative.
My own brother used to "have long legs" and got popped once a long time ago. The warden (I'd met him before) was a total jerk. Luckly the DA took my brother under his wing and he got off OK by only paying a small fine.