Poaching On the Rise

[Nemont]

March 28, 2004

Poaching on the rise: Officials blame lust for money
Associated Press

HELENA - The two men wandered into the Stevensville tavern and the conversation turned to hunting and fishing - not unusual in any Montana bar. They asked about one of the bar's regulars they'd heard about, a local named Ben Ruiz.

Before long, Ruiz approached the pair and offered his services, telling them he was a hunting and fishing outfitter. He said he could not only arrange a hunting or fishing trip but could get one of the men, from Iowa, an illegal Montana resident hunting license - for a price.

What Ruiz didn't know was the two men were undercover state game wardens investigating reports that Ruiz, who was not a licensed outfitter, was arranging illegal hunts.


Wildlife officials say Ruiz, who later was convicted or pleaded guilty to seven misdemeanor fish and game violations, is just one example of what they consider a troubling and growing trend in Montana - people taking cash to help others poach.


Story

Nemont

 

[Ten Bears]

Hey, I just found the same article, but you beat me to the post. Did you see this part?

But wildlife officials say that over the past decade, they have seen an increasing number of cases of what they call ‘‘illegal commercialization'' of wildlife, in which money — sometimes thousands of dollars — is exchanged to arrange illegal hunts.

‘‘People are willing to pay large amounts of money to kill a trophy animal and don't care if it's illegal or not,'' said Jim Kropp, chief of law enforcement for the state Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks. ‘‘They get comfortable hunting behind locked gates and shooting what they see.

http://www.fwp.state.mt.us/

 

[danr55]

I just went to the Arizona Elk Society banquet Saturday night. Among the items raffled were two racks that were taken from poached animals by the AZGF. They donated them to the society to turn them into cash. I would guess that one of the two scored in the 375 range and the other in the 340 range.

Overall, the Society raised just over $200K for Arizona Elk. The AZ Governors Elk tag sold for $85K and the Antelope tag for $67.5K.

The food sucked, but the banquet was an overall success.

 

[Wapiti Slayer]

FOUR MEN CONVICTED OF POACHING IN TWO SEPARATE INCIDENTS
Yellowstone National Park Superintendent Suzanne Lewis announced today that two men from northwestern Wyoming were convicted in Yellowstone U.S. Magistrate's Court on March 3, 2004, for illegally shooting and killing three bull elk in a remote area inside Yellowstone's eastern boundary on October 1, 2003.

The investigation began as the result of observations made by law enforcement rangers on routine anti-poaching patrol. The ranger's initial observations lead to a three day investigation involving National Park Service Rangers and Special Agents, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Special Agents, U.S. Forest Service officers and a National Park Service contract helicopter.

Jason Lee Christofferson, 29, of Ralston, Wyoming, and Dustin Gene Creed, 34, of Cody, Wyoming, were each convicted of three counts of violating the Lacey Act for illegally killing and moving the elk, and one count of illegally using a weapon inside of a national park.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Stephen E. Cole ordered each man to pay $9,000 in restitution to the park for the destruction of the three elk, a $1,000 fine, and a $25 special assessment. In addition, the Judge imposed a 180-day suspended jail sentence, a ban from entering Yellowstone for three years, three years of federal probation, forfeiture of the rifles used in the crime, and a two year ban from possessing hunting and fishing licenses.

In a separate incident, two men from Three Forks, Montana, were convicted in Yellowstone U.S. Magistrate's Court on March 16, 2004, for illegally killing a bull elk along U.S. Highway 191 inside of Yellowstone National Park on November 28, 2003.

The investigation began after multiple citizens reported two men field dressing a bull elk alongside U.S. Highway 191 many miles inside Yellowstone National Park. A ranger who responded to the scene observed the two men dragging part of a trophy class, six-point bull elk toward their vehicle.

John T. Steeples, 23, of Three Forks, Montana, was convicted of one count of violating the Lacey Act for illegally killing and moving the elk and one count of illegally using a weapon inside of a national park. Charles S. Christensen, 45, of Three Forks, Montana, was convicted of one count of violating the Lacey Act.

U.S. Magistrate-Judge Stephen E. Cole ordered Mr. Steeples to pay $4,000 in restitution to the park for the destruction of the elk, a $2,000 fine, and a $25 special assessment. In addition, the Judge imposed a 180-suspended jail sentence, a ban from entering Yellowstone for two years, three years of federal probation, forfeiture of the rifle used in the crime, and a three year ban from possessing hunting and fishing licenses.

The Judge ordered Mr. Christensen to pay $4,000 in restitution, a $1,000 fine, and a $25 special assessment. Christensen was also given a 90-day suspended jail sentence, banned from Yellowstone for two years, given three years of federal probation, and banned from hunting and fishing for three years.

Superintendent Lewis reminds all park visitors that disturbing, collecting and/or removal of natural features from national parks are prohibited by law and subject to fines and/or jail. Those involved in illegal activities in Yellowstone will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.

Anyone who has information regarding poaching or other illegal activities occurring within Yellowstone National Park are strongly encouraged to contact the Yellowstone National Park Investigations Office at (307) 344-2120.


-NPS-

 

[cjcj]

I think they should have to attend a Hunters Convention!

 

[1_pointer]

What implications would a hunter face if they unknowingly contracted with an unlicensed outfitter or if the outfitter took them to land they didn't have permission on??

 

[Ten Bears]

I'd say he'd (the hunter) have problems.
Kinda like driving your ATV into the wilderness area. OOPs

 

[Wapiti Slayer]

Elk poacher loses high court appeal; Man convicted in 1996 of shooting into herd of 20 elk
Associated Press

HELENA - A Philipsburg man has lost the latest round in his eight-year battle to overturn his conviction for 10 elk hunting violations in Granite County.

The Montana Supreme Court rejected Darell McDonald's claims that his lawyer on his latest appeal was ineffective and that his consecutive sentences for the crimes should have run concurrently.

McDonald and a companion fired more than a dozen shots into a herd of 20 elk that were grazing in a fenced pasture near several hundred cattle southwest of Philipsburg on Nov. 22, 1996, the Supreme Court said in recapping the case.


McDonald was convicted of 11 violations in Justice Court, appealed to District Court and was convicted of 10 of them - hunting a bull elk without a permit, failure to wear blaze-orange hunting garments, four counts of taking more than one game animal, and four counts of creating a hazard in the act of hunting.

He was given a three-year suspended sentence, ordered to pay $2,410 in fines and restitution, and lost his hunting privileges for 10 years.

He appealed the conviction on grounds that the prosecutor made improper claims during his closing remarks. The Supreme Court rejected that appeal.

McDonald then asked the District Court to reduce his sentence, claiming that both his trial lawyer and appeal lawyer were ineffective. He was denied and appealed that ruling to the Supreme Court, which rejected his claims this week.

"The record establishes that McDonald was, in the words of his trial counsel, an 'exasperating and demanding client' with a high degree of involvement in his case," Justice W. William Leaphart wrote for the unanimous five justice panel.

"In each of the above-claimed instances of ineffective assistance, McDonald's trial counsel conferred with McDonald in regard to the decision at issue. The record establishes that each of these issues was discussed with McDonald and that a strategic decision was made about each."

Leaphart said McDonald's claims of ineffective counsel on appeal also boiled down to complaints about strategic decisions.

"We give such decisions great deference and conclude that appellate counsel was not ineffective in this regard," Leaphart said.

Chief Justice Karla M. Gray and Justices Patricia O. Cotter, James C. Nelson and John Warner concurred.


Copyright © 2004 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.


Copyright © The Billings Gazette, a division of Lee Enterprises.

 

[Muledeer4me]

"lust for money" on one end and disregard for wildlife on the other.

I will never understand how someone can be happy with any animal that is taken in an illegal manner.
You would think that every time they looked at it
they would be reminded of what low life's they are and how unskilled they are at hunting.
Money to pay for an illegal animal or the nerve to poach does
not make someone a hunter.


"McDonald and a companion fired more than a dozen shots into a herd of 20 elk that were grazing in a fenced pasture near several hundred cattle"

Those guy's need to go to a hunter safty class and not pick up a firearm untill they master some control. What a couple of pin head's.

 

[Washington Hunter]

failure to wear blaze-orange hunting garments

That's funny...why would a poacher wear orange?

 

[Washington Hunter]

It would be like charging a guy with murder and then giving him a speeding ticket for speeding away from the murder scene.

 

[ELKCHSR]

It gives our guy's one more thing to put on the ticket...
I look for thise individuals every time I'm out, I will follow up on gunshots that don't seem to be where they should. I am just out walking the mountains any way....

 

[Ten Bears]

Good for you CHSR. I've already seen guys getting their spring turkeys this week, and season doesn't open until the 15th.....

 

[ELKCHSR]

I just went out for a walk yesterday, trying to see how high I can get into the hills because of snow. I filled my pack up with garbage. It wasn't from the ATV'ers, (because they are not allowed), it wasn't becuase of the others hikers/hunters, (because they just are basicaly to lazy in this area to walk that far). What I can tell you is that there were two horse riders, I picked up beer and pop cans, little smokey's in a can, little cans of chili, lots of assorted wrappers from candy, and pastery treats...
I may have to see if there is some way I can catch these two pigs and serve up some back woods justice. There was so much crap, I almost didn't get it all in my line bag I use for fires...
I suppose I am just venting and also saying, no matter what a few of you on this board tout all of the time to the point of being boringly rediculus, it's not just the ATV'ers, it is the individuals that have not been called on their shit because they don't think any one else will say any thing....Won't they be surprised...

 

[Ten Bears]

Good work man.

I try to pickup as much litter as I can when I'm out. Having an ATV around helps with the load. Too bad aluminum isn't worth much, I'd make a fortune on beer and pop cans (could do well if idaho had a deposit fee on plastic bottles too).

 

[ELKCHSR]

I hear that...LOL...At least some of us don't need to be paid to improve the environment we live in....