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DOW Seeks Information on Elk Poaching

December 29, 2010 By

 

GUNNISON, Colo. — The Colorado Division of Wildlifeis seeking information about a large six-point bull elk that was illegally shot in Saguache County sometime between Dec. 20 and Dec. 23.
     
The elk was alive when the DOW received a report about it. The animal had been shot and had to be put down.
     
“This animal endured incredible suffering,” said Brandon Diamond, terrestrial biologist for the DOW in Gunnison.
     
The animal was spotted by a Colorado Department of Transportation work crew on Dec. 23 on Colorado Highway 114, at mile marker 23 near the south end of the Cochetopa Canyon.
     
The Division is asking members of the public who may know something about this incident to call the Gunnison DOW office at (970) 641-7060, or Operation Game Thief at 1-877-COLO-OGT (265-6648). Tips can be made anonymously.
     
If a tip leads to a conviction, the reporting party could receive a reward.

For more information about Division of Wildlife go to: http://wildlife.state.co.us.

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Tips Needed in Downtown Havre Poaching Case

December 8, 2009 By

State authorities are seeking the party or parties responsible for illegally shooting a mule deer doe behind a downtown apartment building in Havre earlier this week and leaving it to rot.

Havre Game Warden Wes Oedekoven said a complaint about the downed deer, left on a hillside behind the Eagles Manor Apartments at 20 3 rd Street West, was received about 5:30 p.m. on Dec. 1. Oedekoven said the animal had been shot in the head with a small-caliber firearm. It was determined that the shooting had taken place within 12 hours of the deer being found.

Anyone with information about the incident can call Oedekoven directly at (406) 262-2407 or they can contact FWP’s Turn In Poachers program at 1-800-TIP-MONT. Callers can remain anonymous and may be eligible for a cash reward.

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$11,000 Reward in Grizzly Poaching

November 17, 2009 By

Grizzly BearState and federal officials have increased the reward in a grizzly poaching case on the Rocky Mountain Front to $11,000.

“We’re still looking for leads,” says Mike Martin, Fish, Wildlife and Parks game warden captain.

The large grizzly bear was shot in late July near Swift Dam Road west of Dupuyer. [Read more…]

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$11,000 REWARD IN DE BEQUE BIGHORN POACHING CASE

November 4, 2009 By

Colorado Division of Wildlife - 300

DE BEQUE, Colo. – Three energy companies are offering a $10,000 reward for information leading to the conviction of the person or persons responsible for the poaching of a bighorn sheep ram north of De Beque.

On Friday, Oct. 30, investigators with the Colorado Division of Wildlife were notified that a quarter-curl bighorn ram had been poached on private land. Information from people in the area and evidence collected at the scene indicate that the bighorn sheep ram was likely shot between Sunday, Oct. 25 and Tuesday, Oct. 27 by a single shot to the neck. The poacher made no attempt to salvage meat from the animal or to take the head or horns.

“This is the worst kind of poaching case,” said Albert Romero, District Wildlife Manager for the De Beque district. “It appears that someone just shot and killed this animal for no reason at all.”

Chevron, EnCana and Williams have committed a total of $10,000 to the Division of Wildlife reward fund for information that leads to a conviction in this case. Additionally, Operation Game Thief has offered a $1,000 reward and Colorado’s TIPS program may provide tipsters with a bighorn sheep hunting license in exchange for testimony in the case.

The ram, which was part of the De Beque Canyon bighorn sheep herd, had recently wandered into the Kimball Creek area west of Roan Creek Road (Garfield County Road 204). The ram was frequently seen and photographed by area residents and energy workers who travel the road up Kimball Creek. The ram carcass was discovered on private property owned by Chevron.

Criminal charges in this case could include trespassing, illegal possession of wildlife, waste, felony willful destruction, and hunting in a closed unit. If convicted of all charges, the perpetrator in this case could face up to five years in jail and more than $100,000 in fines. Upon conviction the person would also face suspension of their hunting privileges in Colorado and 30 other states.

Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep are the official state animal of Colorado and they appear on the seal of the Colorado Division of Wildlife.

Anyone with information about this case is asked to contact Operation Game Thief at 877-265-6648. Callers wishing to remain anonymous can qualify for up to $1,000 in reward funds; however tipsters must be willing to testify to qualify for energy company reward funds or TIPS licenses. Operation Game Thief is a program that works with the Division of Wildlife to provide rewards for information in poaching cases. TIPS is a DOW program that provides hunting licenses or preference points for sportsmen who provide information in poaching cases.

Editor’s note: A Chevron employee snapped a photo of the ram days before it was poached. A copy of the photo is available at http://wildlife.state.co.us/apps/ImageDB/ImageDownload.aspx?ImageId=25530&ImageSize=Print&ImageType=JPG

For more information about Division of Wildlife go to: http://wildlife.state.co.us.

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Reward of up to $8,000

August 10, 2009 By

 

arizona-game-fish

 

PINETOP, Ariz. – The Arizona Game and Fish Department is asking for the public’s help in finding the individual responsible for the illegal killing of a large bull elk found shot on July 31. It was left in the vicinity of Pinot Ridge on Bluegrass Ranch Drive in Pinetop.

“The poacher left this majestic animal to waste, and we need assistance from the public to find the individual responsible,” says Bruce Sitko, spokesman in the department’s Pinetop office. “This isn’t the action of a hunter; it’s an act of a criminal stealing wildlife assets and resources from the people of Arizona.”

To report information on this incident, or any Game and Fish violation, call the department’s Operation Game Thief hotline at (800) 352-0700. Caller identities may remain confidential upon request. Callers are eligible to receive a reward of up to $8,000 for information leading to the arrest of the violator responsible for this poaching case.

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Five fined for poaching

April 13, 2009 By

Four Minnesota men and a Stanford man have been fined and ordered to pay restitution and court costs of $8,540 for poaching 17 antelope over a three-year period.

Fish, Wildlife & Parks said in a news release Monday that the five men also forfeited their hunting and trapping privileges in Montana for two years.

This is an important case because this was premeditated, organized and an abuse of our natural resources,Âť said Tom Flowers, a FWP regional investigator.

From 2005 to 2007, the group would receive antelope licenses good in one district, then hunt illegally in another district, Flowers said.

An investigation led to the Stanford area where FWP Game Warden Bob Hammer, with the assistance of the Judith Basin county attorney’s office, was able to get the men to plead guilty. Justice of the Peace Larry Carver sentenced the men in March.

The nonresidents would typically apply for and receive the majority of their antelope permits in FWP’s Region 5 (south-central Montana) where their chance of a successful drawing was high,Âť Flowers said. Then they hunted in Region 4 (north-central Montana) with the benefit and knowledge of a local resident.Âť

The illegal activity was discovered when the Minnesota men were stopped at the Canada-North Dakota border, returning from a separate waterfowl hunting trip. A search of the vehicle revealed a camera with pictures of harvested antelope that didn’t appear to be properly tagged. When questioned the men said the antelope were killed in Montana.

Michael L. Bossen, age unknown, Stanford pleaded guilty to taking an antelope in the wrong district and unlawful possession of an antelope.

Adrian Marsden Jr., 62, Bayport, Minn., pleaded guilty to taking an antelope in the wrong district and unlawful possession of an antelope.

Thomas M. Sanders, 51, St. Paul, Minn., pleaded guilty to taking an antelope in the wrong district and unlawful possession of an antelope.

Edward J. Dobbs, 44, St. Paul, Minn, pleaded guilty to taking an antelope in the wrong district by accountability and unlawful possession of an antelope by accountability.

John E. Lockner, 44, Woodbury, Minn., pleaded guilty to taking an antelope in the wrong district, two counts of unlawful possession of an antelope, two counts of taking an antelope in the wrong district by accountability and unlawful possession of an antelope by accountability.

The accountability charges are from Dobbs and Lockner taking responsibility for their teenage sons actions.

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Joint Hunting Investigation Leads to More Arrests in Suspected Poaching Ring

March 20, 2009 By

 

Loudoun County, Virginia- A joint illegal hunting investigation between the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office and the Virginia Department of Game & Inland Fisheries has led to two more arrests. Items seized in the investigation include: numerous deer carcasses, 78 sets of deer antlers, 72 turkey beards, three firearms and the claws of two federally protected birds.

Read entire article here.

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