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Utah DWR Press Release
3/29/02
Wildlife Violators Hit Hard
Price — Two wildlife cases from southeastern Utah went through the court system recently. The penalties for each case may surprise you!
In the first case, four antlerless elk hunters with Cooperative Wildlife Management Unit permits shot and killed two cow elk outside the unit boundary. The CWMU is located in the Gentry Mountain area of the Wasatch Plateau.
The violation was reported to Sergeant Carl Gramlich, a Division of Wildlife Resources conservation officer in Price. His investigation led to the conviction of the four persons responsible. The court ordered the defendants to pay a total of $1,400 in fines and $1,500 in restitution for the two cow elk.
The penalty in the second case was staggering. A Preston, Idaho hunter shot and killed a 27-inch, 4-point buck on the Wasatch Plateau last August. The man possessed an elk archery permit, but did not have a deer permit. The man's wife did, however. The defendant returned to camp, took his wife's permit and tagged the deer.
The violation was reported by an eyewitness. Conservation officers Alan Green and Carl Gramlich responded and conducted an investigation. In the end, the wife pled guilty to aiding and assisting in the wanton destruction of protected wildlife and to obstruction of justice. She was ordered to pay a recoupment of $500 to her attorney.
The real jaw-dropping story involves her husband! He pled guilty to the wanton destruction and obstruction of justice charges, as did his wife. However, the judge, holding him responsible, ordered him to pay a fine of $740 and confiscated his archery equipment, worth more than $500.
Because the buck was considered a trophy, according to the state's trophy statute, the judge also handed down a restitution penalty in the amount of $8,000! In addition, he was sentenced to 15 days in jail, none of which was suspended. Following his jail term, the man will be placed on probation for two years. He will also be subject to hunting license revocation for up to 10 years.
Because the Western states have a compact that prevents someone on revocation in one state from legally hunting in another, he may not be able to hunt in his home state of Idaho for 10 years as well.
This judgment sends a strong and clear message. Illegal wildlife activity can cost a huge amount of money and jail time too!
Contact: Brent Stettler, DWR Southeastern Region Conservation Outreach Manager (435) 636-0266
3/29/02
Wildlife Violators Hit Hard
Price — Two wildlife cases from southeastern Utah went through the court system recently. The penalties for each case may surprise you!
In the first case, four antlerless elk hunters with Cooperative Wildlife Management Unit permits shot and killed two cow elk outside the unit boundary. The CWMU is located in the Gentry Mountain area of the Wasatch Plateau.
The violation was reported to Sergeant Carl Gramlich, a Division of Wildlife Resources conservation officer in Price. His investigation led to the conviction of the four persons responsible. The court ordered the defendants to pay a total of $1,400 in fines and $1,500 in restitution for the two cow elk.
The penalty in the second case was staggering. A Preston, Idaho hunter shot and killed a 27-inch, 4-point buck on the Wasatch Plateau last August. The man possessed an elk archery permit, but did not have a deer permit. The man's wife did, however. The defendant returned to camp, took his wife's permit and tagged the deer.
The violation was reported by an eyewitness. Conservation officers Alan Green and Carl Gramlich responded and conducted an investigation. In the end, the wife pled guilty to aiding and assisting in the wanton destruction of protected wildlife and to obstruction of justice. She was ordered to pay a recoupment of $500 to her attorney.
The real jaw-dropping story involves her husband! He pled guilty to the wanton destruction and obstruction of justice charges, as did his wife. However, the judge, holding him responsible, ordered him to pay a fine of $740 and confiscated his archery equipment, worth more than $500.
Because the buck was considered a trophy, according to the state's trophy statute, the judge also handed down a restitution penalty in the amount of $8,000! In addition, he was sentenced to 15 days in jail, none of which was suspended. Following his jail term, the man will be placed on probation for two years. He will also be subject to hunting license revocation for up to 10 years.
Because the Western states have a compact that prevents someone on revocation in one state from legally hunting in another, he may not be able to hunt in his home state of Idaho for 10 years as well.
This judgment sends a strong and clear message. Illegal wildlife activity can cost a huge amount of money and jail time too!
Contact: Brent Stettler, DWR Southeastern Region Conservation Outreach Manager (435) 636-0266
