Poachers in Wyoming get hammered

[jnyork]

Best not be poaching in Wyoming:


.

(Lusk, Wyo.) — A joint poaching investigation last November between the Wyoming Game and Fish Department and Nebraska Game and Parks netted four Nebraska residents for poaching mule deer near the Wyoming/Nebraska stateline. The men plead guilty to several poaching violations, resulting in more than $17, 500 in fines and restitution.

The investigation began after Lusk Game Warden Brady Vandeberg received reports from local landowners that Nebraska hunters were illegally taking mule deer in Wyoming while the season was closed.

Art Smith, age 64, Nebraska was found guilty of hunting on private land without permission, illegally baiting big game and knowingly taking antlered big game out of season. Smith received probation until June of 2016, over $10,000.00 in fines, and ordered to pay $4,000.00 in restitution. Smith was also given a suspended 120 day jail sentence, which was suspended, and lost his hunting, fishing, and trapping privileges for life in Wyoming. Additional charges of taking big game from a vehicle and with artificial light were dismissed as part of a plea agreement.

Zachary Smith, 32, Nebraska was convicted of hunting on private land without permission, illegally baiting big game and illegal take of big game from a vehicle. Zachary Smith was fined $1,500.00, four years probation, and loss of hunting, fishing, and trapping privileges for two years. Zachary was also ordered to serve 60 days in jail, which was suspended. Additional charges of taking big game with artificial light, taking big game after hours, and knowingly taking antlered big game out of season were dismissed as part of a plea agreement.

Ryan Knutson, 41, of Nebraska and Dave Knutson, 65, of Nebraska were also convicted of hunting on private land without permission and taking big game without a license.

“Poachers like these are taking hunting opportunities away from law-abiding hunters and negatively impacting the wildlife resources,” said Vandeberg. The suspects were observed hunting in Wyoming while the season was closed, trespassing on neighboring properties, baiting deer to hunt them (which is illegal in Wyoming), chasing deer off road with a vehicle, and spotlighting and shooting after legal hunting hours.

Anyone with information on a wildlife violation may call the Stop Poaching Hotline at 1-877-WGFD-TIP. Tips may be reported online at wgfd.wyo.gov. Callers can remain anonymous and may be eligible for a cash reward of up to $5,000 if the information leads to a conviction.



Edited by jnyork (Today at 10:41 AM)

[AJMD429]

Screw 'em - some *** 'hunts' on my private property and I regard it as not only 'theft', but 'armed robbery' since he's obviously armed, and I may be home at the time.

Around where I grew up, if you parked your vehicle on someone else's property, it just might wind up on fire, and/or rolled in the nearest river; one of my favorite neighbors used to just use his front end loader to turn their fancy-schmancy 4wd pickups upside-down. When they came up to his house to 'complain' he already had the sheriff (a friend of his) there waiting for them, and in case the sheriff's 38 special wasn't enough, his kids all had Mini-14's or Mossberg 500's.

Not nice to steal landowners game/food/property.

[ollogger]

That's great they got them guys!!! now they need to catch them jerks shooting all
them Antelope in a 50 mile radius of Casper!!!!

[GonnePhishin]

Man, that some expensive hunting trip. Glad they caught 'em.

[vancelw]

Nebraska explains it all...

You know the 'N" on the Cornhuskers' helmet stands for Knowledge

[Blaine]

Off with their heads for poaching the King's deer.

[vancelw]

Not the kings deer here, dear.
The people's deer.

[jnyork]

Off with their heads for poaching the King's deer.

Sounds like a dang good idea.

[vancelw]

Off with their heads for poaching the King's deer.

Sounds like a dang good idea.

A more fitting punishment might be to make them fix 20 miles of fence each (torn up by racing pronghorns)


....then, off with their heads.

[Blaine]

Not the kings deer here, dear.
The people's deer.

You mean The State.....and in a capricious sort of way.....

[vancelw]

Not the kings deer here, dear.
The people's deer.

You mean The State.....and in a capricious sort of way.....

Maybe....

I do know conservation works, and poachers mess up the equation....rip 'em a new one.

[guido4198]

I'm hoping that in addition to the fines, I'm HOPING...they also had the various implements used CONFISCATED...including VEHICLES used in their intentional lawbreaking.

[Blaine]

Not EVER saying poaching is to be tolerated. I'm saying the punishment is not unlike cutting off the hands of thieves. ....

[vancelw]

Not EVER saying poaching is to be tolerated. I'm saying the punishment is not unlike cutting off the hands of thieves. ....

Got no problem with that either.

[Blaine]

Not EVER saying poaching is to be tolerated. I'm saying the punishment is not unlike cutting off the hands of thieves. ....

Got no problem with that either.

[Old Ironsights]

Not the kings deer here, dear.
The people's deer.

Which is the thing that makes me most nuts..

A Landowner can get cited for poaching for killing a critter on HIS property if he hasn't bowed & scraped before his Leige Lords and PAID to get the "correct" paperwork t "allow" him to kill animals that, if they were Humans would be Trespassing...

(Oh, wait... HIS property doesn't belong to him. It actually belongs to the Environmentalist .gov. If you don't believe it, stop paying your .gov Rent... (err... taxes)... )

[BrentD]

Not the kings deer here, dear.
The people's deer.

Which is the thing that makes me most nuts..

A Landowner can get cited for poaching for killing a critter on HIS property if he hasn't bowed & scraped before his Leigh Lords and PAID to get the "correct" paperwork t "allow" him to kill animals that, if they were Humans would be Trespassing...

Be darn glad for that. There would be no hunting were it otherwise. Wildife as part of the Public Trust is what has made this country one of the last great hunting societies left.

[Old Ironsights]

Not the kings deer here, dear.
The people's deer.

Which is the thing that makes me most nuts..

A Landowner can get cited for poaching for killing a critter on HIS property if he hasn't bowed & scraped before his Leigh Lords and PAID to get the "correct" paperwork t "allow" him to kill animals that, if they were Humans would be Trespassing...

Be darn glad for that. There would be no hunting were it otherwise. Wildife as part of the Public Trust is what has made this country one of the last great hunting societies left.

And yet, if I want to Hunt on Private Property I have to get permission (a good thing) but the land owner has to get permission from Out Masters at the Fishy Game HQ?

Something is sensuously wrung there.

This "public trust" nonsense is pure Socialism.

Most land owners ... er... Renters... want to appropriately MANAGE their game-stock. That that game stock migrates across several parcels of land does not change that fact. Nor does it change the fact that even the most assiduous Game Manager must deal with depredation. It is the height of absurdity that one must petition some Bureaucrat hundreds (thousands) of miles away to be "allowed" (at gun point) to manage depredation on one's own property...

But then as mentioned, no one really "owns" the property they bought do they? If someone can take it away at gunpoint because you didn't pay your rent/taxes/protection money then it really doesn't belong to you does it?

You don't "own" anything you can't carry. Thank you US .Gov.

[Larkbill]

Here in Mo. landowners and any immediate family members over 6 years of age can obtain no cost permits to hunt deer and turkey in season. Has to be at least 5 acres, and lessees qualify if they live on the property.

Depredation permits are also easy to get with the help of your local agent. All of these guys I've dealt with have been very helpful, eager to get out in the field to work with you, and very professional. May help that we enabled our agent to nail a trespassing baiter on Dad's place a couple years ago. He still stops by to drink coffee with my retired bro who now lives on the place.

[BrentD]

Not the kings deer here, dear.
The people's deer.

Which is the thing that makes me most nuts..

A Landowner can get cited for poaching for killing a critter on HIS property if he hasn't bowed & scraped before his Leigh Lords and PAID to get the "correct" paperwork t "allow" him to kill animals that, if they were Humans would be Trespassing...

Be darn glad for that. There would be no hunting were it otherwise. Wildife as part of the Public Trust is what has made this country one of the last great hunting societies left.

And yet, if I want to Hunt on Private Property I have to get permission (a good thing) but the land owner has to get permission from Out Masters at the Fishy Game HQ?

Something is sensuously wrung there.

This "public trust" nonsense is pure Socialism.

Obviously you have not thought very deeply about this. Even a millimeter or two below the surface and you would realize how foolish you sound.


That there are great deer herds and turkeys, ducks etc. left to hunt in this country is due entirely to management of the public trust.

[Old Ironsights]

"easy to get"

"apply for"

OK.

And PRIVATE PROPERTY RIGHTS means exactly what?

[Old Ironsights]

...

That there are great deer herds and turkeys, ducks etc. left to hunt in this country is due entirely to management of the public trust.

At Gunpoint. Whether the landowners were doing the right thing or not. Yaay gestapo.

Yes Hunting is good.

But at the expense of having some fedgoon pointing a gun at you?

What other Rights OF MINE are you wiling to hand over to the FedGov?

Let's put this into perspective AND give the Critters some credit:

If you are extirpating the Game on your property, you are (A) unlikely to allow hunter access and (B) the game won't come back.

If you are Managing your Game, whether or not you allow Hunter Access, the Game will Thrive.

So the FEDGOV and its FishyGame minions have squat all to do with how the Game behave. All they can do is put a gun in your face and scream "COMPLY!" before dragging you off to the gulag so some Politician/beautiful Person" can have your property for a Dascha...

[vancelw]

Which is the thing that makes me most nuts..

A Landowner can get cited for poaching for killing a critter on HIS property if he hasn't bowed & scraped before his Leigh Lords and PAID to get the "correct" paperwork t "allow" him to kill animals that, if they were Humans would be Trespassing...

Be darn glad for that. There would be no hunting were it otherwise. Wildife as part of the Public Trust is what has made this country one of the last great hunting societies left.

And yet, if I want to Hunt on Private Property I have to get permission (a good thing) but the land owner has to get permission from Out Masters at the Fishy Game HQ?

Something is sensuously wrung there.

This "public trust" nonsense is pure Socialism.

Obviously you have not thought very deeply about this. Even a millimeter or two below the surface and you would realize how foolish you sound.


That there are great deer herds and turkeys, ducks etc. left to hunt in this country is due entirely to management of the public trust.

Yep. 100 years ago the game was almost gone. Conservation works.
Around here, 40 years ago, our deer season was 10 days long and all you could shoot was 1 buck.
Now season is over 2 months long and I can shoot 2 bucks and 3 does if I choose to.

Too bad the quail will probably never recover. Between loss of habitat, fireants, and whatever the other ingredients are.....

[Old Ironsights]

...
Yep. 100 years ago the game was almost gone. Conservation works.

"Conservation" or Pointing Guns at People? I can absolutely say that Totalitarianism/Despotism "works" within certain boundaries. But do you really want to live under a Despot/Totalitarian/Fascist regime just because they preserved the bunnies?

Around here, 40 years ago, our deer season was 10 days long and all you could shoot was 1 buck.
Now season is over 2 months long and I can shoot 2 bucks and 3 does if I choose to.

So long as you comply (at gunpoint) with the GishyGame regs. Why is this a .gov issue (Tell me where the Constitution applies please) and not a Land Owner Issue?

Too bad the quail will probably never recover. Between loss of habitat, fireants, and whatever the other ingredients are.....

And more .gov guns would help his situation in what way?

[FWiedner]

You don't "own" anything you can't carry. Thank you US .Gov.

Even this is not necessarily true.

The fact is, if you're carrying "too much" the HWOD will be invoked and your portable 'property' will be confiscated and most likely never returned.

[Old Ironsights]

Point.

[jnyork]

Game officials believe a group of people shot multiple pronghorn with an AK-47-style assault rifle while driving west of Casper Friday.

Poached, decomposing antelopes were found for more than 50 miles along 33 Mile Road, the Wyoming Game and Fish Department said in a release.

Game wardens said Sunday that more than one antelope was shot about 5 p.m. Friday and left to rot. Additional antelopes were found Tuesday night but are also believed to have been killed Friday.

While the investigation is ongoing, officials are not releasing the total number of antelope that were killed, said Janet Milek, a spokeswoman for the department.

One person reported seeing four men in a car shooting across a lane of traffic toward a herd of antelope, Milek said. The witness described the vehicle as a dark red or maroon, newer-model Nissan SUV, possibly an Xterra. The front license plate was white with red letters or numbers.

The SUV was last seen headed west on 33 Mile Road toward the Big Horn Mountains.

Milek said the investigation will determine what consequences the suspects could face, but she said they will likely be charged with wanton destruction of a big-game animal. The high misdemeanor is punishable by up to a $10,000 fine and/or one year in prison.

Game warden Daniel Beach has received numerous tips so far about the poaching, but none of them has led to the suspects, Milek said.

“Wyomingites should be angry when they hear of people treating their wildlife with such disregard,” Beach said in a news release. “We need to catch these poachers, and we need help from the public to do it.”

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[Old Ironsights]

Those poachers need to be hammered.

But the Fishy Game Cops writing the news release, and the Media who regurgitated it, need a good thumping too.

Pray tell, exactly HOW did they determine that the poachers, who the "witnesses" only saw shooting from WITHIN a car, used an "AK-47 style assault rifle"? (These "witnesses" could ID the gun but not get a viable plate Number?)

That is supposition, at best, that came from, maybe, finding 7.62x39 brass on the side of the road - that could have been dumped there by anyone.

The type of firearm used is immaterial. That the DFG - and media - is making a big deal about the SUPPOSED firearm only shows how deeply embedded the anti-gun/anti-hunting mindset has gotten.

[BrentD]

OI,

You seem to have a real chip on your shoulder about the Game and Fish people. I have no problem believing that someone could see a rifle and not a tag number. Why is that so difficult for you? From your keyboard you seem to have all the answers.

Why all the grouchiness? These people aren't exactly overpaid and underworked. I know a handful of them in WY very well, and they bust their chops to keep you in game and good times.

[Old Ironsights]

The good old ones are retiring/dying out and being replaced by Ecogreenies coming out of the "Biological sciences" departments of Leftist schools. It's hard to find a good, young, Game Warden.

A good Game Warden, one who knows more about firearms than the one on his hip, is a treasure. A bad Fishy Game Cop is a nightmare... and the nightmares are becoming more prevalent.

There is no excuse for immaterial data and bald supposition in a press release. It shows an Agenda that should not be there.

The Poachers should be caught and dealt with. But how does saying what kind of rifle they SUPPOSE the Poachers used help in capturing the Poachers?

Do the "witnesses" even know the difference between the various 7.62x39 autoloaders? What if they used an SKS? Or a Ruger Ranch Rifle? Or, or, or...

The type of firearm used is irrelevant and should never have been in the press release. Period.

Some Antelope were Poached on 33 Mile on Friday the xxx. The Poachers were last seen driving West in a dark reddish/maroon Nissan SUV with Red on White plates (on the front). Please keep an eye out for them. End of story.

Anything else is anti-gun (an AK-47 Assault Rifle! Oh My Goodness!) hype and hyperbole.

[BrentD]

And that's really it isn't it. You're getting old and just can't cope with it apparently. Certainly, your clarivoyance at the keyboard is among the best of all the keyboard cowboys.

Meanwhile, I know for a fact that one of those WY GF folks just took delivery of a truly state of the art rifle. And his old rifle was no slouch, nor is he. He shoots rings around pretty much everyone. I think he knows his stuff. So do his buddies. Not to mention you couldn't keep up with him on the best day you ever had. that's no guess work. I hunt with him.

I reckon the witnesses are are probably from Wyoming. And folks in Wyoming tend to know firearms. And of course knowing what sort of firearme was used could be a lot of help down the road when looking for the perps.

You must have run crosswise with a few wardens at some point. I can only imagine. Must be quite a story - especially your version of it.

[Old Ironsights]

You can imagine all you want. I have not run crosswise of any game warden, though the last one I met socially couldn't wait to get out of small town Wyoming and only talked smack about hunting and fishing. He lasted about 3 months before being basically run out of town.

A far cry from the guy prior who was genuinely helpful to the locals - if an absolute stickler for the Rules. Everyone was sad to see him go.

[BrentD]

Great story. Probably not true. Certainly none of the rest of the BS your been preaching is.

Now tell us how you got all these omnipotent powers to know everything about these poachers, witnesses and especially the Wyoming G & F from your keyboard. You need to bottle that stuff and sell it.

Meanwhile I'm wondering if you didn't get busted for shooting from the road or a vehicle a time or three. Of course, I'm not clairvoyant like you.

[Old Ironsights]

What BS am I preaching?

And since shooting from the road is a Felony, it's hardly likely that I would be talking about my firearms in a public forum if I had been so convicted now would it?

But nice ad hominem. Almost as beneficial to the discussion as shouting OMG! AK-47!

[BrentD]

No, I think it was probably a lot closer to the mark than your "insights" into the poaching incident.

A whole lot closer.

[Old Ironsights]

Allrighty then.

I suggest that the Headline "reporting" of the SUPPOSED type of firearm used in the incident is immaterial to the crime itself and is an exercise in Hyperbole.

Since you disagree with my posts, you suggest that you believe the opposite. That the Gun used is more important than the Crime itself.

And then people wonder why we have to continually fight to keep the gunbanners at bay...

[Blaine]

O.I..... How dare you question Ole Dent?

[Old Ironsights]

O.I..... How dare you question Ole Dent?

Good question.

[BrentD]

I suggest that you have a big chip on your shoulder for the WY G&F that makes you want to take ad hominem attacks on them from your position of "All Knowing Keyboard Expert". It can only be that you hold a grudge for some reason. Must have been a doozie.

[Old Ironsights]

I have a big chip on my shoulder about nothing but the belief that only some Government Agency can be/is responsible for proper Wildlife Management and the insinuation of anti-gun-politics into a simple news article about poachers.

I'm glad they are out there catching poachers. But the type of equipment used by the poachers is immaterial. It only becomes "news" once it becomes confiscated along with the truck and other gear and becomes part of the public record.

The use of the phrase "AK-47 style Assault Rifle" is anti-gun hyperbole pure and simple. Why? because no matter if it happened in broad daylight in front of a band of CAS shooting Nuns, you would never see this headline:

"Antelope poaching case near Casper keeps growing; Poachers used Winchester 94 to shoot animals"
or
"Information Sought on Pronghorn Poaching west of Casper; Suspects used cowboy rifle"

The gun wouldn't be mentioned at all - because mentioning it would not fit the "Assault Gunz iz bad!" meme.

but we are forced to put up with

"Information Sought on Pronghorn Poaching west of Casper; Suspects used assault rifle"

and

"Antelope poaching case near Casper keeps growing; Poachers used AK47 to mow down animals"

No, not much anti-gun politics there.

[Old Ironsights]

Oh, and for some USEFUL info that might be helpful in catching the Antelope Poachers:

Red Lettering on a White Background is used by:

Illannoy
Taxsachusetts
North Carolina
and Oklahoma

Of the 4, only Taxsachusetts and North Carolina are mostly white with little or no color gradient. The MA plate is devoid of any background color with only small blue lettering at the top and bottom..

Canadian plates that could work are Alberta (very much like MA) and New Brunswick (blue gradient at top)

So... how about telling people to look for a Dark Red/Maroon Nissan SUV with MA, NC or Alberta plates (I see Alberta plates in WY a lot) rather than making guesses at the type of rifles the Poachers had?

[Streetstar]

The use of the phrase "AK-47 style Assault Rifle" is anti-gun hyperbole pure and simple. Why? because no matter if it happened in broad daylight in front of a band of CAS shooting Nuns, you would never see this headline:

"Antelope poaching case near Casper keeps growing; Poachers used Winchester 94 to shoot animals"
or
"Information Sought on Pronghorn Poaching west of Casper; Suspects used cowboy rifle"

The gun wouldn't be mentioned at all - because mentioning it would not fit the "Assault Gunz iz bad!" meme.

I dont think it is an "unimportant" thing to leave out

The use of a Mac-90 or WASR-10 or VZ-58 or Tantal (much more likely to be one of those than an actual AK-47 if we are getting specific) IS an important detail

This illustrates to me that these were thrill killers , just leaving wounded and dying animals on the side of the road --- likely using junk spam-can jacketed ammunition that has little place in the hunting fields either.

This illustrates to me perfectly that we are not dealing with a man living below the poverty line and struggling to feed his family ---- its dealing with punks -- the type of punk that loves to destroy something beautiful rather than wait for the appropriate time and place to do so legally

I also do not want to see the animal herds dwindle down to depression era levels . These goons should do some time for this ---but they probably won't

[vancelw]

The use of the phrase "AK-47 style Assault Rifle" is anti-gun hyperbole pure and simple. Why? because no matter if it happened in broad daylight in front of a band of CAS shooting Nuns, you would never see this headline:

"Antelope poaching case near Casper keeps growing; Poachers used Winchester 94 to shoot animals"
or
"Information Sought on Pronghorn Poaching west of Casper; Suspects used cowboy rifle"

The gun wouldn't be mentioned at all - because mentioning it would not fit the "Assault Gunz iz bad!" meme.

I dont think it is an "unimportant" thing to leave out

The use of a Mac-90 or WASR-10 or VZ-58 or Tantal (much more likely to be one of those than an actual AK-47 if we are getting specific) IS an important detail

This illustrates to me that these were thrill killers , just leaving wounded and dying animals on the side of the road --- likely using junk spam-can jacketed ammunition that has little place in the hunting fields either.

This illustrates to me perfectly that we are not dealing with a man living below the poverty line and struggling to feed his family ---- its dealing with punks -- the type of punk that loves to destroy something beautiful rather than wait for the appropriate time and place to do so legally

I also do not want to see the animal herds dwindle down to depression era levels . These goons should do some time for this ---but they probably won't

Odds are, either steel cases in 7.62X39 were found at one or more crime scenes or a "tip" was provided. LE Agencies don't typically give ALL the information in a press release. You have to save something back that only someone with direct knowledge of the crime would know.

It's not a conspiracy of the government to confiscate your guns....It's an attempt to find and prosecute those responsible for committing multiple crimes. (I don't know the WY penal code, but in Texas they could be charged with organized criminal activity in addition to the other crimes committed).

[cshold]

http://m.youtube.com/?rdm=13tuoi3ue&cli ... 6VzxxDTnB8

[Buck Elliott]

I see that Old Ironpants is at it again, with self-contradicting, pseudo-libertarian rants, bushels of red herrings, and unanswered rhetorical questions.. We've all asked the same questions many times before, but OI still doesn't supply us with the answers we seek.. Just more meaningless, philosphical mumbo-jumbo, without a solution to the supposed dilemma..

Who out there Has the workable, real-world answers..?

[Griff]

I see that Old Ironpants is at it again, with self-contradicting, pseudo-libertarian rants, bushels of red herrings, and unanswered rhetorical questions.. We've all asked the same questions many times before, but OI still doesn't supply us with the answers we seek.. Just more meaningless, philosphical mumbo-jumbo, without a solution to the supposed dilemma..

Who out there Has the workable, real-world answers..?

Summary executions work in some instances... Tho' I admit, some apparent rule violations in their use need to be worked out...

[Gobblerforge]

Oh, and for some USEFUL info that might be helpful in catching the Antelope Poachers:

Red Lettering on a White Background is used by:

Illannoy
Taxsachusetts
North Carolina
and Oklahoma

Of the 4, only Taxsachusetts and North Carolina are mostly white with little or no color gradient. The MA plate is devoid of any background color with only small blue lettering at the top and bottom..

Canadian plates that could work are Alberta (very much like MA) and New Brunswick (blue gradient at top)

So... how about telling people to look for a Dark Red/Maroon Nissan SUV with MA, NC or Alberta plates (I see Alberta plates in WY a lot) rather than making guesses at the type of rifles the Poachers had?

Ohio Government plates are white with red letters also. Hey, wait a minute. Maybe it was a disgruntled Ohio game warden who wanted to go postal on something. You guys..............
Gobbler