Just read the article. I sure wish that the judges would quit reducing fines and sentences. A clear defined message needs sent out to unethical hunters that this type of behavior will not be tolerated.
Wyatt was fined $17,200 with another $35,000 suspended. He also must serve 10 days in jail with two and a half years suspended. The suspended jail time and fine may be imposed if Wyatt commits any jailable offense or fish and game offenses in the next five years.
As a part of his sentencing, Wyatt also forfeited his rifle used and he may not apply for a hunting license for five years.
Just my opinion. But an honest man would have admitted his mistake. Harvested the meat, skin, horns etc. and reported it to the AWF. Had he done this, rather than shooting another two sheep, he might have gotten off with a reprimand.
Just read the article. I sure wish that the judges would quit reducing fines and sentences. A clear defined message needs sent out to unethical hunters that this type of behavior will not be tolerated.
Wyatt was fined $17,200 with another $35,000 suspended. He also must serve 10 days in jail with two and a half years suspended. The suspended jail time and fine may be imposed if Wyatt commits any jailable offense or fish and game offenses in the next five years.
As a part of his sentencing, Wyatt also forfeited his rifle used and he may not apply for a hunting license for five years.
Just my opinion. But an honest man would have admitted his mistake. Harvested the meat, skin, horns etc. and reported it to the AWF. Had he done this, rather than shooting another two sheep, he might have gotten off with a reprimand.
You obviously have not heard how AK prosecutes those turning themselves in... A study done a few years ago showed the sentences were much harder on those turning themselves in... exactly opposite what they should be to engender respect for the system.
Well Sitka, if the fish cops and courts are that way in AK, I can try to understand why someone might want to hide their mistake. But why did he have to shoot 3 animals?
JMHO, but he should have stopped after the first one. And said to himself. I screwed up. I've filled my tag, and gone home.
And, just an FYI. I do have a good friend in AK that is a fish cop in a remote area. His office is an airplane. I've never seen him not use commonsense when dealing with commonplace errors or screw ups. But when there is willful destruction of wildlife, he goes at them whole heartedly.
I guess that until you live there and experience the political climate, a person cannot comment on a subject that is not treated or administered fairly.
Sorry that you're living in an area that does not fairly treat an honest citizen for making an honest mistake.
Ground checking 2 rams when neither turned out to be legal should result in more than a reprimand regardless. Manning up and packing all that meat/cape/horn off the mountain at that point would require a hell an effort, both mental and physical. But that is why you look before you shoot...
I can't tell from the story if he was trying to seal one of the rams mentioned, or if it was a third animal. What a clusterfuck.
I am thinking it was a third animal, but reporters seldom get much correct...
Owl
He shot three animals because he is a clueless idiot...
I do not have to worry about how they prosecute poachers because I have absolutely no intention of poaching... I wish they were more reasonable about how they sentence them, but that is neither ADF&G nor the Brown Shirts. It is judges.
"Sheep Poaching"
I thought this thread was going to be about Arabs.
17K is simply like paying for a hunt more or less... thats no fine....
You obviously have not heard how AK prosecutes those turning themselves in... A study done a few years ago showed the sentences were much harder on those turning themselves in... exactly opposite what they should be to engender respect for the system.
I would be curious to read this study. Do you know if its online, or who to talk to about it?
I haven't seen that study either, but I sure hear the same from more than a few locals.
To the point of admitting you made a mistake is the worst thing you can do.
I recall many moons back, on an elk hunt, talking to a guy that was a NR in CO, and he shot at a bull and overshot the bull and hit a cow he didn't realize was back there, or at least not to where she would have been in danger... killed her. Did the right thing, gut, skin, quarter, pack out, drive straight to nearest locker plant and drops off elk into cooler and calls the warden from the locker and waits.
He comes and looks, and bla bla bla, guy had already told the locker he'd pay for processing to give to the needy if the warden would allow.... which he did, and then issued the guy another bull tag to continue to hunt.....
You obviously have not heard how AK prosecutes those turning themselves in... A study done a few years ago showed the sentences were much harder on those turning themselves in... exactly opposite what they should be to engender respect for the system.
I would be curious to read this study. Do you know if its online, or who to talk to about it?
It was in an ADN article not all that long ago. I will attempt to find it. I posted the article here when it was first published.