Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Alaska More alleged guiding infractions

AK Wildlife Troopers

AK14075385

Location: McGrath
Type: Unlawful Acts Guide
Dispatch Text:

On 12/23/15, the Office of Special Prosecutions, Fish and Game Unit, Charged Master Guide Thomas G. Shankster, 60 of Aurora CO, with eight counts of Unlawful Acts while acting as a Big Game guide in Game Management Unit (GMU) 19. This investigation began during the fall of 2014, where the Alaska Wildlife Troopers, McGrath Post, accomplished an investigation regarding Shankster and his guiding business “Alaska Trophy Hunts” (ATH) which is primarily based near the Mouth of the Dillinger River and substantiated that Shankster had committed the crime of Wanton Waste on at least five occasions (both Moose and Caribou), failed to report two known violations by his assistant guides (sub-legal sheep and antlers before meat), and committed Unsworn Falsification on at least one Hunt Record showing that meat had been salvaged when in fact it hadn’t. Spoiled meat samples were collected from three caribou and three moose and three sets of caribou antlers, three sets of moose antlers, and a sub legal set of sheep horns were seized as part of the investigation. The scope of this investigation was substantial, requiring extensive asset usage, including both fixed-wing and helicopter, and involved intensive man-power (nearly 1,000 hours) from nine Alaska Wildlife Troopers. At least 41 separate witness and/or suspect interviews were conducted for the investigation in addition to essential evidentiary compilation and a lengthy report documenting the illegal acts. Shankster is to be arraigned in the Aniak District Court on January 20, 2016.

Is that person a resident of Alaska or not? Never understood how someone that lives in another state can be a licensed Alaska guide. Being a non-resident, if he wanted to hunt sheep, goats, big bear, etc; he'd have to hire a guide himself. Regardless, if he's a violator, stick it to him.

"Coincidentally", that name has surfaced more than once in the last few years.

He's has been featured in that show building Alaska...

That guy is not a resident but alot of Alaskans would like to see only residents can guide but commerce laws prevent that and if the state did it would violate the law and be overturned. You are correct they wold have to hire a guide themselves to hunt Brn bear, sheep and goat

Never understood the industry-never will

Thought I recognized the name.

This is the guide that a hunter had trouble with and documented the ABSOLUTE WRECK he experienced with Shankster when hunting moose.

http://onyourownadventures.com/hunttalk/showthread.php?t=260920

Sounds pretty bad to me.

There is nothing new about Shankster being shady.

Shankster does something that is very unprofessional in my view. He gets young non-resident GIs stationed in Alaska who are in decent shape and has them work as packers for a year then as assistant guides for a year and then offers them a hunt for two years worth of work. The key is that he gets them out there and puts them in a situation that they have to wait and wait and then either return without hunting, hunting an area that has been hunted out or taking a caribou for two years worth of work.

He has abandoned clients and guides out in the field having them have to walk their way back to main camp.

Sincerely,
Thomas

How much of the states $ was sucked into this investigation? He better get slammed and have EVERYTHING taken to pay for all the work that went into this.

Fine him so much that it covers the cost plus some, and never allow him to guide again.

He will get the normal penalty, a slap on the wrist.

My guess is you're not familiar with how Alaska treats guide violations. Most likely he'll have to forfeit boats, aircraft etc used in the violations as part of his "slap on the wrist".

Thats at least some good news!

Prankster ought to be banned for life.

Sure hope you are right 458Lott.

More info on the criminal.

http://forums.outdoorsdirectory.com/showthread.php/151461-Master-guide-Charged

I definantly agree, any individual, who intentionally violates our game laws, or any law for that mater, should have the maximum penalty thrown at them.
On regards to the resident issue, regardless of The State of Alaska' definition of residency, Federal law defines a resident, as "A individual, who maintains a residence, with the intent of living in it"! Federal law supersedes state law.
In other words, as long as I maintain a residence, regardless if, or how long I live in it, as long as I intend
(maybe) to eventually reside there, I am a resident. I don't have to own, I can just lease or rent! This is how so many vacationers are allowed to come up every once in awhile, get a salmon and halibut subsistence permit, and rape our fisheries!

OOPS, I am in error! The definition of "Resident", Was one I got from my 2010 " Federal Subsistance Regulations". I just read the "Management Regulations for the Harvest of Wildlife, of Federal Public Lands, 2014--2016" It does define a resident as "Any person who has their PRIMARY,PERAMNENT home for the previous 12 months in Alaska, and when absent from this primary, permanent home, does intend to return."
My Bad!

Yeah, I was looking hard for your definition and not finding it...

fed definitions apply to lots of stuff, like buying a gun... but different definitions for hunting and fishing licenses, PFD, yada, yada, yada, are based on different legislation...

My buddy has a $3800 deposit with this guy for a 2016 ram hunt. What would you do? If his license gets revoked, is there any recourse?

The commercial draggers rape far more than a few DSMF vacationers do........not that I'm defending them either.