This guy is a local doctor. He lives near Shell and serves the Basin, Greybull community as a doctor. He was out target shooting when he came upon these three cats. And shot all three. With out a license. He actually had his two kids with him to. I hope they throw the book at him.




Game and Fish accuses hunter of killing lion kittens
By The Associated Press

LANDER - The Wyoming Game and Fish Department has cited a Greybull man in the killing of three mountain lion kittens.

Department officials say Demar Dusty Hill killed the kittens Jan. 5 on the western slope of the Bighorn Mountains, near Shell. Hill pleaded not guilty Jan. 30 to three counts of poaching.

Greybull game warden Bill Robertson, who issued the citations, said the kittens probably were from the same litter or family group and were less than a year old.

"In this case, the subject came across a family, which is fairly uncommon, and chose to shoot them instead of watch them, which he should have done," Robertson said. "For most folks, it would have been a thrill to watch a group of cats like that." Robertson said Hill took a male kitten he killed and left behind two female kittens. He said Hill later bought a mountain lion license, although such a license would permit taking just one lion more than a year old - and the license would need to be purchased beforehand.

Robertson said Hill took the male kitten to a Game and Fish Department office on Jan. 8 and presented it as a legal kill at a site different from where the kittens were killed.

"I don't believe the subject even knew that these were kittens," Robertson said. "He didn't understand the resource.

"Most people never see lions in the wild. While I cannot condone it at all, what he did - it's an egregious act - I think it sends a message that people don't understand wildlife. Here's a person who's a known sportsman, not a known violator, but he didn't understand the situation he was in."

A bird hunter found the carcasses of the two female kittens the day after the poaching and reported them to Game and Fish.

Messages left for Hill were not returned Thursday and Friday.

chamber@greybull.com

Is this guy sending a great message to his kids or what? I agree with Kudu 56, throw the book at him!

What an idiot. I hope he is treated the same as any other poacher. Nothing more, nothing less.

As some of you know, I am building my career studying cougar/prey interactions and get tired of the stigmatism thrown on cougars-- they should be treated as a renewable, huntable resource for all to enjoy. IMO Teaching kids to unabatedly kill wildlife is the biggest loss here.

IV

quote:

Originally posted by IdahoVandal:
What an idiot. I hope he is treated the same as any other poacher. Nothing more, nothing less.

As some of you know, I am building my career studying cougar/prey interactions and get tired of the stigmatism thrown on cougars-- they should be treated as a renewable, huntable resource for all to enjoy. IMO Teaching kids to unabatedly kill wildlife is the biggest loss here.

IV

I hope they throw the book at him too. But if this had been 3 wolves I wonder what the response would be like.

Brent

quote:

But if this had been 3 wolves I wonder what the response would be like.

Who cares! They are introduced preditors. Not big or trophy game in most of Wyoming. Only a small area will they be condsiderd big or trophy game. Same as a coyote! Vermin!

I can prove that cougar have less effect on deer in this area than coyotes. Wolves have and do and are having a huge effect on elk populations and doing so totally unchecked with the exception of the few the feds kill or have
killed. We found three deer last week killed by coyotes while cougar hunting. With the deep snow in parts of the Big Horns this year, the deer are getting hit pretty hard.