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This should disgust every hunter on the face of the planet! CASPER, Wyo. — A Casper couple will pay more than $10,000 in fines and restitution after they were convicted of poaching a mule deer earlier this year. Wyoming Game and Fish Department officials credited the conviction to a tip phoned in to the department’s Stop Poaching Tip Line. Joshua Simkin, 21, and his wife, Jessica Simkin, 20, were convicted on poaching-related charges after officials received a tip in response to an appeal by Casper Game Warden Daniel Beach for help in an investigation into the illegal shooting of a mule deer buck that had been dumped on 33 Mile Road, according to a media release from the department. Following up on the tip, Beach obtained a search warrant for the Simkin residence. Joshua Simkin then confessed to shooting the deer while teaching a friend’s two young boys how to hunt, the release said. Simkin had the boys pose for photographs with the poached deer and gave them the buck’s antlers, which were later confiscated. “It sickens me to think Simkin was trying to teach these kids how to hunt and ends up poaching a deer in the process,” Beach said in the release. Simkin also confessed to dumping the deer carcass on 33 Mile Road. Jessica Simkin confirmed the story and stated she was witness to the poaching and had assisted her husband in loading the deer after it was shot. Neither of them had a deer license. Joshua Simkin was found guilty of knowingly taking an antlered mule deer out of season without a license and of wanton waste of a big game animal. The Simkins will pay a total of $10,120 in fines and restitution to the state. Joshua also lost all hunting privileges for seven years and forfeited the Savage .243 rifle that was used in the crime. Because she was an accessory, Jessica lost her hunting privileges for five years. “She didn’t pull the trigger,” Beach said, “but she had knowledge of the crime and assisted with the poaching.” Beach said he was satisfied with the outcome of the case. “Both the Natrona County district attorney’s office and the judge felt the egregious nature of this poaching warranted nearly the full extent of the law, and I agree with them.” Beach also said the informant in this case will receive a substantial monetary reward, and he encouraged anyone with any information about any wildlife crime to come forward.  | ||
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But, according to Fats and DTS, poaching isn't a big deal and the game depts shouldn't waste valuable resources even pursuing such things. After all, just because someone was gainfully employed in teaching some youths that the concept of game laws isn't important, according to the Texas Duo, that's no problem. Only a matter of time before they chime in. | |||
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Jeez MAC nothing like starting it off right. Hey I got an idea maybe if you troll for them like you did they will come up and bite and throw a negative spin on the whole post. Thanks for the post Kudu. In my eyes justice is served, caught the dirtbag and maybe the kids "learning to hunt" actually had the shit scared out of them enough to fly right in the future. | |||
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Good to read a story where the system works - from informant, to warden, to prosecutor, to judge, to judgement! Wish the prosecutors out here in NY were as supportive for serious fish and wildlife violations. . "Listen more than you speak, and you will hear more stupid things than you say." | |||
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Why is it that poachers seem to have some kind of compulsion to 'advertise' their misdeeds? Think about it, what could be an easiser crime to get away with than taking game out of season? If you're discreet, don't get caught in the act and don't talk about it who's going to know? I speak from experience. Not poaching but doing agricultural damage control. I've shot many hundreds of deer, killing them [legally] every month of the year. Nobody pays attention to the rifle shots and I've driven all over with fresh deer carcasses in the back of the truck. There was only one time when I caught the attention of the law. I had a flat tire and the sheriff just happened to pass by. He wanted to know if I needed assistance and then saw the 5 deer in the back. His eyes almost popped out of his head! (It was late at night in May.) I showed the sheriff the permits and invited him to call the game warden. All he did was run my plate number and wait behind as I changed the tire. The point is I had alread killed and transported hundreds of deer over a 6 year period without being noticed by the law and the only reason I got noticed that time was a flat tire. I saw plenty of nice bucks, including trophies while doing my "job." (Only antlerless deer could be taken under the ag program.) It would have been a simple matter to shoot one of the big boys, stick the head in the freezer, keep my mouth shut and not take any pictures until the regular season. Or, somebody who really needed meat could take a deer every few months and who would be the wiser? Luckily, for those of us who follow the law, poachers are their own worst enemy. They just can't keep their mouths shut. No longer Bigasanelk | |||
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An Oregon man admitted Monday that he illegally killed and tagged a bull elk in Park County. David "Bud" LaRoche, 31, of Salem, is the third Oregon resident to be convicted in a federal wildlife case in which a father and son admitted bringing other Oregon clients to hunt illegally on the Foster Ranch in the Shields Valley. LaRoche pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor Lacey Act violation for illegally transporting or aiding and abetting the transport of a 6-by-7 bull elk in 2009. The act regulates the interstate sale, transportation and purchase of wildlife. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica Fehr said LaRoche was a client of Richard "Dick" Weiner and his son, Richard "Matt" Weiner. The elder Weiner, who operates Oregon Outdoor Adventures, arranged for big game hunts in Park County from 2005 until 2010 and charged clients from $1,500 to $2,500. LaRoche, who did not have an elk tag, killed a bull elk, Fehr said. Dick Weiner sold LaRoche another client's unused tag for $500. Dick Weiner then transported the elk head and horns to Oregon. A plea agreement calls for LaRoche to pay mandatory restitution of $8,000. He also faces a maximum one year in prison and a maximum $100,000 fine. The government intends to recommend probation. U.S. Magistrate Judge Carolyn Ostby, who conducted the hearing, said she will recommend that Chief U.S. District Judge Richard Cebull accept the plea. Cebull will set a sentencing date and impose the sentence. Ostby continued LaRoche's release. The Weiners are to be sentenced Dec. 1. State Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks investigators said the ranch's owner was unaware of the activities, but the owner's stepson and his wife were charged with state wildlife violations. | |||
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Is there something in the water in Oregon?? CHEYENNE, Wyo. — Several members of a ranching family near Ten Sleep could face decades of jail time and millions in fines for allegedly allowing out-of-state hunters to tag wildlife with their Wyoming landowner hunting permits, according to a federal indictment. Richard “R.C.” Carter, owner of Big Horn Adventure Outfitters, allegedly took more than a dozen hunters out on his family’s property from 2003 to 2009 to kill elk, deer and antelope. Richard Carter Sr. and Mark Carter — R.C.’s father and younger brother respectively — allegedly used their own tags on the animals shot and falsely claimed in affidavits that they killed them. R.C. and Mark Carter then helped to transport the animals back to the hunters’ homes in other states in violation of federal law, the indictment alleges. R.C. Carter charged between $3,000 and $7,500 per hunter and/or per hunt for his services, not including tips, according to the indictment. However, the indictment states that Carter occasionally bartered or exchanged guided hunts for advertising, client referrals and guided fishing trips. The Carters procured so many landowner tags, the indictment states, because in 2004 they subdivided their property into eight 160-acre parcels, so that they and members of their family could receive a landowner elk and antelope license for each parcel. If convicted, R.C. and Mark Carter each could face up to 55 years in prison as well as fines of up to $2,750,000. Richard Carter Sr. could receive up to five years in prison, as well as a $250,000 fine. R.C. Carter declined comment, saying he didn’t want to discuss the case before talking with his lawyer. Two hunters who hired R.C. Carter as a guide, Steve Farah and Matt Robinson, were also indicted for allegedly shooting wildlife without a license and illegally transporting the animals back to their home state of Oregon. Robinson was accompanied by his father, James, who was previously indicted. Farah could receive up to 15 years in prison, as well as a $750,000 fine, if convicted; Matt Robinson could face up to 10 years’ prison time and a $500,000 fine. The case is scheduled to go to trial Jan. 9 in Casper. | |||
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You just can't fix stupid!!! | |||
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Hard to believe that these guys would trade everything for a set of antlers. That's just dumb. I once saw a hunter go from nice guy to blithering idiot simply at the sight of a big deer. I've never seen anything like it before and I hope to never see it again | |||
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Gee Drum, seems I just heard that same story a few days ago  | |||
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Yep! You damn sure did and I'm still amazed at the stupidity of that individual. It was like somebody flipped a switch and he went from decent dude to effing idiot | |||
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Dick Weiner, man that's horrible, why not just tattoo your kids forehead "give me a swirly" It's good they caught this guy, the absolute worst part being he taught a couple of kids to violate the hunting laws. While I may not like how DFG does everything I'm not going to go out and start poaching just because I feel like it. My nephew is coming hunting with us next week, his first time hunting (though not as a hunter) it'll be a great opporunity to teach him not only to follow the written rules but the ethics of hunting. I hope that the two kids become avid responsible hunters. Red My rule of life prescribed as an absolutely sacred rite smoking cigars and also the drinking of alcohol before, after and if need be during all meals and in the intervals between them. -Winston Churchill | |||
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LMAO! I missed that part! We had a police chief named Dick Headen where I grew up | |||
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Ewwwww. ~Ann  | |||
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Ok off topic, but we had an engineer that was named Richard Seeman. Honest! | |||
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That's as bad as Buster Hymen. | |||
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Two Rock Springs men recently were convicted of charges relating to shooting and abandoning a mule deer doe south of Pinedale in October 2010. Andrew D. McGahuey pleaded guilty to wanton destruction of a doe mule deer, taking deer on private land without permission, and shooting a doe mule deer from a public roadway. David A. McGahuey pleaded guilty to accessory to wanton destruction of a doe mule deer. Sublette County Circuit Court Judge Curt Haws sentenced Andrew McGahuey to pay $3,000 in restitution for the deer, a $720 fine and the loss of hunting and fishing privileges for five years. The loss of hunting and fishing privileges applies not only to Wyoming, but 13 additional Western states. Additionally, McGahuey had $2,000 in fines and 180 days jail suspended while he serves six months' probation. David McGahuey was sentenced to a $740 fine and the loss of hunting and fishing privileges for five years. Additionally, $4,500 in fines and 180 days jail were suspended while he serves six months' probation. Read more: http://trib.com/news/state-and...f.html#ixzz1bH5ICzvQ | |||
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Another thief bites the dust! Board forces outfitter out of business After 44 years as a big game outfitter, Ken Greslin of Broadus is selling his Powder River Outfitters business. He is not doing so voluntarily. In 2008, Greslin pleaded guilty to three misdemeanors, paid the fines and thought he had put the charges to rest. But in August the Montana Board of Outfitters, after examining the charges, leveled a $2,500 fine, ordered him to attend an advanced outfitter class and gave Greslin 18 months to put his affairs in order. After that, his license will be suspended for two years, essentially putting him out of business. The outcome is unusual in the regulatory world that governs outfitters. While other outfitters have had their licenses revoked, suspended or even been denied a license, Greslin’s punishment is considered fairly severe. Greslin thinks Fish, Wildlife and Parks and its investigator were out to get him. Yet he had a string of violations that, while only misdemeanors, seemed to show a pattern of poor management and oversight. The story of Greslin’s fall provides a glimpse into how slowly the cogs of state government can grind in a criminal investigation and the unpredictability of the outcome once it reaches a governing board. Investigation In the fall of 2005, six deer shot in southeastern Montana were found dumped in a Polson landfill, the hunting licenses still unwittingly attached to the carcasses. The licenses led back to clients of Greslin’s. Around the same time, Greslin was being investigated by FWP wardens after a Broadus man asked a local butcher to process 12 deer for free. Greslin had given the man the deer. What FWP investigator Lennie Buhmann uncovered was a Broadus garage being used as a holding site for animals shot by Greslin’s clients. Greslin claimed he was just providing friends in Broadus with cheap meat. But in interviews with Buhmann, several of Greslin’s clients said they were paying $50 to have the animals processed and the meat donated. Many thought the meat was going to charities. Greslin said that wasn’t the case. He said the $50 was a handling charge. Charged in 2 counties After an FWP investigation, Greslin was charged in Powder River County Justice Court in October 2008 — three years later — with 20 counts of misrepresenting his services to his clients, each count carrying a $500 fine. In the course of the probe, FWP officials also found that Greslin hadn’t reported the killing of antelope and deer by his clients, as required under his outfitting license. Greslin said the forms were confusing about what information should be provided. “I’m not a very good bookkeeper,” Greslin said. “That was a Mickey Mouse charge.” In November 2008, he was charged in Lewis and Clark County Justice Court with 28 counts of failure to submit accurate and complete reports. Each count was punishable by a $500 fine. In 2009, the Attorney General’s Office, which was prosecuting both cases, entered a plea agreement with Greslin. In return for his guilty pleas, the charges were reduced to one count in each of the two cases and Greslin was fined $1,000. Greslin said he’s now sorry that he agreed to plead guilty, thinking the situation would be quickly and cheaply resolved. By settling, he figured he was avoiding more-costly lawyer fees. He’s changed his mind now. “I would suggest anybody not pay a simple fine,” he said. “Take it to court.” Plea deal John Doran, a spokesman for the Attorney General’s Office, said the charges weren’t consolidated in exchange for Greslin’s cooperation. Instead, he said in an email, the plea deal was arranged because “it was important that Mr. Greslin acknowledge his wrongdoing.” The punishments don’t end there, though. In a separate federal violation — also a misdemeanor — Greslin was fined $2,025 in October 2008 for violating the Lacey Act after two of his out-of-state clients killed antelope, and one had borrowed his friend’s Montana antelope doe tag. The animals were transported out of state, hence the federal violation. Greslin contended that his guide knew nothing about the tag being loaned. “I hired 15 to 20 guides every year,” he said. “I can’t keep track of them. But I’m responsible.” Based on his misdemeanor convictions, Greslin’s special-use permits to outfit on Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management lands were revoked. Board maneuvers Once it was aware of Greslin’s convictions, four of the Board of Outfitters’ seven members served on a screening panel and decided to pursue more formal sanctions against him. They forwarded their decision to the Business Standards Division, which is in charge of licensing and regulating Montana outfitters. The BSD sought the two-year suspension of Greslin’s license during a hearing in March. A hearing examiner with the state Department of Labor and Industry Hearings Bureau agreed, and also recommended to the Board of Outfitters that Greslin be fined $1,500. The officer wrote in his findings that Greslin’s “conduct no longer demonstrates respect for and compliance with the laws of any state or of the United States.” Final stop From the hearings officer, the matter advanced to the Board of Outfitters. Since four of the members had served on the screening panel, they couldn’t be involved in the final decision. With another member gone, the decision at the board’s August meeting was left to just two board members: Carol Gibson of Billings, the sportsmen representative, and John Wilkinson, a Miles City big game outfitter. Gibson wanted to approve the hearing examiner’s recommendation and suspend Greslin’s license immediately and fine him. Wilkinson voted against the motion after arguing that some of the charges were “pretty iffy” and “pretty gray.” After arguments back and forth, the two agreed to stay the recommended two-year suspension of Greslin’s license for 18 months, but increased the fine to $2,500. They also ordered Greslin to complete the state’s advanced outfitter course before he sells his business to his nephew. The ruling effectively forces Greslin out of business while giving him 18 months to sell. “If the suspension was immediate, he would probably lose the business altogether,” said Tyler Moss, counsel for the board. Greslin said he’s sorry the story has surfaced so long after he thought he had put the matter behind him. Looking back, he noted that while he was a member of the Board of Outfitters he had made many of the rules that guide outfitters today, the same rules that were used against him. Although unhappy with the outcome, Grelin remained philosophical. “I’m tired of fighting the system,” he said. “Of course, I’m 70 years old and ready to retire anyway.” | |||
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KALISPELL — Wildlife officials are investigating after a bull elk, a black bear and a moose were illegally killed in northwestern Montana. Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks reports the black bear was shot and dumped on Belton Stage Road near Coram on Oct. 12 or Oct. 13. Hunters found the elk carcass on the west side of Hungry Horse Reservoir road last week, and someone shot and killed a moose just outside of Columbia Falls on the North Fork Road off of Canyon Creek on Tuesday. FWP Warden Sgt. Jon Obst said "this is somebody who's out there taking game away from people who are doing it right, the ethical hunters." Anyone with information about the poaching is asked to call the FWP hotline at 1-800-TIPMONT. | |||
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Man arrested in Wyoming mule deer poaching CASPER, Wyo. — A South Carolina man was arrested recently on suspicion of shooting and killing several mule deer in the Pinedale area, said John Lund, regional wildlife supervisor for the Wyoming Game and Fish Department’s Pinedale office. Officials arrested Thomas Drago, 27, on Tuesday night after wardens began finding dead deer in the Pinedale area. A tip led game wardens to his truck. The tip said men were “spotlighting” or scanning for animals with a flashlight, from a truck that matched Drago’s, Lund said. His initial charges include intentionally taking an antlered big game animal out of season and wonton destruction of wildlife. Under Wyoming’s trophy game statute, someone who kills an antlered big game animal out of season can face up to $10,000 in fines or a year in jail per animal. Drago’s bond was set at $10,000. “It’s a significant poaching event,” Lund said. “This was multiple animals, so it is significant compared to other cases.” Drago allegedly shot the deer over several days. Some of the deer were shot and left to waste. Others had antlers taken off and some had small amounts of meat taken from them, Lund said. Officials are collecting samples from the dead animals and Drago’s truck to send to the Game and Fish Wildlife Forensic and Fish Health Lab at the University of Wyoming in Laramie. Officials are still investigating the total number of animals killed. They are also investigating if any other people were involved. The Wyoming Range and Sublette mule deer herds are particularly vulnerable this time of year when the animals migrate to their winter range, said Brian Nesvik, chief game warden of the Game and Fish Department. They pass through a relatively narrow area and are often close to roads, which makes them more visible than at other times of the year. | |||
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He got off easy.Him and his staff were some arrogant bastards.One of his favorite things was trying to run hunters off public lands. | |||
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Nailed some in Illinois, and look at the size of the deer they stole.  For the second time in a week, DNR announced that charges have been filed involving deer poaching in Illinois. The most recent arrests, which came after a five-month long investigation, involve five men and 31 deer. The charges have been filed in Cook and Sangamon counties. DNR Conservation Police, with the assistance of DNR CPOS from Michigan and Indiana, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, arrested the five hunters for committing numerous Wildlife Code violations, including the poaching of trophy deer. The largest buck, taken in Cook County, was a large non-typical deer scoring 213 5/8 inches and valued at $25,000. Just last week DNR announced charges against three men in a deer poaching case that involved trophy deer taken in Illinois. The five individuals involved in this investigation are being charged with 42 violations for unlawfully taking deer: Louis C. Bergsma (age 35 from Galena, IL) 2 counts of unlawfully hunting on private property without permission from the landowner 2 counts of unlawfully hunting whitetail deer with an invalidated archery deer permit 1 count of failure to tag whitetail deer upon recovery 2 counts of unlawful possession of a whitetail deer taken in violation of administrative rule 1 count of unlawfully hunting without a valid non-resident hunting license 1 count of unlawfully hunting whitetail deer without a State Habitat Stamp. 2 counts of falsifying IDNR harvest records (Sangamon Co.) 1 count of failure to report harvest as required (Sangamon Co.) Jonathan P. Bergsma (age 33 from Ada, MI) 2 counts of accessory to unlawfully hunting on private property without permission from the landowner 2 counts of accessory to unlawfully hunting whitetail deer with an invalidated archery deer permit 2 counts of accessory to the unlawful possession of a whitetail deer taken in violation of administrative rule 1 count of unlawfully hunting without a valid non-resident hunting license 1 count of unlawfully hunting whitetail deer without a State Habitat Stamp 1 count of falsifying IDNR harvest records (Sangamon Co.) Douglas J. Bergsma (age 60 from Rockford, MI) 1 count of unlawfully hunting on private property without permission from the landowner 1 count of unlawfully hunting whitetail deer with an invalidated archery deer permit 1 count of unlawful possession of a whitetail deer taken in violation of administrative rule 1 count of unlawfully hunting whitetail deer without a State Habitat Stamp 1 count of falsifying IDNR harvest records (Sangamon Co.) 1 count of failure to report harvest as required (Sangamon Co.) Daniel E. Bergsma (age 27 from Ada, MI) 2 counts of unlawfully hunting whitetail deer with an invalidated archery deer permit 2 counts of unlawful possession of a whitetail deer taken in violation of administrative rule 2 counts of falsifying IDNR harvest records (Sangamon Co.) Tom E. Hedke (age 33 from Caledonia, MI) 1 count of accessory to unlawfully hunting on private property without permission from the landowner 2 counts of accessory to unlawfully hunting whitetail deer with an invalidated archery deer permit 2 counts of accessory to the unlawful possession of a whitetail deer taken in violation of administrative rule 2 count of unlawfully hunting without a valid non-resident hunting license 2 count of unlawfully hunting whitetail deer without a State Habitat Stamp DNR officials said that additional charges are pending | |||
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WOW!  What a deer they stole. Hopefully of the 42 counts at least 41 one will stick. | |||
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Men charged in Pinedale poaching .Two men were charged recently in the poaching of at least five mule deer on their winter range near Pinedale. Thomas Drago, 27, faces 10 charges including four counts of taking antlered deer out of season without a license, which can each carry up to $10,000 in fines and one year in jail. Other charges included wonton destruction of deer, illegally taking wildlife from a public roadway, from a vehicle and with artificial light. Angel Escobar, 27, faces six charges including two counts of accessory to taking antlered deer out of season without a license and trespassing. Officials believe the deer were poached on Nov. 4 and Nov. 5 as well as three or four weeks earlier, said Jordan Kraft, game warden with the Wyoming Game and Fish Department Pinedale regional office. Little meat was taken from any of the animals. Some were missing their heads, antlers and back straps. One deer was shot on the edge of a subdivision and the majority of the deer were killed on private land. | |||
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