Article

Michigan hunters fined, ordered to apologize for illegal bear kill in Arctic refuge
FAIRBANKS — A Michigan woman who received a prestigious award from an international hunting organization for killing a grizzly bear in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge four years ago was sentenced in federal court in Fairbanks on Monday for illegally killing the bear.

Charlotte M. Peyerk, 66, of Shelby Township, Mich., was ordered to pay $25,000 in fines and write an apology to Safari Club International for submitting a fraudulent entry of the illegally taken bear. Her son, Mark A. Peyerk, 40, of Mio, Michigan, was ordered to pay a $30,000 fine for his role in the 2009 hunt in which Charlotte Peyerk shot a grizzly bear the day before the season opening. Mark Peyerk must also write a letter of apology to the Safari Club as part of the sentence imposed by Magistrate Judge Scott Oravec of the U.S. District Court in Fairbanks.





The Peyerks are two of several out-of-state hunters who have been convicted as a result of a larger investigation that led to the conviction of master guide Joe Hendricks, of Anchorage, owner of Fair Chase Hunts. Hendricks was ordered to pay a $125,000 fine a little more than a year ago for a plethora of illegal guiding activities in ANWR that involved guides, assistant guides and hunters. Since then, nearly a dozen guides who worked for Hendricks and hunters who paid him thousands of dollars to hunt grizzly bear and Dall sheep have been convicted of illegal hunting.

In one case, Hendricks admitted to breaking the horns on an undersized sheep to make it appear the sheep was a legal kill. In another instance, Hendricks admitted leasing his exclusive guiding areas to another guide, which is illegal.

In the case of the Peyerks, the two hunters admitted that they and their assistant guides agreed they should take the bear Charlotte Peyerk shot the day before the season opened, according assistant to U.S. Attorney Stephen Cooper, who prosecuted the case. The Peyerks' cameras had the date indicator altered to make it appear the bear was killed on opening day, Cooper said.

The Peyerks also falsified the date of the kill on a state harvest tag and on a Safari Club International trophy entry form, Cooper said.

As a result of the entry to the Safari Club, Charlotte Peyerk was awarded the club's Diana Award, according to a news release issued by the Department of Justice in Anchorage on Tuesday. The judge ordered Charlotte Peyerk to offer to return the award to Safari Club International as part of her sentence.

According to the Safari Club website, the Diana Award "honors the female hunter."

"Named for the huntress of Roman mythology, it recognizes the women of SCI who have excelled in international big game hunting. Nominees will have shown exemplary ethics in the field, remained committed to the mission statement of SCI and have personally given of their time and energies to enhance wildlife conservation and education," according to the award description.

Charlotte Peyerk is listed on the website as the 2010 recipient. She is also listed as vice chairwoman of the award selection committee.

Both Peyerks were ordered to pay a $20,000 fine, while Mark Peyerk was ordered to pay $10,000 to the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and Charlotte Peyerk was ordered to pay $5,000 to the same organization.

As part of the sentence, Mark Peyerk is prohibited from hunting during his five-year probation, and Charlotte Peyerk cannot hunt during her four-year probation.

In imposing his sentence, Oravec said that the Peyerks' attempt to cover up the illegal kill by altering the date indicator on their cameras was more egregious than shooting the bear before the season opened.

Contact staff writer Tim Mowry at 459-7587. Follow him on Twitter: @FDNMoutdoors.

Seems like some of the ones who want to see their face on TV.
Are willing to do ANYTHING to get there.

quote:

Originally posted by ravenr:
Seems like some of the ones who want to see their face on TV.
Are willing to do ANYTHING to get there.

You are dead right my friend.

Normal people enjoy hunting for what it is and the joys it brings for us.

Others sadly feel the need to be glorified way beyond their abilities.

Lots of this is going on in other countries too.

Just to satisfy this convoluted sense of one upmanship, and "mine is bigger than yours" crowd and those who wish to be inducted into some silly "Inner Circle"!

She was in charge of the award committee!

Reminds me of Out of Africa and their Lawyer being the president of SCI or someone high up in their!

Some folks just do not think that" The Game Rules" apply to them.Pretty sad to accept an award on a poached animal!!!

It is a pure case of "stupid is as stupid does" along with extreme narcissism. Dumb enough to poach, dumber to publicly brag, and dumbest to think they wouldn't get caught. As you can probably tell I don't have much tolerance for the behavior, it takes 100 good hunters to offset the bad public image presented by this kind of trashy behavior.

Here is another thread on this.

Snowwolfe's post

Not good for hunting.

I bet the Outfitter, guides, and other hunters who were all charged with similar charges are very happy that this gal is getting all the media attention (and the lynching here on A-R).

The Peyerks are well known in this area; they have a very successful excavation business and make payroll for a lot of employees. I hear they are good to work for. They've also been known to open their checkbook to donate to good causes. Not that it's a excuse for what they did in Alaska, but all the good they've done is now forgotten about it.

Haven't seen much about the outfitter! Nor the name of his indicted guides. Nor have we heard much about the many other clients that hunted with him that have also been charged with crimes. Apparently they aren't SCI members so they are getting no notice in this deal.

Wonder how many A-R people have hunted with this outfitter? Have any of them weighed in on this situation? I sure hope none of them were charged.

quote:

Originally posted by Matt Norman:
The Peyerks are well known in this area; they have a very successful excavation business and make payroll for a lot of employees. I hear they are good to work for. They've also been known to open their checkbook to donate to good causes. Not that it's a excuse for what they did in Alaska, but all the good they've done is now forgotten about it.

"One bad deed erases a hundred good ones." - Uncle Myron

quote:

Originally posted by ravenr:
Seems like some of the ones who want to see their face on TV.
Are willing to do ANYTHING to get there.

When there is money involved.

The I shot the biggest/best what ever crowd.

There well be people willing to go to illegal lengths to make the money and have their face be famous for doing so.

Chances are the outfitter and guides that were busted on this are being 'cooperative' in an effort to reduce their sentences. These investigations and federal charges usually take years to happen and involve a lot of people. The news releases indicate there are multiple people charged but so far the media (and A-R regulars ) focus seems to be only on the gal with the SCI background.

There are probably more indictments and press releases coming but don't know if it will get as much attention as the SCI member. The Outfitter has been in business since 1974 so it would make sense that somebody else active on A-R has hunted with him. I'd venture to say that if you've hunted with them within the past five-ten years you will probably be interviewed by one of the USF&W investigators. (This happened to me and I had only booked a hunt with an outfitter that was under investigation...never spent one day in the field with them and had to provide statements).


Here's some more...

http://www.justice.gov/usao/ak...k%20J.%20Downey.html

http://www.justice.gov/usao/ak...s%20M.%20McGann.html

Don't know if this federal case is related....

http://www.justice.gov/usao/ak...d%20L.%20Martin.html

this post sounds a lot like your post from 12 hours ago-and it still sounds suspiciously like an apology for a convicted felon. donated to charities? that means she is a good person who made a tiny mistake? pays the salaries of employees? isn't that what business owners do?

quote:

Originally posted by jdollar:
this post sounds a lot like your post from 12 hours ago-and it still sounds suspiciously like an apology for a convicted felon. donated to charities? that means she is a good person who made a tiny mistake? pays the salaries of employees? isn't that what business owners do?

***Probably a relative or close friend of the well-to-do lady poacher!!!

Nope, we're not related and we've never even been formally introduced. Didn't intend to make excuses for her.

Did want to point out that there were several other people caught up in this that we haven't heard much (anything?) about. Nor have we heard many people own up to having hunted with this particular outfitter.

I'm not in the 'Lynch Her!' camp on this, nor do I worship at the SCI alter.

I have nevre understood why one would be so insecure as to think, they had to "prove" something with some kind of so called trophy animal.

Don't get me wrong, I would rather shoot a large trophy as opposed to a small one. But, its not that big of deal. Getting outdoors and spending it with friends and family is what really matters.

Too bad there are so many who would compromise their family name for a pat on the back and plastic award.

quote:

Too bad there are so many who would compromise their family name for a pat on the back and plastic award.

***Yep, and that's why IMHO the "BOOK" should not list any hunter's names. It would solve this kind of shit quickly!!!

Jason P - Couldn't agree more with your thoughts on the subject.

It's just on here, some folks ALWAYS think that an individuals actions and choices are SCI's fault. If a person chooses to break the law, regulations or does something unethical, it's THEIR fault, not an organization or other entity. Trying to lay blame on anything/anyone else is as bad as the committing the violation itself.

If I witness bad behavior of any kind, I blame the individual doing it, and don't go looking for someone else as the reason. Look around, a lot of left leaning folks here in OUR COUNTRY use this same tactic, huh? All the way from the TOP DOWN.

Larry Sellers
SCI (International) Life Member

quote:

Originally posted by Jason P:
I have nevre understood why one would be so insecure as to think, they had to "prove" something with some kind of so called trophy animal.

Don't get me wrong, I would rather shoot a large trophy as opposed to a small one. But, its not that big of deal. Getting outdoors and spending it with friends and family is what really matters.

Too bad there are so many who would compromise their family name for a pat on the back and plastic award.

quote:

Originally posted by Larry Sellers:
Jason P - Couldn't agree more with your thoughts on the subject.

It's just on here, some folks ALWAYS think that an individuals actions and choices are SCI's fault. If a person chooses to break the law, regulations or does something unethical, it's THEIR fault, not an organization or other entity. Trying to lay blame on anything/anyone else is as bad as the committing the violation itself.

If I witness bad behavior of any kind, I blame the individual doing it, and don't go looking for someone else as the reason. Look around, a lot of left leaning folks here in OUR COUNTRY use this same tactic, huh? All the way from the TOP DOWN.

Larry Sellers
SCI (International) Life Member

quote:

Originally posted by Jason P:
I have nevre understood why one would be so insecure as to think, they had to "prove" something with some kind of so called trophy animal.

Don't get me wrong, I would rather shoot a large trophy as opposed to a small one. But, its not that big of deal. Getting outdoors and spending it with friends and family is what really matters.

Too bad there are so many who would compromise their family name for a pat on the back and plastic award.

But Larry I think SCI should come out (if they haven't already) and permanently ban these types and strip them of any awards they have ever received. Maybe that would make the next fat cat think twice before violating hunter and sportsmanship ethics and the law.