quote:

Even if he did take game from a helicopter, in RUSSIA, this just shows you how LAME-AS$ our government has become. With all the illegal aliens running about, using up tax resources and causing problems, our Feds are chasing a very productive and generous older citizen who went hunting in another country. This is a good use of the People's resources.

How are they going to get the Russians to testify against him??

-eric

I was going to raise a little hell about this but Tony and eric said it all for me. This is pure US Gov't

quote:

Originally posted by Die Ou Jagter:
Gator1, are you Mr Duncan's booking or travel agent? You seem to know a great deal about his hunting. Just out of curosity do you know all the game laws of the world or even your own state. Let me know the next time you plan on walking on water I would like to see you in action.

Die Ou Jagter

The world of Big Game Hunting is a small one indeed. It doesn't take a Booking Agent to know what or how one of the most high profile hunters goes about his business. This has been news in the Hunting World since 2003 and all the players and all the incidents are well known.

I think this is aimed more at Dan's partners in the trip, Mike Simpson and Tom Reilly. They are both under investigation and Simpson has payed fines on at least two other occasions for illegal importation.

Riley, when he worked for USF&W was accused of 'helping' Simpson out of some jams and his participation in this hunt caused his 'voluntary' retirement from USF&W.

Simpson, in his capacity as SCI President, appointed Riley to be SCI Executive Director. A post he resigned last year when under a lot of pressure over this hunt and some other issues.

Because of the tight bond between Simpson, Reilly, Duncan and Earvin Barnhart (another similar story)they are all targets of those in F&W that dislike Reilly and those in SCI that dislike Simpson. Add in one of the very highest profile trophy hunters on Earth and you have a recipe for investigation.

Paybacks are Hell.

As to why I know that hunting from a Heli is illegal in Russia? 3 trips to Kamchatka (where the moose hunt took place) and one to Lake Baikal.

Do any of these guys deserve to be prosecuted for this? I don't think so. No more than people who illegally shoot from a vehicle in Africa should be.

Or should they?

back to my earlier post- has SCI got the balls to take on a major benefactor( or 2 if you count Mike Simpson) or will this whole issue be swept under the rug? these guys are vastly experienced international hunters and regardless of whether or not they knew it was illegal, they certainly knew it wasn't ethical

Where I see a problem is the US attorney wasting US taxpayer dollars prosecuting this guy (with TWO grand juries?) like he was John Gotti

And even with the burden of proof lowered to "knowingly"
PROVING that he KNEW it was illegal is a serious burden.

He's hunted in russia before? yeah? well how do we know that his guide didn't have him shooting from a vehicle then?

BTW, I'll bet you can GIVE a copy of the russian law to the prosecutor and under pain of death the guy couldn't READ the law, so how many taxpayer dollars are going to be wasted on expert testimony PROVING IN COURT (which MUST be done) that the RUSSIAN law was indeed broken
an KNOWINGLY BROKEN making the trophy's illegal under the terms of the lacey act?

Another US attorney that should be transfered to
the private sector.


AD

Actually, the legal defense for this case is fairly straight forward.

I had a similar brush with US Fish and Wildlife over the Lacey act and a sovereign nation (but no helicopter hunting).

The defense is that Duncan will produce a witness, from Russia, who testifies to his having obtained a legal waiver to the relevant Russian law (e.g. he was culling game with the local wildlife department).
Duncan's witness(s) testify that he had the necessary paperwork.
The Government has a single witness that says "No, he didn't".
It's up to the jury at that point, and the Government doesn't like that...they want a cleaner case.

I'd say he is a long way from conviction.

Garrett