Commissioner Husted suspends hunter's license for

[bowsniper]

It seems that Commissioner Husted has been down the prairie dog road before, but on the other side of the table. In May, 2010, Mr. Husted voted to suspend a hunter's license for 5 years for shooting a prairie dog out of season. The vote was unanimous, and the hunter was suspended for 5 years.

 

Gee, I kind of wonder about Mr. Husted's quote: "I think it's a little heavy-handed," he said. "Rather than being rewarded (for self-reporting), I was disciplined. I'm looking forward to my day in court."

 

Maybe since he self reported, it is OK??

 

I also wonder why, "Paxon said there is no risk that Husted could lose his hunting license or his position on the commission."

http://www.azcentral.com/news/politics/articles/2012/08/09/20120809game-fish-commissioner-cited-hunting-violation.html#ixzz23eSeqOdt

 

Anyway, here are the deatails of Mr. Husted's vote:

 

http://www.azgfd.gov/inside_azgfd/meeting_minutes.shtml , click on May 14 & 15, 2010

 

Terry L. Metteer May 14, 2010 Docket # 2010-0028 Metteer was found guilty by the Pima County Consolidated Justice Court for: Count A: Take Wildlife Closed Season (Black Tail Prairie Dog); and sentenced Count A: Restitution paid to AGFD $175.00. The Commission discussed with Mr. Elms how the assessment amount was arrived at. It was difficult to determine since it includes years of planning and preparation, but it was certainly a larger amount than what was being assessed. Case Officer Tilton was present and answered questions for the Commission, including that the shooting distance was about 75 yards and that the area was not very well signed. She also stated that Mr. Metteer entered the area from the north and there was no signage, as the landowner removed the sign. Metteer was present and addressed the Commission stating that he was shooting at a coyote and did not intentionally shoot the Prairie dog. License Rev/Civil Assessment - 3 - May 14, 2010 Motion: Martin moved and Freeman seconded THAT THE LICENSE(S) AND/OR LICENSES PRIVILEGES OF TERRY L. METTEER TO HUNT, FISH, AND TRAP IN THE STATE OF ARIZONA BE REVOKED AND HE BE DENIED ANOTHER FOR A PERIOD OF FIVE (5) YEARS;

 

Commissioner Husted explained his vote stating that if Mr. Metteer had said he didn’t know he wasn’t supposed to shoot the prairie dog, he would vote differently. But he can’t believe, at 75 yards, a man with a scoped rifle can make a mistake between a prairie dog and a running coyote. The prairie dog was standing looking at the shooter. The prairie dog area should be signed better so that people know it is there, but his vote is not because of the prairie dog’s endangered status.

[elkaholic]

I'm wondering how this will affect the outcome -

 

goona be interesting - Commissioner should know the law - more so than others -not to say they cant make a bad choice in this shooting of a paraire dog

 

heres proff a single praire dog - taken out of seasons can cost your 5 yrs hunting priveledges

[AZLance]

Time for Husted to step down, and resign...

[Non-Typical Solutions]

I can remember the first prarie dog town I saw posted as a prarie dog town.....that was up in Yellowstone. We thought it was the funniest thing we had ever seen............people pulled over to view a prariedog town.

Never heard of such a thing here in AZ???

 

How did they know the prariedog was looking straight at him when he shot???

 

Pretty crazy stuff............

[reganranch]

Time for Husted to step down, and resign...

 

+1

Cant lead by Example if your part of the problem.

[Coach]

Well, that's an interesting "turn of events"... If he was willing to take away someone else's hunting rights for 5 years, he should be subject to the same penalties and not complain too loudly about it.

[123456]

I think you guys have it wrong here. This case is about shooting an endangered specie prairie dog, not a regular praire dog. I think that makes a big difference. Calling for his resignation is just ridiculous. Lance, if you ever get convicted of committing a hunting crime, are you going to give up guiding. Even if it is something as minor as shooting a dang praire dog when they are out of season. Give this guy a break. Most of these people that get their license suspended really are dirt bags. Atleast own up to shooting a praire dog, not saying you were trying to shoot a coyote and shot the praire dog. That is a blatent lye and should be punished accordingly. Man up and admit your mistake.

[muskrat]

Endangered Black Tail Prairie Dog? You sure? http://www.fws.gov/mountain-prairie/species/mammals/btprairiedog/

 

You aren't thinking of the Black Footed Ferret?

[123456]

I may be wrong on this, but If you look in the regs, I can not find a season on black tailed praire dogs. I believe we are only able to shoot gunnison's.

[123456]

http://www.azgfd.gov/w_c/nongameandendangeredwildlifeprogram/Black-tailedPrairieDog.shtml Looks like this link says they are trying to re-introduce them to Arizona. Which is why this guy got in so much trouble.

[drcarr]

Time for Husted to step down, and resign...

and accept the loss of his hunting privileges for the next 5 years.....my observation is that for several years the "Commissioners" have been way too quick at imposing 5 year periods of lost hunting privileges as punishment.......and why is it just about always for 5 year periods????......I think most of us would twist and turn if we were required to sit out even one year.....and don't forget that Arizona is part of that pesky little State compact that requires each State to honor the others assignment of lost hunting privileges ...one years worth of lost hunting privileges would certainly be more than enough of a reinforcement to return me to being a lawful hunter..... MAYBE HAVING ONE OF THEIR OWN COMMISSION MEMBERS DANCING IN THE SPOTLIGHT WILL CAUSE THEM TO RECONSIDER THEIR CONVICTIONS IN THIS MATTER….I’m not saying that imposing a loss of hunting privileges is too extreme a punishment…..I am suggesting that they use this tool too often……Oh, and just for the record I’ve never received a citation for violating any game law……

[Outdoor Writer]

From the 2012 HUNT ARIZONA booklet:

 

Gunnison’s Prairie Dog

 

Prairie dogs are robust, diurnal ground squirrels that

live in underground colonies called “dogtowns.” Their

tails are relatively short, less than 25 percent of the

body length. The animals get their name from their

doglike barks, which warn the colony of intruders.

Male Gunnison’s prairie dogs are just over a foot long,

with 2-inch, grayish to white-tipped tails. Adult males

weigh about 1.75 pounds and females less than 1.5

pounds. Male and female are similar in appearance,

both a pale buff in color. The species is now largely restricted

to Great Basin grasslands above the Mogollon

Rim, although colonies formerly extended south and

east of Prescott to the Dewey and Dugas areas, as well

as to the San Carlos Indian Reservation.

Natural History and Status

 

Gunnison’s prairie dog colonies tend to be small, and

usually contain fewer than 50 animals. Their burrow

entrances are not typically built up into craters, unlike

those of black-tailed prairie dogs. Gunnison’s prairie

dogs enter torpor below ground during winter months,

and breed in February-March. The three to four pups

typically appear in June. Grasses, forbs, and sedges are

the usual dietary items.

 

Black-tailed Prairie Dog

 

Slightly larger than the Gunnison’s prairie dog, this

15-inch-long rodent is yellowish tan in color with a

usually dusky-tipped 3-inch tail. Male black-tailed

prairie dogs average about 2 pounds; the females about

1.9 pounds. Unlike those of Gunnison’s, the entrances

to the burrows of black-tailed prairie dogs often have

cratered mounds that can reach up to 3 feet in height.

The underground burrow network may be extensive,

and black-tailed prairie dog colonies were often large,

especially those in the San Pedro and Sulphur Springs

valleys.

 

Natural History and Status

 

Black-tailed prairie dogs are active all year, and will

come out on sunny days even in midwinter. The species

breeds in late February; the young are born in March

and appear in May. Dietary items include grass stems,

grass roots, and shrubs.

 

Black-tailed prairie dogs formerly occurred in the

semidesert grasslands of southeastern Arizona south of

the Gila River, westward to the vicinity of Fort Huachuca.

They have been extirpated in Arizona since 1959,

although a small colony on the Day Ranch 15 miles

southeast of Duncan on the Arizona-New Mexico border

persisted until 1974. An attempt to reintroduce this

animal to the Appleton Research Ranch (near Sonoita)

in the summer of 1974 failed. The species has recently

been protected in Arizona, in the hope that individuals

from three colonies in Sonora within five miles of the

United States-Mexico border might recolonize our state.

[bowsniper]

The Black Tail Prairie Dog is not endangered, but the hunting season is always closed. The hunting season was also closed for the Gunnison’s prairie dog when Husted shot his.

 

I have nothing against Mr. Husted, I know that he has done good things for the wildlife in AZ. My point is that Mr. Husted, along with the other commisioners routinely suspend hunters licenses for five years for minor infractions like a couple of doves or a couple of fish over the limit.

 

Why shouldn't Mr. Husted be held accountable and subject to the same penalties?

 

Here is just one example from the last thread:

 

Foy Kongoudom December 7, 2007

Kongoudom was found guilty by the McDowell Mountain Justice Court for: Count A: Exceed bag limit (5 catfish); and Count B: Possess wildlife unlawfully taken (catfish); and sentenced Count A: Fined $157.00; and Count B: Fined $140.00.

Kongoudom was not present.

Motion: Martin moved and Woodhouse seconded THAT THE LICENSE(S) AND/OR LICENSES PRIVILEGES OF FOY KONGOUDOM TO HUNT, FISH AND TRAP IN THE STATE OF ARIZONA BE REVOKED AND HE BE DENIED ANOTHER FOR A PERIOD OF FIVE (5) YEARS;

[1uglydude]

Lately, if you actually show up to the hearing and plead for mercy, they have been less likely to hand out the 5 year penalty.

 

For example, at the meeting a couple weeks ago there was a guy who shot a previously wounded bull elk (so he says) on a cow elk hunt. He took it home, had it butchered, and put antlers on his shed. TWO YEARS LATER he gets turned in by someone. When asked about it, he confesses. His excuse was that he didn't have cell service to report the wounded bull he found and thought it best to put it out of its misery. I can't remember if they stuck with the $8k fine or not (doesn't look like the final reports are online yet either), but they ended up giving him a one year suspension of just hunting privileges...he can still fish.

 

Another guy shot a bear on his deer hunt, let the meat spoil, and then went to town to buy a bear tag. He was reported, and LIED to the officers the first few times until his friend cracked. He came to plead for mercy and got a fine plus 3 years of suspensions.

 

An elderly gentleman from California was charnged with obtaining a resident license without bona fide residency. He harvested a javelina with a resident tag. He owned property in Yuma and thought that was enough. He came in with an attorney and friends/family to speak on his behalf. They emphasized his character, the fact that he has been a hunters ed volunteer in California for many years, and that he is now a permanent resident of Yuma. They gave him a small fine for the javelina, no suspension whatsoever (he had already voluntarily not hunted during the previous year), and asked that he volunteer to teach hunters ed in Yuma.

 

In contrast, another guy killed a javelina out of season, but didn't bother to show up for the hearing. He got five years.

[654321]

IMO the biggest difference is husted SELF-REPORTED, he still broke the law and as a resposible hunter he should have known the law in regards to taking a specific animal before he took it or helped take it. there are plenty of cases every hunting season where laws are broke and hunters self-report and they dont lose their lic. or get the book thrown at them.