9 Bears poached

[billrquimby]

My question is why didn't AZGFD release the names of the people they charged?

 

Bill Quimby

 

I'm working on it, Bill.

 

This has been an ongoing debate between myself and the folks at the AGFD for the last few years. In reality, we're lucky we got as much as we did on this case because several years ago, the department decided that providing info on poaching cases -- charges, convictions, etc. -- provided the wrong sort of publicity for hunting. To that aim, most of what you normally see is requests for information on suspected poaching incidents but little after-the-fact information if someone is nabbed. Also, when results are provided, the cases often involve another agency such as the USFWS, who doesn't have such a policy. Thus, I have urged the folks at AGFD to change its policy and do like most every other state does -- provide the outcome of such cases.

 

Of course, all of the information is available if someone requests it because of the Freedom of Information statutes. In the case of someone being charged and yet not convicted, I'm sure the powers are concerned about litigation. BUT...revealing such would be no different than what occurs daily in the local papers when the names of murders, rapists, pedophiles, etc. are printed when they are merely charged with the crimes.

 

Anyway, hang loose on the names. I'll post them as soon as I get them. -TONY

 

Thanks, Tony.

 

Revealing names of poachers often can be more punishment than merely fining them. In the case of murders, rapes, etc., it usually is not the law enforcement agency that makes a news release. If newspapers waited for that it would be old news before they learned anything. They have beat reporters who check police logs every day ... sometimes twice a day. I was always suspect of what was going on when a law enforcement agency alerted me of something. It usually meant they didn't have enough material for conviction (or had screwed up somewhere) and wanted to try the case in the press.

 

Bill Quimby

[CouesWhitetail]

CouesAZ you might want to mention those horses to AGFD and see if it's related. It sounds like the case was more up by the White mtn apache rez rather than the San Carlos. but perhaps you found another poaching area.

 

Amanda

[CouesWhitetail]

CouesAZ you might want to mention those horses to AGFD and see if it's related. It sounds like the case was more up by the White mtn apache rez rather than the San Carlos. but perhaps you found another poaching area.

 

Amanda

[Outdoor Writer]

If newspapers waited for that it would be old news before they learned anything. They have beat reporters who check police logs every day ... sometimes twice a day.

 

Yup, and the beat reporters can do that because of the Freedom of Info Act, of course. In reality, if I wanted to take the time, I could do the same with the AGFD.

 

I was always suspect of what was going on when a law enforcement agency alerted me of something. It usually meant they didn't have enough material for conviction (or had screwed up somewhere) and wanted to try the case in the press.

 

Or if the agency knows the news will likely be released through another source and is looking for an "atta boy" from its adoring public. -TONY

[coues7]

Whatever they do (AZGFD or Judicial) system they need to set a presidence (sp??) for the state of Arizona. SET A PRECIDENSE!!!!! End of Story! Giving out the names would just be a bonus!

[Outdoor Writer]

End of Story! Giving out the names would just be a bonus!

 

That's exactly what I plan to do in my IN THE FIELD column in RM G&F magazine. I do a lot of it for cases in the other states every month. -TONY

 

P.S. -- It's "precedent."

[billrquimby]

"Yup, and the beat reporters can do that because of the Freedom of Info Act, of course. In reality, if I wanted to take the time, I could do the same with the AGFD. "

 

Actually it predates the FIA, Tony. Information about charges, trial dates, outcome, sentencing, etc., are public records that have always been open to anyone who knew how to work the system. A good court/police beat reporter also develops sources at middle and low echelons who will slip him tips about what's going on.

 

If AZGFD is making you fill out FIA forms to learn who they have charged with what, outdoor writers as a group need to complain to the commission. The public has the right to know it, and we shouldn't have to go to the courts and county recorders to find it. If the commission doesn't allow public records information to be released to anyone who asks for it, then we need to go to the governor and/or our legislators.

 

Bill Quimby

[Outdoor Writer]

If AZGFD is making you fill out FIA forms to learn who they have charged with what, outdoor writers as a group need to complain to the commission. The public has the right to know it, and we shouldn't have to go to the courts and county recorders to find it. If the commission doesn't allow public records information to be released to anyone who asks for it, then we need to go to the governor and/or our legislators.

 

Bill Quimby

 

Nope. Nothing to fill out. Only thing I have to do is contact the right person and ASK for the info. As you said, it's all a matter of public records available to anyone for the asking. -TONY

[longshooter]

This has been going on on the reservations for years. All the indians hate wild horses because there competition for feed for the elk and deer. I was told by a reservation bioligist that a wild horse eats 4 times a day more than a mature elk does.

[huntscout]

This just came out in our local White Mountain Independent....

http://www.wmicentral.com/site/news.cfm?ne...05965&rfi=6

 

 

The sting started in fall of 2006 as covert officers from the Game and Fish Department's Special Operations Unit worked with a special agent from U.S. Fish and Wildlife in Operation Bear Bones. In that operation, the agencies discovered some of the hunters had allegedly killed stray horses to use them as bait to lure bears and hunt them. Others were found to have taken other forms of livestock and wildlife through unlawful means, such as without a permit or during a closed season.

Eight suspects have been convicted after being apprehended as a part of Operation Bear Bones. They are:

* Corban Davis - Tried in Snowflake Justice Court for taking a bear by unlawful method. Prosecution was deferred and Davis paid a $400 fine to the Wildlife Theft Prevention Fund.

* Jefer Farr - Tried in Snowflake Justice Court for chasing a bear by an unlawful method (using dogs during a spring hunt). He was fined $750. An additional charge of chasing a bear during a closed season was dismissed as per a plea agreement.

* Grover Ledbetter - Tried in Round Valley Justice Court and pled guilty to possessing unlawfully taken wildlife (bear) and shooting bear without a valid tag. Four other charges dismissed as per a plea agreement. He was fined $258, had his hunting/fishing/trapping guide license revoked for five years and given a $1,500 civil assessment.

* Bryan Ledbetter - Tried in Round Valley Justice Court and pled guilty to possessing unlawfully taken wildlife (bear). He was fined $25. Another charge was dismissed.

* Bradley Sears - Tried in Pinetop Justice Court and pled guilty to shooting a bear without a valid permit/tag. He was fined $400 and commission action is pending.

* Ryan Watson - Tried in Round Valley Justice Court and pled guilty to taking wildlife by an unlawful method (using a firearm during archery season) and possessing unlawfully taken wildlife (bear). He was fined a total of $1,726 and had his hunting/trapping/fishing guide license revoked for five years and given a $1,500 civil assessment. Five other charges against Watson were dropped as per a plea agreement.

* Chad Williams - Tried in Snowflake Justice Court and pled guilty to three charges, including chasing a bear without a valid permit. Fined a total of $1,048. Also tried in Round Valley Justice Court and found guilty of two charges including guiding without a valid license. He was fined $466 and was also assessed a $3,000 restitution to Arizona Game and Fish.

* Phillip Williams - Tried in Pinetop Justice Court and pled guilty to failure to check out bear within 48 hours of harvest. He was fined $100.

Seven other suspects have only been charged as part of Operation Bear Bones and investigations are still ongoing. They are:

* Jaime Adams - Charged with taking elk during a closed season and without a valid permit.

* Kaci Burton - Charged with using the permit/tag of another person and possessing unlawfully taken wildlife (deer).

* William Burton - Charged with taking deer without a valid permit, possessing a deer that was unlawfully taken and using the permit/tag of another person.

* Richard Evans III - Faces 12 charges in Navajo County Superior Court, including three counts of unlawful killing of livestock (horses), three counts of taking wildlife (elk and bear) without a valid permit and one count of tampering with a witness. He also faces 13 charges in five justice courts.

* Darrell Neff - Charged with pursuing wildlife (bear) without a valid permit, pursuing wildlife (bear) by unlawful method and three counts of unlawful killing of livestock (horses).

* Gordon Nikolaus Jr. - Charged with knowingly obstructing a criminal investigation.

* Joshua Smart - Charged with chasing wildlife (bear) during a closed season, without a permit and during a period where license was under revocation.

[trphyhntr]

wow, 25 dollar fine for poaching a bear, I bet he learned his lesson.

[JohnFriddle]

I was told by a reservation bioligist that a wild horse eats 4 times a day more than a mature elk does.

 

 

Oh yeah.... Those horses tear habitat up... Just like burros do... It is nice to see some of them gone... I do like how if you are caught with bear illegaly it's $25, and if you just fail to check one it's $100, nice...

[TLH]

You guys do know that there is a show on the radio that Jim Solomon hosts that has a section called "The Poachers Chronicles". This has been going on for a while and they go live on a national hunting and outdoors show and give out the names of the people caught in a poaching case.

 

Here is a link to the site: http://www.xplortheoutdoors.com/category/poacher-chronicles/

 

Here is another one that covers several states: http://www.poacherchronicles.com/

 

Times are changing and people want to know who the offenders are--

[msgbarney]

Thats crap!!!!!! Their fines were less than my deer tag! Hang-em high dammit

[iwannakillsomething]

i put my vote with bear bait that is bull s#@% how they got of with a $25 fine it cost twice that to DRIVE to my hunting spot!!!! that is a bull crap call and the judge should be tried to!