Another Poacher - Monster Colorado Elk

[gelton]

It never ends. Y Tu Brute?

US wildlife workers plead guilty to poaching-related charges

DENVER (AP) — Two U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service employees pleaded guilty to poaching-related charges in the killing of a trophy-class bull elk in western Colorado, state officials said Tuesday.

Thad Bingham, 44, and Brian Scheer, 45, pleaded guilty to trespassing on private land that was closed to hunting at the time of the 2014 incident, Colorado Parks and Wildlife spokesman Mike Porras said.

Bingham also pleaded guilty to illegal wildlife possession, the state said. Bingham shot the animal with a bow and arrow, Porras said. Scheer and two other men — who didn't work for the federal agency — were along on the hunt, he said.

US wildlife workers plead guilty to poaching-related charges | Nation | omaha.com

 

[svivian]

That really pisses me off! Especially since they are from my home area.

 

[BigAntlerGetter]

That's just disgusting come on guys. Bad thing is most of those names sound really familiar to me just can't quite place them. They should lose their jobs for one and their licenses if you full on poach an animal no more ur done, and those fines come on that's ridiculous. I know once a poacher always a poacher but least if they were fully not allowed to hunt whatsoever any time they ever say they killed or anything like that everyone would know they poached it, make t a little easier to catch them. Guess this is the same deal as the Nate strong poaching case. But they are wildlife workers even they are supposed to uphold the law.


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[realunlucky]

Wow it never ends pure greed

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[colonel00]

The investigation began after Bingham posted a photo of himself with the elk online, and state officers could tell from the image that the area was off-limits to hunting

Can anyone elaborate on this at all? Looking at the photo, I don't see what someone could use to identify this area that well at all. In no way am I defending these guys or what they did. I just found it curious.

 

[dangerousD]

Those fines are a joke. It's a shame. That's barely even a slap on the wrist. I hope they enforce the loss of hunting privileges for the full 5 year period. Hell, in some states (like Utah) you have to wait 5 years before you can even apply for a permit again when you kill one legally! It's kind of amazing there isn't more poaching happening. It's a hell of a lot cheaper than the legal way... smh

 

[AdamW]

Can anyone elaborate on this at all? Looking at the photo, I don't see what someone could use to identify this area that well at all. In no way am I defending these guys or what they did. I just found it curious.

My thoughts as well. I'm amazed when guys can look at a mountain and recognize it much less a chunk of plain ground.

Great bull. What a shame that 4 turds took it from someone more deserving.

 

[bz_711]

Those fines are a joke. It's a shame. That's barely even a slap on the wrist. I hope they enforce the loss of hunting privileges for the full 5 year period. Hell, in some states (like Utah) you have to wait 5 years before you can even apply for a permit again when you kill one legally! It's kind of amazing there isn't more poaching happening. It's a hell of a lot cheaper than the legal way... smh

I agree - fines & penalties not enough.
Why apply year after year for preference points and pay fees...when you can just trespass, shoot a great bull for $200...and can do it every 5 years. Faster and cheaper than waiting on premium units.
Hunting privileges should be lost for much longer...and fines in the $10,000 range would slow others down from trying this.

 

[Coveyleader]

My bet there were other photos, or the photos were geotagged.

 

[5MilesBack]

Something is missing from that story. CO has a mandatory "Sampson Law" trophy fine of $10k for any 6x6 or better bull for poaching. This bull would definitely qualify.

As for the area.......the landowner may have found what was left of the carcass and called the CDOW to investigate. Then after seeing the picture of the exact same area, knew it was him.

That photo itself was pretty benign IMO, but I'm always amazed when folks post pics with landmarks in the background. There are many times when I pick up a magazine and look at a story and find a pic and go "I know EXACTLY where that picture was taken".

Several years ago some guys poached an elk in Yellowstone and then posted the video for all to see. An old retired Park Ranger immediately recognized the area and called it in. Dumba**es.

 

[Mtslackcountry]

It says he is ordered to donate $5000 to the Rocky mountain elk foundation as well as the $200 fine.... So this cost him $5200 plus he likely lost his job. So I would say he got a worse punishment than some cases you see in the news.

 

[Dougfir]

I'm definitely not trying to let these guys off the hook, but before I get too upset at them, I wonder how close to the line they were? Was it well marked? Would they have been legal if the bull was 100 feet to the north, across a line that is completely invisible? I get that we are supposed to know where we are and where the boundaries are, but when boundaries are really important, they ought to be really well marked too... just my opinion. Perhaps they were knowingly breaking the law and it's a moot point.

 

[5MilesBack]

but when boundaries are really important, they ought to be really well marked too...

I believe that ALL private property boundaries are really important........regardless of whether they are marked or not. And in this day and age, a lot of people could care less if there was a "No Trespassing" sign right in front of them. They feel entitled to whatever everyone else has.....just because.

 

[xziang]

Can anyone elaborate on this at all? Looking at the photo, I don't see what someone could use to identify this area that well at all. In no way am I defending these guys or what they did. I just found it curious.

In the eyes of the law it makes not difference I understand that but maybe they crossed onto/into private property unintentionally. Granted with WHO these guys are they need to know EXACTLY where they are at. (WE ALL DO) I' m not defending them but could this have been an honest mistake.. **I'll admit I do not know the whole story though either**

 

[5MilesBack]

In the eyes of the law it makes not difference I understand that but maybe they crossed onto/into private property unintentionally. Granted with WHO these guys are they need to know EXACTLY where they are at. (WE ALL DO) I' m not defending them but could this have been an honest mistake.. **I'll admit I do not know the whole story though either**

In Colorado trespassing is trespassing and the regs even state "It is the hunter's responsibility to know exactly where they are at all times"......regardless of their intent or honest mistakes. It's not an honest mistake if you have no idea what land you're on. That just means that you weren't prepared and didn't do your homework. And especially with today's GPS's and landowner chips.......no excuses.

 

[snider6464]

I am sure the main person in question had been in the officers radar for some time. He had many rumors around our home town of foul play. So I am sure that they did not simply see the pic and go after him. I don't want to spread rumors but I heard there was much more to the story.

One of my good friends knows him, and by the sounds of it he had a meeting today to determine if he would lose his job or his hunting license. He made it sound like he may be able to keep both. Pretty sad to see such little done on such a high profile case.

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[realunlucky]

Lawyers and money can make anything go away

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[gelton]

It says he is ordered to donate $5000 to the Rocky mountain elk foundation as well as the $200 fine.... So this cost him $5200 plus he likely lost his job. So I would say he got a worse punishment than some cases you see in the news.

Yeah but for $5200 you could buy a landowner tag and kill the bull legally...the punishment does NOT fit the crime in this example

 

[MuleyFever]

Why for the love of the outdoors are poaching fines not more severe? Poaching should be a lifetime ban from hunting, in the country.

 

[bpctcb]

Why for the love of the outdoors are poaching fines not more severe? Poaching should be a lifetime ban from hunting, in the country.

Have you ever looked at the penalties for killing a person with your car? As long as you're not sh*tfaced drunk it has traditionally been a slap on the wrist. Things have started to change a bit in my neck of the woods, but not much. For folks poaching an elk we are lucky they get any kind of punishment at all.

BP