Hunter Kills 3 Bighorn in Montana

[durangobrad]

Daily Inter Lake , Hunter hit with costly penalties after mishap

 

[Trr15]

Self reported and still hit with $32k in fines. Ouch! Talk about a deterrent for other hunters who actually want to do the right thing.

 

[HookUp]

This poor guy filled someone else tag to...I get the penalties on these animals. There is plenty of room for "things to do differently for next time". Sheep is not the species to learn on.

 

[elkguide]

As special as sheep are, and I'm one for throwing the book at someone for violating F&G laws......
this guy did the right thing and got the heavy hammer in my mind.

 

[dotman]

Sucks he's been labeled a poacher for an honest mistake he immediately called a warden on.

I bet many now will just leave any accidentally shot game in the woods.

 

[durangobrad]

Sucks he's been labeled a poacher for an honest mistake he immediately called a warden on.

It does, but it was lot more than just one mistake....

 

[dotman]

It does, but it was lot more than just one mistake....

That is true, but he must be an honest person in an age of people not taking ownership of their errors.

 

[realunlucky]

This should put a damper on people self reporting.

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[durangobrad]

What do we feel an appropriate punishment should be?

 

[dotman]

What do we feel an appropriate punishment should be?

Not sure, there should be something but a reduction from the max fine for self reporting should be in all of the statutes. There should be a fine but if everyone knows they'll be treated like a poacher it does zero good for the honest mistakes.

I don't think hunting and fishing rights should be taken away.

 

[slick]

Personally, agree with dotman &a real unlucky. Guy did the right thing by turning himself in.
Have witnessed a guy turn himself in for shooting a cow in a bull only district in MT. Warden took the cow, and his elk license and let him continue his deer hunt.

Figure this isn't much different then that, so why such a harsh penalty? He could have just as easily shut up about it and cost the state money in investigating a poaching case, etc.

This'll make honest people reconsider being honest


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[JWP58]

And if he wasn't charged or fined people would be complaining about that. I would wager I could find multiple threads on the forum of people complaining about low fines and violators getting off easy. You can't have your cake and eat it too people.

The guy did the right thing, right after he did the wrong thing. Kudos to him for doing the right thing after he did the wrong thing, but it is what it is.

 

[slick]

And if he wasn't charged or fined people would be complaining about that. I would wager I could find multiple threads on the forum of people complaining about low fines and violators getting off easy. You can't have your cake and eat it too people.

The guy did the right thing, right after he did the wrong thing. Kudos to him for doing the right thing after he did the wrong thing, but it is what it is.

Good point. Wish the courts would take into account "intent"


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[Trr15]

And if he wasn't charged or fined people would be complaining about that. I would wager I could find multiple threads on the forum of people complaining about low fines and violators getting off easy. You can't have your cake and eat it too people.

The guy did the right thing, right after he did the wrong thing. Kudos to him for doing the right thing after he did the wrong thing, but it is what it is.

You're right. There will be people on both sides of the fence. But come on, by fining this guy $32,000 they removed any incentive for self reporting. How many guys can honestly say they would self report knowing that they're looking at potentially bankrupting themselves (in some cases) for the sake of doing the right thing. This fine was just stupid.

 

[oenanthe]

Does anyone know what the potential jail time is for these violations?

I'm just wondering if that is where the judge had latitude in sentencing, since he didn't have it for the restitution and fine.

 

[JWP58]

You're right. There will be people on both sides of the fence. But come on, by fining this guy $32,000 they removed any incentive for self reporting. How many guys can honestly say they would self report knowing that they're looking at potentially bankrupting themselves (in some cases) for the sake of doing the right thing. This fine was just stupid.

He was fined in accordance to what the law requires and what apparently the state believes is the value of the animals killed without a tag. People want others held accountable for their actions until it was an "oops".

Furthermore the incentive for doing the right thing is knowing you did the right thing. Not for hoping to score brownie points with the court.

 

[Trr15]

He was fined in accordance to what the law requires and what apparently the state believes is the value of the animals killed without a tag. People want others held accountable for their actions until it was an "oops".

Furthermore the incentive for doing the right thing is knowing you did the right thing. Not for hoping to score brownie points with the court.

So putting yourself in that situation, you would pay $32,000 to do the right thing? If so, I applaud you, but I can say with relative certainty that you would be in the minority. So to my original point, by making a statement and handling "in accordance with the law" they've potentially turned people (in the future) who would otherwise be law abiding, into criminals.

 

[weaver]

I agree with the restitution amount but don't think he should have lost his hunting privileges. Some mistakes are costly.

 

[JWP58]

So putting yourself in that situation, you would pay $32,000 to do the right thing? If so, I applaud you, but I can say with relative certainty that you would be in the minority. So to my original point, by making a statement and handling "in accordance with the law" they've potentially turned people (in the future) who would otherwise be law abiding, into criminals.

No "they've" done nothing but their duty. What decision some person that finds themselves in a pickle makes is solely on the person that makes the decision. If people have poor morals/character that's on them.

 

[LandYacht]

I find it crazy that the ram is worth $30k and the ewe is worth only $2k. Only one of those will raise another to replace it.


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