Idaho Man Sentenced in Bighorn Deadhead Case

[180ls1]

The guy made false statements and falsified documents to try and possess ahead. He couldn’t legally have. She heads are worth a ton of money, he’s essentially laundering contraband here.

I have no problem with the sentence he received. Just because some people get an asinine and ridiculously low sentence for committing a wildlife violation does not in my mind justify letting everyone else off with the same.raise the bar up instead of lowering it down.

Lets say he did the same thing but it was with a pronghorn or muley buck. What do you think the punishment should have been?

This is not a trap or setup question. I am just curious.

 

[ScreamingPotato]

After my initial reaction and seeing some of the responses. Perhaps it's not about THIS guy as much as it is a prevention measure to stop other twerps from killing a sheep and attempting to claim roadkill, etc. Maybe that sentence isn't so out of line.

 

[stoopiddumbman]

You kind of have to start with the assumption that someone who finds a deadhead might have knowledge of how that came to be. Its kind of odd that guys like Josh Bowmar find 200+ inch dead heads on their property - I guess maybe that's just where deer go to die naturally, in their prime.... to be found before the bones get old enough to have sustained any damage.

 

[180ls1]

After my initial reaction and seeing some of the responses. Perhaps it's not about THIS guy as much as it is a prevention measure to stop other twerps from killing a sheep and attempting to claim roadkill, etc. Maybe that sentence isn't so out of line.

Is it ethical to "unjustly punish" him then to make an example?

 

[wapitibob]

Guys bitch there’s no enforcement of Game laws, finally some guy gets his ass handed to him and you complain about that too. The guy lied about almost everything but of course he’s telling the truth when he said he just stumbled onto that head. He wouldn’t be the first one to shoot an animal and come back the next year and grab the head.

 

[Burnsie]

Too many unknowns for me to have an opinion on whether the punishment fits the crime.
- Was it a road kill that he just happen to find, or did he intentionally run it over so he could run his scam in Idaho.
- Either way, he obviously broke the law, but there are different degrees of punishment based on the circumstances. You don't get he same sentence for Involuntary manslaughter as you do for 1st degree murder - in either case someone is dead.

 

[WCB]

I have no complaints about the punishment. Dude clearly knew he was doing something he wasn't supposed to. Even crossed state lines. Now if it is later found out he shot it or purposefully ran it over etc. then went back and got it...bury him under the jail. But I am 100% fine with the punishment as is if he just found it (either on the side of the road or in the woods) and did what he did.

Just because others get off easier from truly poaching or being a d-bag like Muley Geek, doesn't mean this is excessive. It means those punishments are too light. And everyone making the stupid comments about the border etc....these are not related in anyway.

 

[Shō[t]gun]

Must have been pretty big if he tried to pass it off as legal in order to show it off, which would make it even more suspicious.

 

[Pacific_Fork]

I don’t. Buts it’s definitely happened in all 3 states. It’s hard to find anything anymore because all the searches are muddied by what he did last year

It’s also hard to find info on someone who “allegedly” paid a firm to wipe their negative history clean off the internet lol!!

 

[Pacific_Fork]

Guys bitch there’s no enforcement of Game laws, finally some guy gets his ass handed to him and you complain about that too. The guy lied about almost everything but of course he’s telling the truth when he said he just stumbled onto that head. he wouldn’t be the first one to shoot an animal and come back next the year and grab the head.

I’m usually one of those guys. This story, IF he really did just pick up a road kill dead head, is sorta ridiculous to get fined 11k when actual poachers don’t get a 1/4 that amount. As far as I’m concerned I don’t see how one can consider a dead head a public resource. Someone is putting it up on their bookshelf or it’s rotting away in nature. But if proven his intentions were worse than just spotting a deadhead on the side of the road then I’m all for the stiff penalty. I’ll try and ask around up here for the whole story.

 

[Timberline001]

It’s also hard to find info on someone who “allegedly” paid a firm to wipe their negative history clean off the internet lol!!

They did a good job lol

 

[displacedtexan]

Im so confused. So did he run it over?

I mean have you ever seen roadkill that you didn't hit intentionally?

Oh. Wait.

 

[IDVortex]

I mean have you ever seen roadkill that you didn't hit intentionally?

Oh. Wait.

Most roadkill is due to distracted driving... so I'd say it would be intentional.

 

[displacedtexan]

Most roadkill is due to distracted driving... so I'd say it would be intentional.

Got a source?

 

[IDVortex]

Got a source?

Yeah, I've picked up a decent amount of deer hit in neighborhoods and straight stretch of roads with plenty of sight distance.

 

[Ucsdryder]

Still confused…did he kill the sheep or not?!

 

[Idaboy]

Illegal possession of a bighorn sheep head leads to big fines and penalties

The case originated in Fremont County where Idaho Fish and Game opened an investigation after the filing of a suspicious Roadkill Salvage Report of a bighorn sheep ram reported to have been picked up as a roadkill in Fremont County, Idaho.

idfg.idaho.gov

Without knowing/reviewing the court documents it's hard to known all the details...this article posting gives some details.

There is a BIG DIFFERENCE between an honest mistake and taking game/heads illegally. I have no sympathy for anything other than an honest mistake. And there's a BIG DIFFERENCE between making one bad decision, vs a series of lies and cover up.

THROW THE BOOK at wildlife crimes, take away hunting privileges forever and revoke guidding/outfitter license for life.....I'd lose no sleep if that was law of the land. We'd see alot less of this s#%}t if it was one strike and you're out.....too often it's repeat offenders.

I really don't care to compare it to other cases, either, that's immaterial ...take care each case on its merits and facts, and then nail their coffins shut

 

[*zap*]

If it quacks like a duck....

 

[180ls1]

Still confused…did he kill the sheep or not?!

I'm guessing yes, or at least there was some intentionality, but they couldn't prove it.

I don't think they dish out $11k in fines for a guy grabbing a deadhead, realizing he messed up then lying to cover his tracks.

Could be wrong...

 

[Sand Wrench]

He picked it up in Montana, took it to Idaho, and lied about where it came from. He knew what he was doing was illegal. Bighorn sheep are special, the penalties need to be higher than they would be for a deer or an elk.