Wyoming Hunter Fined $10,000 for Mistaking a Grizzly for a Black Bear

[steeleywhopper]

At the end of the day the only good outcome in this incident is there is one less grizz roaming those hills.

 

[Elmer J. Fudd]

This guy and his kid should have went moose and sheep hunting in Canada. They could have illegally and knowingly killed two animals and still saved money.

 

[WyoBowhunter21]

This is the sad thing about the justice system. Yes he was honest and yes he made a mistake but not a $10k one. This will deter some honesty but also deter bear hunting. I hope the father and son continue to hunt but I also understand if they don’t. I know if that happened to me, I would have to sell all my hunting gear and my truck to pay that off so I would be taking up a new hobby. Just going to put this article here…. Notice what they do when it’s one of their own.

G&F employee pleads guilty to mistakenly killing grizzly - Powell Tribune

Ellsbury immediately reported the error to his supervisor after the Sept. 6, 2013, shooting and gave a full account to investigators, court records say. He pleaded guilty to the two misdemeanor counts at his initial Monday morning appearance in …

www.powelltribune.com

 

[Htm84]

This is the sad thing about the justice system. Yes he was honest and yes he made a mistake but not a $10k one. This will deter some honesty but also deter bear hunting. I hope the father and son continue to hunt but I also understand if they don’t. I know if that happened to me, I would have to sell all my hunting gear and my truck to pay that off so I would be taking up a new hobby. Just going to put this article here…. Notice what they do when it’s one of their own.

G&F employee pleads guilty to mistakenly killing grizzly - Powell Tribune

Ellsbury immediately reported the error to his supervisor after the Sept. 6, 2013, shooting and gave a full account to investigators, court records say. He pleaded guilty to the two misdemeanor counts at his initial Monday morning appearance in …

www.powelltribune.com

crazy. He got the same fine almost ten years earlier. So adjusting for inflation they went easy on this guy and his son


While hunting black bears in the Cody region that year, Ellsbury mistakenly shot a grizzly after observing the animal and being convinced that it was a black bear.

Ellsbury pleaded guilty and, like Joel, was ordered to pay $10,000 in restitution to the state for the grizzly’s death


Edit to add the whole article.

Penalties Too Stiff For ‘Mistaken Identity’ Grizzly Shooting, Hunter Says

A Cody hunter whose son shot a grizzly they had both mistaken for a black bear said it was an easy mistake to make, and the stiff penalties he faced could…

cowboystatedaily.com

 

[WyoBowhunter21]

crazy. He got the same fine almost ten years earlier. So adjusting for inflation they went easy on this guy and his son


While hunting black bears in the Cody region that year, Ellsbury mistakenly shot a grizzly after observing the animal and being convinced that it was a black bear.

Ellsbury pleaded guilty and, like Joel, was ordered to pay $10,000 in restitution to the state for the grizzly’s death


Edit to add the whole article.

Penalties Too Stiff For ‘Mistaken Identity’ Grizzly Shooting, Hunter Says

A Cody hunter whose son shot a grizzly they had both mistaken for a black bear said it was an easy mistake to make, and the stiff penalties he faced could…

cowboystatedaily.com

Thanks for adding that article. I just went to the local paper. Ha. It is interesting and that’s where I was going. It was roughly the same fine and that was to someone on their payroll. Not sure if it said it in that article but he was actually a bear biologist.

 

[Northwet]

I live in Wyoming. This will deter me from hunting bears in areas with grizzlies due to the potential for mistaken ID. If even a large carnivore (including bear) specialist for the state can make a mistaken ID, surely I could. Conveniently the closest bear areas to me don't have grizzlies anyway.

I agree $10k seems excessive for a first time accidental violation when so many repeat/intentional offenders, both of hunting and non-hunting nature, receive lesser punishment.

Back when I lived in Washington I was more willing to take the tiny chance of mistaken ID given the much lower density of grizzlies, though would have erred on the side of caution if I had even the slightest doubt. Heck, back there they let vagrants wander once nice suburbs shooting up in front of houses that cost several hundred thousand dollars.

 

[pugwylde]

Any chance that 10k is going to education for first time hunters to tell the difference? I did enjoy how the game warden immediately identified the bear as a grizzly from the dished head and straight claws. The head, probably, but claws would not be top on my list of items to check in the glass before taking the shot. Maybe the hump, or the ears?

I've seen some pictures of dark grizzlies and I feel like I'd be hard pressed to tell the difference in the heat of the moment. Tough break.