Dumb poacher

[Oak]

Oxymoron? Hint: if you are going to break the law, don't advertise the fact in the paper.

HOTCHKISS, Colo.--A tip from an observant citizen resulted in a felony conviction for a Hotchkiss poacher who offered big-game meat for sale in classified advertisements published in a local newspaper earlier this year.

Cody Hopkins, 23, pleaded guilty to illegal sale of wildlife, illegal possession of a deer and hunting deer without a license in Colorado District Court in Delta on July 27, 2009. Hopkins was given a one-year deferred sentence and fined $2,002.50.

A hearing examiner for the Colorado Wildlife Commission will also review the facts of the case. As a result, Hopkins may face a suspension of his hunting and fishing privileges in Colorado and 30 other states.

Hopkins was originally charged with four felonies. In addition to a conviction on the felony count of illegal sale of wildlife, Hopkins was convicted of one misdemeanor count of illegal take of a deer and one misdemeanor count of hunting deer without a license.

The investigation into Hopkins' activities began in late January, when the Colorado Division of Wildlife received a call through Operation Game Thief from a concerned citizen who saw a classified ad in the High Country Shopper offering big-game meat for sale.

DOW investigators called the number in February and arranged to meet Hopkins in Hotchkiss where Hopkins sold about 50 pounds of meat to an undercover officer. At the meeting, Hopkins told investigators that the package included deer meat and meat from a cow elk that had been killed the previous weekend. Hopkins also sold deer and elk meat to undercover investigators on a couple of other occasions.
Hopkins was arrested in April.

Doug Homan, district wildlife officer in Hotchkiss, said that the crimes might have gone unnoticed if not for the concerned citizen.

"We can never emphasize enough how much we rely on citizens to help us by reporting suspected crimes against wildlife," Homan said. "People who take wildlife illegally are stealing from licensed sportsmen and women and from all the citizens of Colorado."

Suspected wildlife crimes can be reported to Operation Game Thief at 1-877-265-6648. Tips can be given anonymously and rewards are often provided for information leading to convictions.

 

[DRAFTSTUD]

That's the neat thing about poachers, there isn't a test they have to take. Really I think he acted "Stupidly". John

 

[Meatatarian]

Here's another good one from the Excalibur dehydrator web site:

Jerky pays for his hunting licenses

"A year ago. I bought an Excalibur after tagging two deer and an elk. I made plenty of jerky for myself and sold the rest to friends and co-workers. I made enough money to pay for my Excalibur and buy all my hunting licenses for the next year."
-- Scott Read, UT

 

[Meatatarian]

Oxymoron? Hint: if you are going to break the law, don't advertise the fact in the paper.

Or plaster pictures on the www of stuff you've killed, when you have no licenses (no, not directed at you, Oak ). Anybody encounter this? If so, did you turn them in? Would you?

 

[noharleyyet]

Oxymoron?

...definitley a moron.

 

[duckhead59]

lmao noharleyyet...I agree!
I talk frequently with the local MO dept of con game officer that handles the area at the farm. he has shared some interesting stories...like poachers getting caught that want to keep the rack of the poached deer and guys who get arrested for spotlighting wanting to know if they hit the robo deer or not?
these crooks dont take what they do seriously enough...fortunately the convictions are starting to hit harder in the pocket book...and also resulting in longterm loss of hunting priviledges...but hell to those guys, whats a license?
now if they started finding some of them 'hangin from an oak' down in the bottoms...maybe that would help!

 

[Outdooraddict]

Holy Chit! That's my neck of the woods... I had no idea!? I didn't see it in the Shopper though.

Man, I wonder if Doug busted that guy personally? He is everywhere... kind of like God. I've been miles in the middle of wilderness (not a person to be seen) and here comes Homan on his horse.

Oak, do you know where Hopkins shot the game? Cause I saw Homan a week or two ago coming out of the Leroux Creek road- completely out of his usual area.

 

[Oak]

Not sure where he shot the game. Maybe somewhere that there was a January cow hunt? The article says that in February he offered elk meat that was shot the previous weekend, yet they did not charge him with illegal possession of an elk.

 

[Outdooraddict]

Yea... I guess I should have read the "February" in it... sorry.

 

[steamingutpile]

These idiots never cease to amaze me. A few years back there was a guy selling steelhead on a street corner in the City of Buffalo...NY that is. He was going down to the creeks snagging them. Violation #1 Taking 10-15 a day Violation #2(limit is 3) Violation #3 selling them. He was standing on a street corner holding them up for sale half a block from the Dept of Environmental Conservation's office. Top it off he sold one to a CO in uniform in a marked Dept car. HERE'S YOUR SIGN!!