Uncompahgre Plateau poaching case ends with guilty pleas

[marksjeep]

Saw this while scanning the local news this morning.

Boggles the mind.

https://cpw.state.co.us/aboutus/Pages/News-Release-Details.aspx?NewsID=7669

 

[trb]

Those penalties are a joke... Really hoping there was at least a loss of future hunting privileges.

 

[Topoman]

Nonresidents pay more for a legal elk license than some of these clowns paid in fines for poaching elk. Privileges need to be revoked for this kind of behavior.

Sadly, this is the case in many other states too.

 

[Irrelevant]

All I can think is that they had a pretty weak case against them, but I don't know. Seems terribly light punishment.

 

[Nick_CO]

Fully grown men teaching juveniles the art of poaching. I hope the loss of hunting privileges for all five was omitted from the article on accident.

 

[JMG]

I applaud the folks that reported them.

 

[fmnjr]

Not only are the penalties stupid, but there is no accounting for the fact that the reported cases only scratch the surface of what is likely going on.

 

[Stocker]

I don’t understand what possesses people to do things like this. Obviously people who poach trophy animals do it for some kind of notariety and small genitals syndrome, but this just seems senseless.

 

[CPAjeff]

Those penalties are a joke... Really hoping there was at least a loss of future hunting privileges.

I completely agree with you that the penalties are a joke! I have never understood when people say there should be a loss of hunting privileges . . .

The act of poaching is the illegal act of hunting, capturing, or killing an animal. Clearing by undertaking a poaching adventure, said scumbags aren't interested in following the law. As such, they have already demonstrated, regardless of having hunting privileges or not, living by the law isn't something important to them. Taking something away from them, which as no value anyway, doesn't seem like much of a punishment. Maybe a much larger monetary fine - say $20K might help.

 

[trb]

I completely agree with you that the penalties are a joke! I have never understood when people say there should be a loss of hunting privileges . . .

The act of poaching is the illegal act of hunting, capturing, or killing an animal. Clearing by undertaking a poaching adventure, said scumbags aren't interested in following the law. As such, they have already demonstrated, regardless of having hunting privileges or not, living by the law isn't something important to them. Taking something away from them, which as no value anyway, doesn't seem like much of a punishment. Maybe a much larger monetary fine - say $20K might help.

I agree that the monetary fine should be much larger. But removing/suspension of future hunting privileges eliminates the pretense of legality, therefore making a second violation easier to identify and prosecute. 2 members of the party did have tags. If a game warden rolled up on them this year and asked them some questions without the benefit of witnesses, it would be easier for them to explain away what happened, rather than being cornered into the reality of what happened (unlicensed members of the party indiscriminately firing on a herd). Unfortunately I recognize I am grasping at straws here because there were no other penalties, so we are left hoping for what should be the absolute minimum punishment.

This especially annoys me because it has been going on for 50+ years despite our advancements in conservation legal infrastructure. My dad was a warden in Florida in the 70's and he has plenty of stories that reflect this. Judges frequently dismiss wildlife law violations as less important or consequential than, say, drug violations or the majority of whatever else they see in court day to day. If these types of violations have no teeth, there is no reason to not try and get away with it. Those penalties are literally less than it would cost me to hunt almost anywhere else in the west as a nonresident. I am going to contact CPW this afternoon to try and get more info on this. Infuriating.

 

[Hilljackoutlaw]

Fail

 

[Aperventure]

Not only are the penalties stupid, but there is no accounting for the fact that the reported cases only scratch the surface of what is likely going on.

Agreed. What are chances this wasn’t their first time? Hope it’s their last

 

[Paul from Colorado]

I’m surprised they actually prosecuted them. I’ve turned in folks for much worse and they didn’t press charges. Had a guy from Tennessee shoot a cow in front of me last year and didn’t even attempt to get it, just jumped on his quad and rode off. Told the warden about it gave him plates and all, he just told me to go get it and thanks, nothing else.

 

[Sasquatchewan]

"GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. - A 2019 poaching case on the Uncompahgre Plateau has been resolved following guilty pleas by three adults and two juveniles."

That's the worst f'n part, they dragged their kids into this.

 

[Colorado hunter Tim]

A story like this seems to almost send a signal to people who are on the edge of being willing to pay for a license. An out of stater might just decide that it's worth the risk. Terrible precedent to set in my opinion.

 

[COEngineer]

Say their names:

• Floyd Kendall, age 68, of Grand Junction
• Steven Creech, age 36, of Grand Junction
• Joseph Kendall, age 37, of Grand Junction

I forwarded the article to a friend from GJ. Maybe public shaming will be more effective than the paltry fines.

 

[Bowhunter999]

As I stated in another post, if the punishment does not impede the motivation to commit the crime, it is very unlikely crime in these matters will be lessened. A slap on the wrist will certainly not keep the chance of financial gain at bay. We all know that laws alone do not in some instances even hinder criminals, first we need to put some teeth into sentencing in order to obtain attention of the consequences ! Conservation laws, and violations of them, have always been weak and we are still seeing the results.