Yeti GOBOX Collection

Who here?

Well, considering it takes more than 10 years to draw a sheep tag that really isn't a bad deal! Lol.

We need lifetime hunting bans on anyone who knowingly poaches an animal let alone multiple animals.
 
The investigation began in April of 2013 when FWP wardens received information that Richard Bowen was in possession of a bighorn sheep skull as well as possible illegally taken elk and deer.

...possible?
 
This junk makes me sick elk/deer is bad enough sheep that guy should have his b**** cut off.
 
Wow, that is a bad deal. Those fine probably don't come anywhere near covering the expenses it took just to investigate let alone compensating the public for the loss of their game.
 
Wow, if I were a poacher I would pack up my house and move to Montana asap, pretty cheap. A lot of states besides actually giving a stiff fine, take all the property associated with poaching......guns, vehicle etc.

Looks like Montana either needs to update their laws, or update the judge.
 
I wonder if they will stop now that they have been caught? I have read a lot of stories about guys being convicted on 2nd and 3rd offenses for this kind of thing. They will just try harder to "not get caught."
 
Not my style of hunting. But I sure would have thought it to be more costly then that! Some states have a trophy fine, I don't know the numbers exactly but it's so much per inch of horn.
 
FWP Regulations-

Restitution for Illegally Taken Wildlife
• Under Montana law, a person convicted,
or who was charged and forfeited bond or
bail, of illegally killing, taking, or possessing
game animals shall reimburse the state.
Current law sets the amount of restitution
for a trophy animal as:
Bighorn Sheep $30,000
Elk $ 8,000
Antlered Deer $ 8,000
Moose $ 6,000
Mountain Goat $ 6,000
Antelope $ 2,000
Grizzly Bear* $ 8,000
(*no authorized hunting season)
 
I don't get it... They said it was a "trophy" sized sheep, and the guy pleaded guilty. Maybe it wasn't a trophy sized sheep as defined by F&G?
 
The going rate for a Cabelas outdoor adventures Alberta sheep hunt is $28,500. Seems like the fines should be two or three times market value.
 
I don't get it... They said it was a "trophy" sized sheep, and the guy pleaded guilty. Maybe it wasn't a trophy sized sheep as defined by F&G?

That'd be my guess. I can't find what the definition of a trophy sheep is right now.

A joke either way.
 
And that $10K was the total for all the different animals.

Why have a price list for restitution if you aren't going to follow it?

The bargain on that restitution price list is grizzly bear! Only $8K, that's considerably cheaper than you could buy a guided hunt for one in Alaska. And evidently you only end up paying about 25% of the listed price so that would get you down to $2k or so.
 
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That'd be my guess. I can't find what the definition of a trophy sheep is right now.

A joke either way.

Any legal ram according to this-

fwp.mt.gov/fwpDoc.html?id=39734
 

Attachments

  • pgs 79 through 80 Enforc.pdf
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They don't have to apply the trophy fines if they don't want to. I had a buddy who had a giant whitetail poached off the ranch he was living on along the Yellowstone and they didn't make the guy pay the $8,000.
 
I can't ever figure out government math. In the pdf that Randy11 linked it says that there have been 35 prosecutions for illegal taking of Bighorn sheep from 1999 - 2008 with restitution of $126,500. Then it says that 5 of those cases involved the $30,000 restitution penalty.

First it is amazing that there have been 35 prosecutions in just 10 years for illegal taking of Bighorn Sheep. That's amazing considering there have to be a good % of poachers who are never caught.

Second the restitution comes out to less than $4,000 per prosecution. That seems crazy low.

Third they say 5 of the prosecutions involved the $30,000 penalty, if that is the case those 5 cases alone would have $150,000 of restitution, and the total for all 35 cases is listed at only $126,500.

I guess I need to brush up on my math. :confused:

One thing for sure, Bighorn sheep are big money to a lot of people.
 
Just think about the $$$ that goes into prosecuting these asshat poachers. The officers, prosecutors, clerks, paralegals, judges, etc. $4,000 might cover a lawyer for 3 days worth of work. They really should get charged for the time spent on the case, plus restitution if convicted.
 
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