Idaho Poacher busted!!!

IDAHO FISH AND GAME
HEADQUARTERS NEWS RELEASE
Boise, ID

Date: February 16, 2007
Contact: Ed Mitchell
(208) 334-3700



deer poacher busted


In early November 2005, Idaho residents lost a special part of their hunting heritage.

A trophy seven-by-seven mule deer buck had been poached. Only the head and antlers were taken with the body left to waste. Idaho Department of Fish and Game officers heard about it from a concerned individual.

On November 5, 2005, the reporting individual found a headless deer in the Morgan Creek drainage near Challis. Local conservation officer Mark Armbruster investigated the scene. He identified the deer as a large mule deer buck, and he determined the carcass was only a day or two old.

With the season ending on October 31, that meant the deer probably had been killed after the season had ended. At the time of the investigation, however, Armbruster was not able to develop any leads.

About a month later on December 1, Armbruster observed a video clip on a business Website operated by Aly Bruner and Rainbows End Bed and Breakfast. He recognized the geography and kill site he had investigated a month earlier.
Armbruster returned to the crime scene to match photos he had taken and photos from Bruner's Website. Now he had his first lead.

At this time Armbruster was working with other Fish and Game investigators who retrieved DNA evidence from a deer that Bruner claimed he had killed during the 2005 fall hunting season. This DNA evidence and DNA evidence Armbruster collected at the crime scene were sent for analysis to Karen Rudolph at the Idaho Fish and Game Wildlife Health Lab.

Her analysis showed the two DNA samples were from the same animal. The headless deer carcass and the deer head at Aly Bruner's matched.

On December 10, 2005, Fish and Game officers and Custer County deputies served a search warrant at Bruner's residence. They seized the deer head, video and photographic evidence that eventually led to a conviction.

On February 6, 2007, Aly M. Bruner, 57, of Challis, pleaded guilty to charges of wasteful destruction of wildlife and possessing unlawfully taken wildlife.

He was sentenced to 360 days in jail with 310 days suspended and held at the court's discretion. He immediately began serving the first 10 of the remaining 50 days.

Bruner will serve out the remaining 40 days during the first 10 days of the deer hunting season each of the next four years. He also lost his hunting, fishing and trapping privileges for the next six years. During this time he can't be in the field or any vehicle with a firearm, nor can he go hunting, fishing or trapping with others.

He can't be on public land without permission from his probation officer, and he is subject to searches of his vehicles or home by a police or probation officer. Bruner also was sentenced to four years of supervised probation, and he was fined $2000, and ordered to pay a $400 civil penalty and $50 processing fee.

Without the efforts of a concerned individual, this case may not have come to Fish and Game's attention. Anyone who witnesses a wildlife crime is urged to "Make The Call" to Citizens Against Poaching at 1-800-632-5999. Callers may remain anonymous and may be eligible for a reward.
 
THAT BRUNER NAME SOUNDS REAL FAMILIAR???

IF I'D OF BEEN THE JUDGE HE'D HAVE A 50,000.00 FINE SLAPPED AGAINST HIM!!!

WILL THE FINE COVER EVERYTHING INCLUDING REPLACING A TROPHY ANIMAL???

FAT CHANCE!!!

TELL ME MORE ABOUT BRUNER!!!

THE ONLY bobcat THINKING IF THEY DIDN'T CATCH HIM UNTIL HE WAS 57 YEARS OLD IT MAKES YOU WONDER HOW MUCH DAMAGE HE'S DONE IN HIS DAY???
 
I guess a persons true colors finally come out eventually. I wonder if he will sell his bed and breakfast? No more bragging about his steelhead and hunting for at least 6 years. With the amount of money he has I think they could of hit his pocket book a little harder though. I wonder how many of the other heads he has were poached? I thought the guys on here were a little hard on him a few years back but I think they weren't hard enough now.
Shane
 
Don't hold me to it but I do believe it is/was Mainac. Its to bad for the deer! Really nice one! I did not see anything in the write up for the length of huniting privlages being suspended. I hope it is a very long time.
 
HE'S BEEN SELLING BIG RACKS FOR QUITE SOME TIME!!!

MUST OF BEEN GETTING LOW,HUH???

THE ONLY bobcat CALLING A THIEF A THIEF!!!
 
There is a picture of the buck and his "story" at the website.

http://www.rainbowsendbb.com/index.html

Click on hunt photos on the left side.

At least I assume it is the buck. His story tells of the large 7X7 he shot.


45d929df31eb9dd7.jpg
 
What a creative punishment. The first ten days of the deer hunt in jail for the next four years. I guess there will at least be one guy not lookin forward to the deer hunt!! Serves him right!!!
 
If you watch the video there is a pic of the head with another head sitting side by side with it. Did he poach 2 deer the same day?.................rf
 
HuntSonora,
Are you sure he writes a column for Kings are or making a quick "ass"umption?

I don't think so....
 
Thought it was the guy but could be wrong. I'll delete the post, I would hate to have those guys confused.

Drum
 
Wow...did anyone watch the video? From the sound of the shot to the impact, it sure didn't seem like 1182 yards...nor did it look like it from the video. Then again, why should we buy that portion of an obviously already fabricated story.

Also, not sure of the A. Matthews vs. Aly Bruner connection, but the guy listed as the owner of the Bed and Breakfast sure looks a lot like the guy posing with the deer in the field. Maybe A. Matthews is Aly Bruner's "artist name"...

Either way, it's a sad story...
 
I'm sure the guy just made an honest mistake...

Think of all the people he helped out while he was running the B&B...

He fessed up and is paying the price...we should all just forgive him...after all, we're all partly responsible for this. We put unnecessary pressure on guys like this to produce trophy quality animals like this year after year.
 
Has anyone looked into how sorry he feels or the quality of his field pictures? I won't know how to feel about this till I hear about those things.
 
BBB says its different that Bruner and Matthews are different guys but they not only share the same weird first name, they look like twins. Coincedence?

Bruner
05hunt_k_vid.jpg



Matthews
aly_nancy_rem.jpg

The owners (pictured - click to enlarge) are art and antique collectors and walking through the houses is like going on a museum tour. In addition, the master of the house is the internationally renowned bronze sculptor, A. Matthews

"Master of the house", what a weird dude...

Drum
 
And here is proof that Bruner and Matthews are the same guy.

Created by:
Aly Matthews Bruner
the_tracker_small.gif


Guess I was right the first time

Drum
 
LAST EDITED ON Feb-19-07 AT 10:25AM (MST)[p]Buzz,

Are you being serious???

How is shooting that deer after the season closed an honest mistake? It he shot a person intentionally, would you say it's an honest mistake and he should be forgiven.

There is no way that honest law abiding citizens are responsible in any way. He didn't "produce" the deer.

If you look at the auctions on e-bay for the "hunting packages the B&B sells, he doesn't even guide. You rent lodging and go out on your own. He's even using that deer to advertise.

http://cgi.ebay.com/IDAHO-TROPHY-EL...7QQihZ015QQcategoryZ14110QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

What was done was plain old criminal.
 
I sold him a 124" Nontypical Muley shed a few years ago and he used both names - Bruner and Mathews.

I would love to get that shed back. Maybe he'll sell it back to me to help pay his fines.
 
>Thats not Maniac is it?


B.S it sure is I've talked with him sevral times in the past two years...
 
ALY M BRUNER - 1 Listing
Leave a message for Check messages E-mail This Page ZabaAlert
Check messages for: - - aly matthews bruner Check YouTube


Born 1949 More Information on ALY M BRUNER



Brian
 
I actually spent some time talking to him with my nephew and mother last summer. He was really cool to us, letting my nephew (7 yrs old) use his rod and reel to fish his private pond. My nephew caught a lot of his fish, and had a blast. The whole time Aly was helping him. His only thing was he said not to hook any of the Albino trout (he claimed he spent $2K for them) after hooking a few fish he said well lets just see if we can get one of the albinos to bite! Very eccentric guy, but nice. His museum of trophies is awesome. That all being said, I am glad he was caught if he poached. There is no excuse for poaching. He gave us several copies of that King's magazine that he wrote an article for. It was about the adventures of his dog and him.
 
>HuntSonora,
>Are you sure he writes a
>column for Kings are or
>making a quick "ass"umption?
>
>I don't think so....


Now I'm sure :)

Drum
 
That's quite the story he wrote on his website. Ya gotta love a guy that dosen't let the facts get in the way of a good b#@&#*$T session. Cameraman did a hell of a job hand holding zoomed out to 1100yds.
 
That's actually a much fairer punishment than most poachers get, I will agree that the fine could have been a little stiffer. I love in his story about the buck how he mentions passing up "several 30inchers".

---------------------------------------
This is my post

I've just pissed in my pants.......and nobody can do anything about it.
 
Again I ask,
Why is he only missing the first ten days of each season for the next four years!!!! He should be missing all of the season for the next 10 years!!! The promotion of this great buck on his web site should be taken off, and a much stiffer fine should be in place. I mean really, if $2500 in fines was all I had to pay to shoot a huge deer every year! That is cheaper than any outfitted hunt in the lower 48. Idaho Sportsman we just got screwed!

THE PUNISHMENT DOES NOT FIT THIS CRIME!
 
I've been kinda proud of myself for just passing on the forkhorns. Ain't nobody passing on a 30 incher in custer county!
 
Why make him miss the first 10 days of the hunting season!? He doesnt hunt in season anyways so what difference does this make to him?
 
>Why make him miss the first
>10 days of the hunting
>season!? He doesnt hunt in
>season anyways so what difference
>does this make to him?
>


True, plus he's banned from hunting anyway. He can't even be on public land...
 
The news article lists Aly M. Bruner, 57 yrs old. If that is true, then he was only 12 years old when he took this record listed here. Not sure where Rio Arriba County is but sounds like New Mexico to me. Would they have allowed a 12 yr old to hunt? I know Utah just passed a law this year that will allow a 12 yr old to hunt. What do you think?
 
I don't mean to beat a dead horse (or mule deer), but if you look in the "Field Photos" category on his website, aren't those just all the Kings photos? Can you actually call those field photos?
-Soup
P.S. I too think that the punishment did not fit the crime. He needs more years of no hunting and LOTS bigger fines.
 
Sorry, They are called "In the Wild" photos, not field photos.
Just the same, the deception seems about par for the course.
 
Looks like another mule deer God hitting the dirt. The thing that sucks is those who dig in and do it right are always under suspicion because of guys like this. Guys who cheat in any state, any method, at any cost, can kiss my ass. The cheaters are ruining it plain and simple based on having a fat wallet and a fat head.

Killing a true monster is a tough deal. My hat is off to those of you who do it the fashion way. There is nothing better than a giant muley deer killed legally on public land DIY.
 
>Looks like another mule deer God
>hitting the dirt. The thing
>that sucks is those who
>dig in and do it
>right are always under suspicion
>because of guys like this.
>Guys who cheat in any
>state, any method, at any
>cost, can kiss my ass.
>The cheaters are ruining it
>plain and simple based on
>having a fat wallet and
>a fat head.
>


I agree 100%. I have a question though, what is a mule deer god? And did Maniac acquire this title because he was able to buy big heads, I dont think he ever killed a big deer. Hell, the deer he poached looks jacked up.

Drum
 
Mule Deer God: Someone who kills, videos, and advertises big deer for the glory rather than personal satisfaction. They demand praise and acceptance from others.

I suck at definitions, but hopefully you get my drift?
 
Lazy ass hunter...can't get into reasonable kill range of a trophy (let alone a legal trophy in legal hunting season) has to buy some rifle that he believes he will be able to shoot a buck over a 1000 yards with. I watched the video, ain't no way that buck was at a thousand yards, maybe 300-500 at best. Why the hell would you video tape yourself doing a crimal acted, also. Idaho sportsman we did get robbed with his punishment.

snipersmilie.gif

one shot
 
Good post on the definition of a mule deer god, ktc

That is why David Long is not a mule deer god (and is a straight shooter); he hunts for personal satifaction

---------------------------------------
This is my post

I've just pissed in my pants.......and nobody can do anything about it.
 
I know a couple of David Long types and I hope I can only learn enough to get one giant in my life.
 
I had a sheep tag for unit 36B (Challis and west) in 2005. I stopped in to the museum one day. He started popping off about how he knew where every ram in the unit was. He also said he scouts for his motel guests. He find the animals tells them where they are and then they go shoot them. He had a video running of a decent mule deer buck that he claimed was from the year before during the rifle deer season that was not what he wanted. It was one of those bucks that most of us would kill during a general deer hunt in Idaho, 28 inches wide, decent forks, good mass. I knew it was a lie as he told me he filmed it within several miles of his house. I knew that the year before they had no snow in the Challis area until late Dec or January. The video showed the buck in about a foot and half of snow. His museum is impressive but after about 20 minutes I had to get out as he was so full of bull that I could not stand it anymore. Every thing he has taken to this point should be in Question. How good did the game warden do with such little scenery to deal with? Great work on Armbrister's part. I talked to him several times during my hunt. Very nice guy.
 
Well Maniac, what do you have to say for yourself? I know damn well you are reading this.

I like the real stuff. Someone who feels fortunate to harvest a monster, humble about it, and tells you an honest story about working to get it.
 
I work with a guy that claims this guy is his best friend and hunting buddy. Some of the stories these guys can tell are such a crock it is hard not to call bull to his face. Funny thing is he isn't bragging about this deer at all. Did know the whole story though, in fact he tells it like he might have been there himself.
 
Glade to see the judge nailed him for it. Even though his sentence won't be a picnic I think he got of too light. In this case there is no doubt about what happened. He poached a trophy buck after the season was closed for his ego and finacial gain.

Is the buck in this picture the deer that was poached????????
http://cgi.ebay.com/IDAHO-TROPHY-EL...ryZ14110QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

If it is, why is he still allowed to use pictures of this deer for finacial gain???
 
Yeah, that is the same buck that was in the post earlier. I agree the $$$$ doesn't fit for a nice buck that was poached. Also, what about the guys that were running the video camera too. Shouldn't they get some sort of fine for being a participant to this crime?
 
Looks to me in that pic, he looks like he's on crack his eyes are wide open, or was it the adrenalin rush From breaking the law?
 
I agree with you 3bigelkid! A poacher is a poacher! No excuses or "honest mistakes" as one member put it. He should have lost his license forever, considering his position as a "sportsman". He may be the nicest guy in the world, but that's no excuse to let him go with a slap on the hand...Gotta love justice!?

MuleyCrazed
Idaho
 
I already e-mailed him and haven't heard back. I wonder who is going to do the guiding for the e-bay hunt. His privledges are revoked.
 
Here is what it says in the ebay listing:

The vacations are not guided and a guide is not needed. 100% self guided.Save money and compare to local outfitters who charge as much as $6,000.00 for a 5-7 day hunt. Go hunting, self-guided for 11 days at a fraction of the cost! Pay no trophy fees!
 
Got on this one a bit late, but the story is more than a little interesting. This guy has been shady for quite some time, but I guess F&G had trouble catching up with him. A local woman who likes to photograph wildlife had been taking photos of this buck and had actual photos of the buck after last day of the season and then she goes up and finds this deer carcass missing the head and calls F&G. From what I heard the F&G officer goes and checks out the carcass and takes a bunch of photos and the like and heads out. Later on the officer checks out Mr. Bruner's website and the kill video and goes "holy s**t" that is this buck, all of the landmarks are there and so the case is on. They obtained matching DNA and the man is had. Kudos goes out to the woman who made the report and the officer who busted this bastage. I also agree that he got off lightly, I was wondering if anyone had heard if he lost his beloved long range rifle, I think it had a name or something. He claimed he shot it with this rifle at some ungodly range, 1000+ yards, but I heard that the actual distance was in the neighborhood of 400-450 yards... Regardless, I hope the guy leaves the state, yeah thats it, like maybe to Utah...
 

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