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This came in an email to me. Thought I'd share it. What do you guys think? And, have any of you had issues with non-hunters, anti-hunters, etc.????
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Casper Man Fined For Interfering With Legal Hunters
CASPER * A Casper resident recently paid more than $2,000 in fines after pleading guilty to two counts of interfering with the lawful take of wildlife.
In October 2009, Glenrock Game Warden Gary Boyd received a call about a trespass incident involving two hunters and Casper resident Everett Phillips. The hunters, who are also from Casper, reported that they were hunting elk on Bureau of Land Management land in the Little Medicine Bow River region of elk hunt area 7. Phillips approached the two men as they were field dressing a cow elk and informed them they were trespassing on a ranch managed by his brother, John Phillips.
Everett Phillips then demanded money from the two hunters in lieu of calling a game warden. The hunters wrote a check for $1,500 payable to John Phillips, the ranch manager. The hunters then left the area with their elk and contacted the Wyoming Game and Fish Department.
Warden Boyd met with the hunters and they showed him where they shot the elk. Using a GPS unit, Boyd confirmed that the elk was killed on BLM land. He told the men to put a stop payment on the check and contacted the Converse County Attorney about charges against Everett Phillips. When Phillips learned the check could not be cashed, he called the men and threatened to report them for check fraud. Warden Boyd contacted Everett Philips several days later about the incident. After talking to the game warden, Phillips contacted the hunters to apologize and tore up the $1,500 check.
Everett and John Phillips were both charged with blackmail, and Everett Phillips was also charged with two counts of interfering with lawful taking of wildlife. Blackmail charges against both men were later dropped. Everett Phillips pleaded guilty to the two counts of interfering with lawful taking of wildlife. He was ordered to pay $40 court cost for each charge and $1,000 to the Game and Fish Access Fund for each charge. His hunting and fishing privileges were suspended for six years.
Boyd said landowners and land managers should be aware of laws pertaining to trespass. *When a landowner or land manager approaches a hunter about trespassing, they need to know for sure that the hunter is trespassing on private land. It is not legal to ask for a trespass fee in exchange for not calling in a game warden. The best thing to do is call a game warden and let them deal with the trespasser. Usually all we need is an accurate license plate number, a description of the vehicle and the exact location of the violation. The landowner does not have the authority to ask for driver*s license or hunting licenses, or hold the person against their will until a game warden arrives.*
Hunters also need to be aware of their responsibility. *It is the hunter*s responsibility to know where they are hunting,* Boyd said. *If a hunter is approached by an irate landowner, be civil and don't make the situation worse. It is not worth someone getting hurt. Do what you need to do and then call a game warden; they can sort things out after the fact.*
~ WGFD ~
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Brian Latturner
MonsterMuleys.com
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Casper Man Fined For Interfering With Legal Hunters
CASPER * A Casper resident recently paid more than $2,000 in fines after pleading guilty to two counts of interfering with the lawful take of wildlife.
In October 2009, Glenrock Game Warden Gary Boyd received a call about a trespass incident involving two hunters and Casper resident Everett Phillips. The hunters, who are also from Casper, reported that they were hunting elk on Bureau of Land Management land in the Little Medicine Bow River region of elk hunt area 7. Phillips approached the two men as they were field dressing a cow elk and informed them they were trespassing on a ranch managed by his brother, John Phillips.
Everett Phillips then demanded money from the two hunters in lieu of calling a game warden. The hunters wrote a check for $1,500 payable to John Phillips, the ranch manager. The hunters then left the area with their elk and contacted the Wyoming Game and Fish Department.
Warden Boyd met with the hunters and they showed him where they shot the elk. Using a GPS unit, Boyd confirmed that the elk was killed on BLM land. He told the men to put a stop payment on the check and contacted the Converse County Attorney about charges against Everett Phillips. When Phillips learned the check could not be cashed, he called the men and threatened to report them for check fraud. Warden Boyd contacted Everett Philips several days later about the incident. After talking to the game warden, Phillips contacted the hunters to apologize and tore up the $1,500 check.
Everett and John Phillips were both charged with blackmail, and Everett Phillips was also charged with two counts of interfering with lawful taking of wildlife. Blackmail charges against both men were later dropped. Everett Phillips pleaded guilty to the two counts of interfering with lawful taking of wildlife. He was ordered to pay $40 court cost for each charge and $1,000 to the Game and Fish Access Fund for each charge. His hunting and fishing privileges were suspended for six years.
Boyd said landowners and land managers should be aware of laws pertaining to trespass. *When a landowner or land manager approaches a hunter about trespassing, they need to know for sure that the hunter is trespassing on private land. It is not legal to ask for a trespass fee in exchange for not calling in a game warden. The best thing to do is call a game warden and let them deal with the trespasser. Usually all we need is an accurate license plate number, a description of the vehicle and the exact location of the violation. The landowner does not have the authority to ask for driver*s license or hunting licenses, or hold the person against their will until a game warden arrives.*
Hunters also need to be aware of their responsibility. *It is the hunter*s responsibility to know where they are hunting,* Boyd said. *If a hunter is approached by an irate landowner, be civil and don't make the situation worse. It is not worth someone getting hurt. Do what you need to do and then call a game warden; they can sort things out after the fact.*
~ WGFD ~
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Brian Latturner
MonsterMuleys.com
