Probation for Casper guy flying over large elk herd with ultrallight

[Teepee]

Posted in Casper Star Tribune

one year unsupervised probation
$1500 fine
lost license for 1 year


http://trib.com/news/local/educatio...cle_607a6af5-a245-56cd-b482-b1a8c3e69150.html

 

[TOPGUN]

Good, as it certainly was game harassment whether the guy thinks it wasn't or not!

 

[jm77]

Newspaper and radio here in Casper making a big deal today about this because he's a school board trustee.

When I hunted moose in 2013, this same guy had the tag. Preseason, my buddies and I would hit the trails at first light, mostly on foot, to scout the willow bottoms. He was flying over us and covering twice what four of us could in half the time. The sound of that ultralight flying around, really took away from the experience.

 

[BuzzH]

JM77,

I didn't realize it was the same guy that was flying during your moose hunt. When I was talking with J.R. yesterday at his office, the subject came up about flying to scout. He said the same thing, that the flying was a bit over-the-top during your hunt. I told J.R. about our involvement in clarifying Regulation regarding this issue through BHA, and he was really supportive and agreed that flying needs to be stopped.

Funny thing about this article, is that an "unenforceable" law seems to have had no problems being prosecuted.

I expect more prosecutions after the clarifications are adopted...and I hope the sentences are more harsh.

Its a good start though.

 

[TOPGUN]

Doing what that guy was doing and then posting the stupid video he took on youtube essentially convicted himself as soon as authorities were alerted and looked at it! It is quite different than the aerial scouting issue and I believe is under a completely different statute or section that he was prosecuted under. I could not believe how low he came to those animals a number of times and how long he chased them. Then he comes up with lame statement that he didn't see any problem doing it and wouldn't hang his head in shame. That's just the type of person they need on a school board making important decisions about children and their welfare!

 

[jm77]

I won't judge his competency as a school board trustee, but will as a boy scout leader. Instead of taking his lumps, admitting the mistake and moving on, he's blaming the G&F.

Not the behavior a scout leader should portray to his scouts. IMO

 

[TOPGUN]

>I won't judge his competency as
>a school board trustee, but
>will as a boy scout
>leader. Instead of taking his
>lumps, admitting the mistake and
>moving on, he's blaming the
>G&F.
>
>Not the behavior a scout leader
>should portray to his scouts.
>IMO


Scout leader too huh? Sounds like he is a real winner to be dealing in anything involving our kids and their future!

 

[Triple_BB]

Didn't realize scouting from a plane and harassing wildlife were the same statute...

 

[jm77]

>Didn't realize scouting from a plane
>and harassing wildlife were the
>same statute...


No, they're not, but in many cases the former becomes the latter.

 

[BuzzH]

I agree, they aren't the same statute. But in many cases of using aircraft to aid in scouting/hunting its damn likely that multiple charges could be filed via wildlife harassment as well.

Puts even more teeth into the law for those choosing to use aircraft to scout.

Cheer up Ernie, there's still a chance your outfitter might find a buck for you without using aircraft.

 

[jm77]

LAST EDITED ON May-30-15 AT 10:44AM (MST)[p]>>Didn't realize scouting from a plane
>>and harassing wildlife were the
>>same statute...
>
>
>No, they're not, but in many
>cases the former becomes the
>latter.


Actually they are the same statute.

23-3-306. Use of aircraft, automobiles, motorized and snow vehicles and artificial light for hunting or fishing prohibited; exceptions; penalties.



(a) No person shall harass, pursue, hunt, shoot, or kill any Wyoming wildlife except predatory animals with, from, or by use of any aircraft, automotive vehicle, trailer, motor-propelled wheeled vehicle, or vehicle designed for travel over snow. No person shall use any aircraft, to aid in the taking of any Wyoming wildlife, except predatory animals, whether by spotting or locating the wildlife, communicating with any person attempting to take the wildlife, or by providing other aid to any person taking the wildlife. Nothing in this subsection shall apply to the use of any aircraft by governmental agencies, their employees, contractors or designees performing any lawful duties. The commission may exempt handicapped hunters from any provision of this subsection.

 

[TOPGUN]

LAST EDITED ON May-30-15 AT 11:10AM (MST)[p]Thanks Jeff, as we were all wrong on our original posts saying it was a different statute! It's not really uncommon for a law or regulation to lump a lot of different things as violations in one or several subsections. This case would be a good example where the guy was obviously harassing all those elk with that glider even though he wasn't spotting them or pursuing them to hunt or communicate with people on the ground to hunt them. Normally when there were multiple possible violations listed in a statute like this one you posted, on my job with the MDA up here in MI we would list the statute number like you did and then specifically spell out what part of the section or subsection the actual violation met, along with stating the evidence we had gathered to support the conviction. I would imagine that's exactly what the G&F did on this elk situation. Sometimes that's pretty simple, as with this conviction where they were able to use the actual video the defendant posted on the net as their evidence of a violation. Other times it can get pretty complicated and take many hours/days to put things together that a Prosecutor will accept before they issue a warrant.

 

[BuzzH]

Wildlife harassment isn't limited to motorized vehicles though.

Someone on foot harassing big-game on winter range closures could also be cited, both for the violating the closure as well as harassment.

 

[Triple_BB]

Didn't realize he had a plane. Will have to see if he's gonna do some scouting for us...