My question is how did they finally get busted after a 5 year investigation? What were they doing for 5 years? Holy cow. Numerous tips and it still takes 5 years??
The sad thing is that even with revoked hunting privileges that doesn't mean anything to them. They most likely will continue to hunt, legal or not. If they had been doing this for that many years I don't believe they will quit, they can always go to another state or area and do the same thing.
The only lesson these jerks will learn because of this is what to avoid next time so it's more difficult to get caught.
Typically, a state will determine the value of a big game animal by determining how much the state economy would lose on a given animal. For example, the economic return on an elk in Wyoming in 2010 was valued at $1,678. This number is determined by figuring a bunch of factors including: elk licenses and fees, hunter's average expense for an elk hunt, Game and Fish cost of game management, etc. Hunter's expenses are determined by doing surveys of hunters who hunted elk and how they spent their money, i.e. food, gas, lodging, etc. This in turn will be charged as restitution and then other court costs, fines, etc. can be added.
Unfortunately, those guys got busted in a relatively lax state. Wyoming also asses a "trophy" fee determined by the score of the animal. Big animals can create fines into the thousands.
A guy (just a kid, really) near where I live shot a bull elk less than a mile from the boundary of the unit where his tag was valid. He called his brother to help him move the animal. Both brothers were convicted of the poaching and fined $12,000.00 and have 36 months probation. For one elk, less than a mile from the right unit. (Imagine being the brother that was called for help...) I think they might just shoot you out here if you had dozens of poached deer and elk.
Just a bunch of A Holes! Period. Put them in jail for 1 year each deer, elk or any animal they killed illegally! Theyll get a slap on the wrist, in this Liberal America, it makes me sick!!!!!
