Numerous charges have been filed
This is in relation to a story that was first reported last year in March about someone who allegedly tried to send a package that was dripping blood and contained a wolf pelt.
Charges for killing the wolves have not been filed yet but charges for state game violations have been filed. Wolves in this part of Washington State are fully protected under the Endangered Species Act and the Lookout Pack is thought to have originated from dispersing wolves from the coastal region of British Columbia.
The original story can be found here: Poachers kill wolves from Washington state’s first pack
Wolf pelt investigation yields other wildlife charges for two Twisp men
Methow Valley News
Comments
I find it humorous that one of these sleazeballs was a hunting instructor. Advanced poaching techniques was his specialty course. I remember a few months back it was Washington state where hunters cornered a herd of elk near a road as horrified passersby witnessed injured and dead elk being attacked by these “hunters”. Once again the lack of any ethical standards is right there for the world to see. When I questioned the Fish and Wildlife Service they responded with “an unfortunate incident letter” response. I am looking for the original reporting of the incident. Of course this is just another isolated incident and does not reflect the deterioration of hunting ethics!
You can find the arrest report here: http://www.conservationnw.org/files/20090021.pdf/view
William, actual ethical standards in hunting have progressed positively in the last 80 years, all spectacular media stories aside. Every group (even this blog) has its 10%’ers, the knuckleheads whose self centered and destructive ways make life a misery for the rest of the group. We see it in mortgage banking, Japanese car manufacturing, foster child care just to name a few, and yes, hunting, as well as examples like ELF.
mikepost- you are right, however all these isolated incidents add up. we may be talking 20% ers possibly.
savebears- i’m not saying that they are criminals, but at least 20 % are unethical- if you add in the canned hunters, people that bait animals, track animals with dogs etc- people that conveniently ignore the fair chase ethic
William,
Have you ever caught a fish with a worm on a hook?
There is a difference between the law and ethics. The law is what you can and can not do. Ethics are your own personal moral code. No one should ever be cited for unethical actions in the field but all should be cited for illegal actions in the field.
But, we as a society can choose to make more unethical actions illegal, like the upcoming Montana trapping initiative.
http://www.footloosemontana.org/press.html
Timz, when you see someone’s camp; hiker or hunter, you can pretty much tell who is going to leave their trash behind along with poor sanitation and other issues. I keep a pad and pen handy and write down license numbers and rough descriptions when I get suspicious and I pass it on. Certain folks get reputations over time with wardens and their camps get extra attention. You do have to do your part.
As the father of modern policing, Sir Robert Peel (thats where “bobbies” comes from) once said: “A policeman [warden, et al] is nothing more than a citizen who is paid on a full time basis to do what every citizen should do on a part time basis”.
Guys: getting the last word in is overrated
Just had to comment on this thread. I personally am not a
hunter but just what I call myself, a wilderness wanderer.
I live here in Jackson Hole, Wyo. and do know quite a few
hunters. And I do know how many of them are very
conscientious people. Yes there are those rotten eggs out
there which can be found in every group. But how many
hunters are actually very conscientious people when in the
back wilds from what I have seen. And I think many hikers
also are very conscientious but there are again those
rotten eggs that can be found in any group. In fact there
are places here near Jackson that has all kinds of trash
that is from neither hunters or hikers. But it is left over
trash from people out in the woods for other reasons like
just wanting to party. Timz, I wonder what your real
objective might be if you are trying to criticize all hunters
period. There is alot of good conscientious hunters out
there. Just my opinion. But isn’t this thread about some
wolf poachers in the state of Washington instead.
All this bickering gets us nowhere. Hunters are nearly as diverse as the general public: they group contains ardent conservationists, as well as poachers and litterbugs. Stereotyping hunters only serves to divide those of us interested in conserving wildlife.
Sorry about the little war here. I removed most but not all of the offending comments. I was on the road yesterday.
Stay on topic please. Geeez!
Ken, I emailed Ralph about a article that should be posted and he told me to talk to you. Is there an email where I can reach you at to send articles I think worthy of posting?