Skagit county poaching ring busted

[jackelope]

Over 20 Officers in Region 4 came together last Saturday for the culmination of a massive investigation into elk and cougar poaching in eastern Skagit County. 

Six search warrants were served at the residences of multiple suspects and possible witnesses who were known to be engaged in, or to have knowledge of, the illegal take of two trophy bull elk and a cougar that had been killed with the use of hound dogs.

Interviews yielded solid evidence that a 6x7 and a 6x6 Nooksack bull elk were poached during a closed season and without licenses.  In addition, a large female cougar was recovered that had been killed with the use of hounds by a suspect who did not possess a license or tag.

Much of the cougar and elk meat was allowed to go to waste. 
A multitude of charges will be referred on several suspects that are known to have been involved once the follow-up investigation is complete.  Several of the suspects have lengthy histories of fish and wildlife violations.

For more information read: http://www.goskagit.com/news/crime/cougar-elk-poaching-under-investigation-in-east-skagit-county/article_c0938986-34e5-529a-8d5d-ee0dae81f86b.html

[emac]

I think there is already a thread on this

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[seth30]

Huntwa members?

[BDildine]

  i would say suspend licenses, but that would do no good....

[jrebel]

Hope they get what they have coming to them.  This kind of stuff really pisses me off.  Unfortunately I have little faith in our states ability to prosecute these cases to the fullest extent of the law.  If these guys have lawyers they will likely serve no jail time.  Simply taking away their ability to hunt is not good enough....obviously....they didn't follow the rules in the first place. 

Glad they caught them none the less.   

[bigtex]

Hope they get what they have coming to them.  This kind of stuff really pisses me off.  Unfortunately I have little faith in our states ability to prosecute these cases to the fullest extent of the law.  If these guys have lawyers they will likely serve no jail time.  Simply taking away their ability to hunt is not good enough....obviously....they didn't follow the rules in the first place. 

Glad they caught them none the less.

Skagit County definitely isn't one of the better counties when it comes to natural resource cases.

[pianoman9701]

If they end up with trophy convictions, I'll be delighted and very surprised.

[WAPatriot]

Very happy about the cougar. Good work. Not happy about the elk but hey if you had elk in your backyard and could never draw a tag. Only to see the privileged natives kill a bunch and youths get tags and probably have had to dodge a few on the road. I could see why they said screw it. Hope those good dogs don't go to waste this state need to keep the predators in check.

[mountainman]

Hand slapped, go free would be my guess..

[Elkaholic daWg]

If they end up with trophy convictions, I'll be delighted and very surprised.

With the pictures at  least  a couple of them could get is possession charges without any reasonable doubt since you gotta know their faces are in them

[pianoman9701]

If they end up with trophy convictions, I'll be delighted and very surprised.

With the pictures at  least  a couple of them could get is possession charges without any reasonable doubt since you gotta know their faces are in them

After Reading Operation Cody and knowing Todd from this forum, I don't assume anyone's going to get what they deserve from either F&W or prosecutors. The guys in the field will lay down a very tight case and have no support from the administration to follow-though.

[Hectocotylus]

Very happy about the cougar. Good work. Not happy about the elk but hey if you had elk in your backyard and could never draw a tag. Only to see the privileged natives kill a bunch and youths get tags and probably have had to dodge a few on the road. I could see why they said screw it. Hope those good dogs don't go to waste this state need to keep the predators in check.

Really? You are in favor of poaching cougars? You don't have to like the law, but you do have to obey it. And you can see an excuse for shooting an elk out of season? Gross


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[Special T]

Wapatriots responce is typical  of laws that are unpopular.  More people will make the similar statement about wolves and it bothers less people.  Unfortunately sportsmen no longer feel like a valued partner in wildlife management.

[constructeur]

From the story:

Mullins said all of the suspects have criminal histories involving poaching violations.

Just some up river creeps that do what they want regardless of the law.