Hunters Urged To Follow The Laws

LEWISTON - The Idaho Department of Fish and Game reminds hunters that in areas where the Department receives complaints of spotlighting or other suspicious activity, enforcement officers will utilize artificial simulated animals, commonly called ASA's, which are life-like specimens of deer, elk, and other game species, to apprehend unlawful hunters. The use of such tools has been upheld in the court systems across the country as a legitimate method of apprehending violators and has aided in reducing illegal hunting activities. Over 48 states and several Canadian provinces have been utilizing ASA's since the late 1980's. Aside from the inherent danger in shooting from a vehicle or road, road hunting for wildlife brings to question the ethical behavior of some hunters. Even though the vast majority of hunters conduct themselves ethically and abide by the laws, those that do not continue to perpetuate a negative image for hunters. "Road hunters are the visible minority. They are what everyone sees, and many of their activities are bad for the image of all hunters," said Regional Conservation Officer Dave Cadwallader of Lewiston. Many of the citations issued to road hunters who violate game laws include spotlighting, trespassing, shooting from a motorized vehicle, shooting across the road and waste of game. The penalties for shooting an ASA can include a mandatory license revocation, fine up to $1000 and-or jail sentence up to six months. To check for law compliance, IDFG enforcement officers will also conduct several impromptu enforcement checkstations that all hunters and anglers, successful or not, must stop. Usually conducted on less traveled roads and set up at any time day or night, impromptu checkstations are another tool officers use to detect wildlife crimes.