Officers Busy With Wildlife Violations

While bears may hibernate and cranes fly south for the winter, individuals who violate Idaho's wildlife laws are busy year round, and that means those who protect Idaho's wildlife resources can never rest. Conservation officers in the Teton Basin have been dealing recently with violations ranging from illegal trapping and illegal wolf hunting, to illegal taking of trophy mule deer. Unfortunately violators sometimes do not react well to being caught, resulting in one being charged with pointing a shotgun at a conservation officer. Lauren Wendt, senior conservation officer in Driggs was investigating an illegal waterfowl hunting incident on November 16, 2012, when a local man pointed his shotgun at her. In addition to two other wildlife violations, he was charged by Teton County with exhibition or use of a deadly weapon. While general seasons exist for wolf hunting in the Teton Basin, conservation officers have recently wrapped up a case in which an individual was cited with illegal trapping, with hunting a gray wolf without a tag and with possession of an unlawfully taken gray wolf. The wolf incident occurred on the last day of 2012. On January 31, James D. Fullmer, of Tetonia, admitted to conservation officers that he had taken a gray wolf near Squirrel Creek in Fremont County without a tag. Officers are also investigating the illegal taking of a mule deer buck from Teton Canyon. A Boone & Crockett scorer gave the buck a green score of 181 2/8, meaning officers were able to cite Ben Brown of Tetonia with illegal taking of a trophy animal. Jacob Knight of Park Valley, Utah, was also cited in connection with this incident. Because Idaho is a year round hunter's paradise there is plenty of legal hunting opportunity available for those who follow the rules. If anyone sees something that doesn't look right, they should contact their local conservation officer or the Citizens Against Poaching Hotline at 1-800-632-5999.