A Poacher Gets Caught And Can Lose Hunting Privileges For Life

MOSCOW - After pleading guilty to one count of poaching, a Post Falls area man was sentenced to 30 days in jail, fined more than $7,440, had his hunting privileges stripped for life and lost his rifle. But because Bradley S. Shepherd, 37, was granted a withheld judgment, the felony conviction of unlawfully killing wildlife could be dismissed - only if he completes two years of supervised probation where he will not be able to possess any firearm or weapon and will be ordered to get a full-time job or attend school full-time. Working on tips from area residents who complained that serious game violations were occurring in the area, Idaho Department of Fish and Game (IDFG) Senior Conservation Officer, Clint Rand, encountered Shepherd several times and at one point confiscated a 7mm Parker Hale rifle that was later linked to spent shell casings found near sites of suspected poaching incidents. Several local residents played a big part in securing evidence, and the case also involved surveillance and crime lab ballistic tests according to Rand. "This is the probably the biggest case of my career," he said. The single count for which Shepherd pleaded guilty included charges that he illegally killed one bear and three deer. Rand, who had been working the case for more than two years, suspected Shepherd of more. But Shepherd, upon being charged three months ago, claimed he was guilty only of being a victim of the system. "I'm innocent," Shepherd said in an December interview. "If I'm going to be in the paper, I'll be damned if I'm going to let those guys slander me and look like a fool." The incident that triggered the investigation happened before sunrise on Oct. 18, 2001, when a resident south of Potlatch reported shots fired outside his home. He investigated and found a spent 7mm rifle casing on the road. He reported that he could see where a deer had been shot and dragged to the road. The shell casing from the scene was later matched by a crime lab to Shepherd's rifle. Another resident told Rand he'd been bird hunting and found a blood trail left by a wounded deer. He followed the trail and encountered a man who said he shot the deer and the two dragged it to a truck. Later, the resident identified the man who said he shot the deer as Shepherd. In November 2001, Rand was again called to an area on reports of a shot fired around 1: 30 a.m. A resident said he saw an older pickup truck and Rand, after searching the area where the shot was heard, found another 7mm rifle casing. He also found some tissue paper, presumably marking the spot where the animal was shot from. He hid in some trees and at about 3:15 a.m., heard another shot. He ran to his truck and drove to a nearby ranch. About that time, a man Rand later identified as Shepherd came driving into view. Rand stopped the pickup and ordered Shepherd out. Shepherd said he was hunting coyotes with a spotlight and rifle. Idaho law prohibits using a spotlight to hunt and Rand, although he didn't make an arrest, seized Shepherd's rifle. Later that day, Rand found another 7mm casing along with some tissue paper. Then a resident notified Rand he'd found a deer with its head removed. Upon investigating, Rand found another deer suspected to have been poached. Teamed with Conservation Officer Rick Cooper, Rand made contact with Shepherd's grandfather. After talking, the two conservation officers found the carcass of a bear that had been skinned. Before Rand and Cooper left, Shepherd arrived and agreed to talk, where he admitted to a number of things, including shooting the bear and giving the hide to a friend to pay a dept. The case was prosecuted by Latah County Deputy Prosecutor James E. Johnson. His supervisor, Latah County Prosecutor William W. Thompson Jr., lauded both Johnson and Rand for the conviction. "Because they typically occur in remote areas with very few witnesses and evidence, Fish and Game criminal cases are particularly difficult to successfully prosecute," said Thompson. Two other felony Fish and Game prosecutions are pending in Latah County. Randal King is awaiting sentencing for the unlawful killing a bull and cow moose. His co-defendant, William Barnard, is set for trial for allegedly abetting King.