A new poaching case out of Montana came to light this week when a Shepherd, Montana teenager lost his hunting privileges for 16 years and was fined more than $6,000.
That’s a lot of years without hunting privileges. What did he do?
According to a release from Montana Fish, Wildlife, & Parks, Brayden Reed, 19, pleaded guilty in Yellowstone County Justice Court to four counts of unlawful possession of deer, two counts of wasting game, three counts of hunting during a closed season, two counts of unlawful use of equipment, two counts of hunting without a license, and one count of killing deer beyond the limit. He also pleaded guilty in federal court to the offenses of littering and resource damage.
A breakdown of the fines shows Reed is to pay $4,405 in state court and ordered to pay $2,000 in damages to the state. He also lost his privilege to hunt in Montana for 16 years. But the loss of hunting privileges aren’t limited to just Montana.
Due to reciprocal agreements between states, he will not be able to legally hunt anywhere across most of the country. In addition, he will pay $400 in federal fees. Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks Game Warden, Connor Langell, who investigated the crimes, also confiscated a rifle Reed used to kill the deer.
Reed was convicted of spotlighting and shooting two mule deer bucks on October 2nd and taking them to the federal Bureau of Land Management’s Ah-Nei Recreation Area, where he removed antlers and backstraps, then left the rest of the animals to waste. Later that evening, Reed cut down and burned a live tree, and numerous beverage cans were left scattered in the recreation area. Damage to the recreation area was investigated by Bureau of Land Management ranger, Jeff Herriford.
Reed is also convicted of spotlighting and shooting a third deer on October 8th, on private property where he did not have permission to hunt. He then took the deer to the Ah-Nei Recreation Area, where the backstraps were removed, and the rest was left to waste.
Reed did not have a Montana deer license at the time of the poaching incidents, which occurred before the general deer season opened on October 23rd.
The case began with information called in to 1-800-TIP-MONT, the FWP call-in line to report crimes involving fish, wildlife, parks and other natural resources.
The MTFWP encourages anyone with possible information about such crimes to visit https://myfwp.mt.gov/fwpPub/tipmont to provide details or call the FWP violation reporting hot line at 1-800-TIP-MONT. They may be eligible for a cash reward of up to $1,000.
What do you think? Is the 16-year hunting ban sufficient for this crime? Too little, or too much? Comment below, and let us know what you think.
