Alton CWMU and where SFW money is really going!!
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30inchbucks
- Fawn
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- Joined: Mon Nov 24, 2003 8:38 pm
Alton CWMU and where SFW money is really going!!
Video to assist in determining if deer kill legal
By Ray Grass
Deseret Morning News
Information gathered from a video showing the shooting of a trophy buck during last year's general deer hunt has been turned over to the Kane County attorney.
In question is whether or not the deer was legally shot.
Barry Huntington, deputy Kane County attorney, said he received facts of the case from investigators from the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources on June 11, "and I've just started to screen the information to see about criminal charges."
The video was taken by a hunter on public land. The deer was shot on private land in the Alton area, located in the center of the highly prized Paunsaugunt deer-hunt unit in the Southern Region of the state, a little southeast of Cedar City.
An eight-foot fence is being put up around the entire town of Alton in hopes of keeping deer from getting into farmers' fields. A depredation problem last year resulted in several deer being killed. Only three sides of the fence had been completed prior to the October deer hunt.
According to Rudy Musclow, law enforcement chief for the DWR, deer and elk were able to move about through ungated holes in the fence. Just prior to the hunt, however, gates were installed that stopped wildlife movement.
The video shows elk and a large buck, with a 36-inch spread between the two branches of horns, trapped against the fence.
A hunter, with a legal Cooperative Wildlife Management Permit, attempted to shoot the buck, but the rifle misfired, said the wildlife officer. He then retrieved a second rifle and wounded the deer. It was then necessary to get a third rifle to dispose of the animal.
Utah big game law states that a deer cannot be taken by capture.
"In question is whether or not it was illegal because there was a fence on only three sides. People stopped the animals from escaping on the side that was not fenced," said Musclow.
"It's certainly questionable, but it will be up to the county attorney to determine if it was illegal."
The video also shows that the hunter was not wearing hunter orange. Hunters are required to wear at least 300 inches of hunter orange in the form of a hat, coat, sweatshirt or vest while hunting.
There are a limited number of permits issued for the Paunsaugunt Unit each season. In 2003, there were nearly 500 applications submitted for 30 permits. The unit is considered to hold some of Utah's largest bucks.
Troy Justensen, chairman of the board for Sportsmen for Fish and Wildlife, said his group contributed money to build the fence, "in order to keep deer from getting into the fields and being shot. The contractor simply wasn't able to finish the fence before the hunting season. This is a large fence. When finished it will be several miles long."
The hunter was with an outfitter at the time the deer was shot.
Huntington gave no timetable for when he would have a decision on the case.
By Ray Grass
Deseret Morning News
Information gathered from a video showing the shooting of a trophy buck during last year's general deer hunt has been turned over to the Kane County attorney.
In question is whether or not the deer was legally shot.
Barry Huntington, deputy Kane County attorney, said he received facts of the case from investigators from the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources on June 11, "and I've just started to screen the information to see about criminal charges."
The video was taken by a hunter on public land. The deer was shot on private land in the Alton area, located in the center of the highly prized Paunsaugunt deer-hunt unit in the Southern Region of the state, a little southeast of Cedar City.
An eight-foot fence is being put up around the entire town of Alton in hopes of keeping deer from getting into farmers' fields. A depredation problem last year resulted in several deer being killed. Only three sides of the fence had been completed prior to the October deer hunt.
According to Rudy Musclow, law enforcement chief for the DWR, deer and elk were able to move about through ungated holes in the fence. Just prior to the hunt, however, gates were installed that stopped wildlife movement.
The video shows elk and a large buck, with a 36-inch spread between the two branches of horns, trapped against the fence.
A hunter, with a legal Cooperative Wildlife Management Permit, attempted to shoot the buck, but the rifle misfired, said the wildlife officer. He then retrieved a second rifle and wounded the deer. It was then necessary to get a third rifle to dispose of the animal.
Utah big game law states that a deer cannot be taken by capture.
"In question is whether or not it was illegal because there was a fence on only three sides. People stopped the animals from escaping on the side that was not fenced," said Musclow.
"It's certainly questionable, but it will be up to the county attorney to determine if it was illegal."
The video also shows that the hunter was not wearing hunter orange. Hunters are required to wear at least 300 inches of hunter orange in the form of a hat, coat, sweatshirt or vest while hunting.
There are a limited number of permits issued for the Paunsaugunt Unit each season. In 2003, there were nearly 500 applications submitted for 30 permits. The unit is considered to hold some of Utah's largest bucks.
Troy Justensen, chairman of the board for Sportsmen for Fish and Wildlife, said his group contributed money to build the fence, "in order to keep deer from getting into the fields and being shot. The contractor simply wasn't able to finish the fence before the hunting season. This is a large fence. When finished it will be several miles long."
The hunter was with an outfitter at the time the deer was shot.
Huntington gave no timetable for when he would have a decision on the case.
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30inchbucks
- Fawn
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- Joined: Mon Nov 24, 2003 8:38 pm
What's really interesting in this read is towards the end of it notice Troy Justensen chairman of the board for SFW quote where he said "his group contributed money to build the fence, "in order to keep deer from getting into the fields and being shot. The contractor simply wasn't able to finish the fence before the hunting season. This is a large fence. When finished it will be several miles long."
That is really great!! That is where the money is going that SFW receives is to benefit there own! That sure isn't to benefit the average hunter. Why are they helping to build a fence on Private land!!!! Explain that one please!! Just another reason why I haven't joined SFW! I don't want my money or efforts going for fences to aid and trap deer to benefit the rich! This crap is getting out of hand
That is really great!! That is where the money is going that SFW receives is to benefit there own! That sure isn't to benefit the average hunter. Why are they helping to build a fence on Private land!!!! Explain that one please!! Just another reason why I haven't joined SFW! I don't want my money or efforts going for fences to aid and trap deer to benefit the rich! This crap is getting out of hand
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MuleyMadness
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As far as the hunter orange is concerned, the DWR needs to enforce this on the Ranch if every one else has to wear it also. Don't think there are to concerned about that though, they have hunted and been there with them during hunts. Not sure they ever have worn orange?
As far as the SFW helping build the fence, that is of concern to me. I can understand and agree with the fence to keep deer out of fields but not sure of the value or understand why they would fund such work on a Private CWMU? What is the benefit or value here?
Doesn't sound like a great situation with the deer for sure, be interesting to see what the final verdict is.
One thing I don't want to get into is bashing the Outfitter business itself, I think a lot of folks are jealous. But the truth is if you or I owned the land we may be very well running and guiding business also. Just so happens that there land is prime monster muley land. While I may not agree with certain things, the bottom line is the DWR is still in control and can change things if necessary.
As far as the SFW helping build the fence, that is of concern to me. I can understand and agree with the fence to keep deer out of fields but not sure of the value or understand why they would fund such work on a Private CWMU? What is the benefit or value here?
Doesn't sound like a great situation with the deer for sure, be interesting to see what the final verdict is.
One thing I don't want to get into is bashing the Outfitter business itself, I think a lot of folks are jealous. But the truth is if you or I owned the land we may be very well running and guiding business also. Just so happens that there land is prime monster muley land. While I may not agree with certain things, the bottom line is the DWR is still in control and can change things if necessary.