Wyoming poacher verdict reached
Mule Deer
Slap on the wrist if you ask me.
It wasn't clear to me exactly what Nate Strong agreed to in the plea bargain.
But, if he agreed to 5 or 10 days in jail (he is a convicted felon), has to pay $9,040 in fines, and can't hunt/fish/trap for 7 years I am impressed with Wyoming's laws and prosecution. If he didn't enter the plea bargain the sentencing and fines would have been a lot more severe.
Being a convicted felon will limit his career. NOBODY will ever believe that he ever hunted fair chase ever again. B&C/P&Y will delete all of his previous entries. He is marked for life as a dirty low life poacher.
If the prosecution had gone to full trial there is always a chance that the judge was soft or didn't value wildlife and let him off for a lot less. Anything can happen in court. If the judge hit a deer on the way to work that morning and totaled his nice car he might just have thrown the case out :)
Being a felon he looses his right to own a firearm and some states you can't own archery equipment. 10 days in jail and 9k in fines with a felony in your record is not bad.
I missed the part where he plead guilty to a felony?
not bad but it is obvious some thought went into this poaching event by the POACHER. The glory boys think they can get away with anything it seems.
"I missed the part where he plead guilty to a felony? "
Same here.
I did not see where he was guilty of a felony. I am not sure he got stuck with that, but 7 years ban and almost $10,000 in fines. 5 days jail and 50 hours community service is the low end of his punishment assuming he does everything. If he screws up then things really stack up on him.
This is way better than Utah where a Sheep was poached in a closed unit by Governors Tag holder and they just swept it under the rug.
Seems like a slap on the wrist
Doesn't look like it was a felony to me. Typically a felony would have at least a year in prison if I am not mistaken? Also if you read the comments one of his neighbors said she can't believe that he had support to keep his job like he did. If this was an isolated one time mistake then I think it's all appropriate. If he were a serial poacher then more prison time (including a felony conviction) and lifetime hunting ban would be in order.
The guy made a bad, bad judgment call. Don't think there is any reason to grab torches and pitchforks over it.
The state had the right to prosecute as an agent for the residents of WY. It's done.
It amazes me in this day and age with technology, social media and the internet that someone still thinks they can get away with this kind of stuff! Especially when you submit it for public display at a big sport show! ;-)
No kidding Rut Nut.
When you consider for a bit what thieves and murderer's punishments are...I would say Wyoming did pretty good.
We had a guy steal $40,000 from us in business, and we later found out he had stolen over $100,000 from his previous employer. But the "system" here doesn't jail him and let's him out so he can "work" in order to pay back his debts!!! IE: Zero punishment. Zip. A probation officer checking in on him every now and again. Moves across the country to start over again. At least Strong has a punishment.
APauls, been through that too. Once had a woman steal $60k from three of us who owned a convenience store. We had to hire a private detective and handwriting analysis guy and make our own case, and lay it in the DA's lap before he would prosecute. They mostly want high profile cases to prosecute so they can get re-elected. Not too surprising when game law violations are on the back burner.
Most game law violations are misdemeanors. At least in NM anyway.
I'd say that's fair...maybe a bit more jail time or higher fine but he will have a felony on his record for the rest of his life
I still haven't seen that he was convicted of a FELONY. All I've seen is the word MISDEMEANOR. I also haven't seen anything pertaining to violation of the Lacy Act, so please chime in if you've heard something about that.
Until now I've laid low on this matter because I might've been on the jury.
