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A few year before a very large poaching ring was caught and convicted for poaching many different big game species, over a 100 in number in Montana.

You think just MAYBE they would like to be able to quietly put together a case against that guy so they can make it stick, instead of giving him a heads-up that he should cover his tracks and dispose of the evidence?

You can Shame him publicly AFTER the conviction, IMO, if you feel a need. I don’t care to see an honest guy get kicked, especially when he’s down. A guy who tries to build some kind of reputation 100% deserves to lose it if he lies, cheats, steals or slanders his competition to build it. But if he can point to a Not Guilty verdict, then he has a pretty solid counter to any claims against him.

So JMO, those cops were simply asking to be helped instead of PREVENTED from doing their job.

Matt

In all, he received approximately $2500 in fines and a 24 month suspension of his licenses and all jail time suspended from charges of criminal mischief and unlawful possession. A slap on the wrist in my opinion. Is that really all a bull like this is worth?

And zero loss of license privileges???

Is it just me, or are those fines WAY less than the trespass fees for good private property? Seems to me that this judge just invited every scumbag with a little ambition to help himself....

Thanks, Scrap - JMO, this guy is now fully qualified for 3 weeks in the stocks and a good public flogging!

Only $10000 warrant and he is out. Name is Earl Russell Benes.

I hope he goes to jail.

"OTSEGO COUNTY, Mich., (WPBN/WGTU) -- Michigan Department of Natural Resources conservation officers are asking Gaylord residents for any information about a bull elk that was poached in the Pigeon River State Forest over the weekend.

Officers said concerned citizens found the carcass of a large, 13-point bull elk on Monday and contacted local conservation officers.

"We are currently following up on leads,” Lt. Jim Gorno said. “We hope that the public can help us with this investigation, as they have always been helpful in the past. This is flat out poaching. A majestic elk was killed for no reason and left to rot.”

Anyone with information regarding this poaching incident can contact the DNR Customer Service Center in Gaylord at 989-732-3541 or call or text the 24-hour Report All Poaching hotline at 800-292-7800. Information can be left anonymously and according to the DNR, monetary rewards are available for information that leads to the arrest of violators."

" Nov. 22, 2019 Contact: Lt. James Gorno, 989-732-3541 DNR seeks tips on second elk killed within a week Montmorency county elk

Michigan Department of Natural Resources conservation officers in Gaylord are seeking information regarding a bull elk poached this week in Montmorency County, north of Atlanta – the second elk to be illegally killed within days in northern Michigan. Earlier this week, the DNR reported the poaching of another mature elk, in Otsego County.

A deer hunter contacted the DNR’s Report All Poaching (RAP) hotline Tuesday to report that he found a dead elk in Montmorency County.

Local conservation officers located the bull elk near Teets Trail, west of Voyer Lake Road. The elk’s antlers had five points on one side and three on the other. The officers determined that the elk had been killed by a single gunshot and they believe that a hunter mistook the elk for a deer.

“The great news is that the information we received from the public earlier this week about a larger bull elk poached over the weekend helped us identify a suspect within 48 hours,” said Lt. James Gorno. “We strongly encourage people to come forward – either the hunter in this new case, to remedy the situation, or anyone who has information that can help us identify a suspect.”

On Tuesday, the DNR requested tips from the public about a bull elk poached in Pigeon River Country, east of Vanderbilt in Otsego County. Conservation officers, who currently are investigating an active lead on this case, estimate that the elk was shot Saturday or Sunday.

Elk currently are not in season. The next hunt period for certain elk management units will run Dec. 14-22, followed by an additional hunt Jan. 15-19 only if that hunt is needed to help attain population management goals. Learn more at Michigan.gov/Elk.

Anyone with information regarding this poaching incident can contact the DNR Customer Service Center in Gaylord at 989-732-3541 or call or text the 24-hour Report All Poaching hotline at 800-292-7800. Information can be left anonymously; monetary rewards are available for information that leads to the arrest of violators. "

Next day was getting a cities permit for the wolf we tagged and I mentioned what the 3 of us saw and heard. The game warden wanted no part of investigating them as prosecuting the bunch would have been futile. Warden said they will only investigate if there was a safety concern.

I left with my permit after saying that if you want to pursue I have the plate and vehicle info in my truck.... Never once did they ask for the info.

Other day they had in the newspaper that they were looking for info on 3 dead moose that were found rotting in the bush with only prime parts of the animal taken. Suggesting it was hunters.

I know where how our moose are dying... its not by hunters.

I mentioned yesterday the reluctance the CO had with pursuing the info. Certain peoples are shooting these moose at night because they have no fear of being caught or being prosecuted.

I just hope the prosecutor isn't overplaying things. But I wish this prosecutor well!

“Trumped up charges” means they’re prosecuting someone on a bogus accusation. This guy EARNED whatever he gets.

To be clear, I want this guy to go to jail for a long time, and I don't want him to ever be able to own a firearm (or bow) for the rest of his life. Toss in taking away his voting rights as well.

By "trumped up" I mean I see a prosecutor shooting for the moon (career move?), and I've seen them do this before and not get any charge right and the perpetrator walks. The Bundys in Malheur comes to mind.

Three dead and wasted elk, trophy class, ought to be enough to remove his right to own a firearm and spend a good bit of time in jail. Especially since he already had his hunting privileges suspended.

Losing a slam-dunk case doesn’t strike me as much of a career move....