Bowsite.com

You can’t cure stupid

But you can exploit it for purposes of prosecuting poaching. Gotcha:

“ A Brainerd man illegally shot and killed a 700-pound black bear on the Red Lake Indian Reservation, then sawed off the animal’s head and paws for a trophy while leaving most of its carcass behind, according to a criminal complaint filed with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Minnesota on Friday.

Brett James Stimac, 40, faces federal misdemeanor charges for illegal wildlife tracking and trespassing on Indian lands for allegedly shooting the bear with a compound bow near a dumpster on the reservation on Sept. 1.

The bear ran away, and Stimac and his girlfriend found it the next day.

“Got it done lastnight [sic] with an absolute giant over 700 lbs.,” Stimac wrote on Facebook alongside a photo of him posing with the bear’s carcass, according to charges. The photo circulated among some online hunting groups.”

“ Charges say Stimac couldn’t move the dead bear, so he tried to take its hide, but failed.

Instead he used a saw to cut off its head, paws and 71 pounds of meat, according to the charges.

Stimac left the rest of the carcass and at least one dismembered bear paw on the reservation.

The Red Lake Band considers the bear a spiritual animal and does not permit nontribal members to hunt them.

On Sept. 16, law enforcement seized the bear’s head from a taxidermist, where Stimac had taken it. Officers also recovered the bear meat from Stimac’s home.

Stimac, who could not be reached for comment, has a lengthy history of illegal hunting. Past convictions include illegally transporting big game, hunting deer over bait and several counts of hunting without a proper license.

Stimac will appear in front of a federal magistrate.”

Disgusting all the way around, usually cases like this the monetary fine is the only way as it is obvious that revoking hunting privileges won’t stop him from poaching again. Should be interesting how the tribe handles him.

I would think they would confiscate all his equipment...which would include his truck.... possibly an atv

That would hurt.... unless he was driving a $400 rig who’s is entirely possible

This case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney, not the Red Lake Band. (The complexities of jurisdiction in cases like this exceed the bandwidth of the Bowsite server.)

Yep! I was wrong. I stood up for the guy because he was pictured on the front page of the Outdoor News with his bear. Today's edition mentioned their error. Funny but he has a history of game violations so wouldn't you think the paper would check somebody out before they make him a hero?

I'm glad they posted his picture back when he killed it...gives him more notariety and exposes him for even a bigger douche bag than most of us suspected. He wanted fame and glory, well looks like he got it! Dirtbag..

Pretty sure there is a lot of this kind of thing going on all over. If its a big game animal and taken illegally or unethically the poacher, slob just can't keep their mouth shut. Which really demonstrates why they are hunting in the first place. Self-gratification, fame or money. Not wildlife conservation. Hunters have and always will lead in wildlife conservation. So when some poacher, slob (don't confuse with hunter) does what poachers, slobs do they need to called out and held accountable. Aldo Leopold has some great text on this. "Ethical behavior is doing the right thing when no one else is watching- even when doing the wrong thing is legal.”

You can't cure stupid. But you can give him some time out to think things over, even though his history indicates it's to no avail:

"Brainerd man gets 15 months in prison for poaching black bear

A Brainerd man was sentenced in federal court in St. Paul Wednesday to spend 15 months in prison after illegally killing a huge black bear on the Red Lake Reservation in 2019. Brett Stimac, 41, also was sentenced to a year of supervised release after his prison time and a $9,500 fine, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office. Stimac pleaded guilty in September to misdemeanor charges of wildlife trafficking and trespassing on Indian land. Prosecutors said Stimac killed the bear, estimated at 700 pounds — nearly triple the average size of a Minnesota black bear — with a compound bow near the reservation’s garbage dump. Stimac shot the bear Sept. 1, 2019, and returned to the dump the next day and posed for photographs with the carcass. He later shared the photographs on social media. Because of the bear’s large size, Stimac was not able to move the bear from the reservation. Instead, he used a saw to cut off the bear’s head for a trophy — bringing the head to a taxidermist in Ironton, Minn., and leaving the rest of the carcass to spoil. The Red Lake Band of Chippewa Indians does not permit those who are not band members to hunt bear, a clan animal, within the boundaries of the reservation, due to the bear’s spiritual significance to the band, prosecutors said. Stimac isn’t an enrolled member of the band. A News Tribune record search found Stimac has a long criminal history in Minnesota, including convictions for criminal damage to property (2014), felon in possession of a firearm (2011), receiving stolen property (2009), illegal transportation of big game (2008), second-degree felony assault with a dangerous weapon (2008), receiving stolen property (2000), and disorderly conduct (1999).

Given his history, 15 months is a slap on his hand. He should have received seven years or so.

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