SaveElk.com founder charged with felony in killing of trophy elk
Oh yes, you can’t make this stuff up:
Anti-wolf activist accused of poaching – Idaho Mountain Express
The founder of a Twin Falls-based, anti-wolf Internet site has been charged with a felony for allegedly killing a trophy bull elk out of season last year in the Alturas Lake area of northern Blaine County.
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If found guilty, then throw the book at him, make an example of him and strip him of all hunting privileges as well as gun ownership based on a felony charge. I will watch this on closely, due to the fact, I could see some biases come up based on his extreme position for many years, even though I strong disagree with this group, I hope they cross their T’s and dot their I’s on this one, or it will turn into a real kangaroo court..
Not the one last night, that was in Hamilton…
In my experience, Blaine County Magistrate Court Judge R. Ted Israel has a very tight record, don’t know about the prosecutor though …
It is up to the jury.
jury only gets to see what the judge allows — it’s likely Judge Israel won’t let the jury see some of the more inflammatory stuff that the accused is guilty of …
As I understand it, there are only a few jury trial a year in Blaine County .
The State of Montana has not had much luck with a jury on some high profile cases in the last year. I do not think that field game wardens are the best at developing a case for the courts.
We’ve known this all along. The problem isn’t wolves – it’s most hunters.
Maybe Tony Mayer will change his website link from saveelk.com to illegallykillelk.com
“We’ve known this all along. The problem isn’t wolves – it’s most hunters.”
We? you got a gerbil in your pocket?
Mike, perhaps if you bothered to read the post and the attached comments (to the post) you would find that most of the comments are from hunters who are outraged at his conduct. Stereotyping is a useful tool that helps simple minded people understand the world around them.
If convicted the real issue will be if Mr Mayer will lose his ability to hunt (legally).
Laws aren’t strict enough in my opinion William. If this guy is found guilty, he should lose his hunting privileges for life and do 5 years and pay a huge fine.
I suspect we will find that a number of anti-wolf activist leaders will have about as much respect for laws against poaching traditional big game as they do against poaching wolves.
It is reflected in their general hostility and anti-government thought.
I bet this guy will get off. sb, so you were there for 10 minutes. Anything to report or was it as you expected? Did you see Toby there? Any pro wolf people there?
Actually Jon,
They were pretty much just mingling around by that time, there really was not much being discussed by the time I arrived, I did recognize some that are anti, as well as a few pro wolf people, I am going to try and see if I can get the transcript of the meeting.
“Saveelk(sothere’smoretopoach).com”. That’s almost as much of a misnomer as Fanning’s “Friends of the Northern Yellowstone Elk Herd”. I guess if a friend is one that puts a high-powered bullet through your vitals and cuts off your head to hang on your wall, I don’t want your friendship Mr. Fanning.
I don’t think I want this guy’s friendship either.
It’s this “I got mine” mentality.
They don’t like wolves because they see themselves as owners of the “game”.
I mentioned this in the news section, but him killing an elk out of season will discredit him a great deal. Poaching is frowned upon by almost everyone, regardless of stance on hunting or wolves. Anyone who is worried about hunting rights should always make sure they are following the law.
I recall reading Tony’s account of this elk on bowsite.com. He was very much impressed with himself. Apparently, however some other posters on that site also happened to be connected with law enforcement and quickly saw that 2+2 was not adding up to 4. It also looks like the instigation was extremely through, taking nearly a year.
Shows that Tony is, in all but the final rap of the gavel, what I suspected he was all along . . . phoney as a three dollar bill.
I’m always amazed how game wardens and wildlife agents are able to nail these ( expletive translated : fecalized cranium out-of-wedlock perps) after the trail has gone cold, using the perp’s own photographs and stories published in the egotistical hunting press. That happened a few times thus and so right here in Cody WY. Poachers cannot resist bragging about their ill gotten prize. One gloat is all it takes. They might as well just turn themselves in if they want the publicity .
Which I guess they do, sorta….
This is why I think SSS is a myth. These a-holes can’t keep their mouths shut, it’s part of the thrill.
DOW should shift the money from compensation for wolf kills to rewards for illegal wolf killings. These hillbilliys could turn in their pals, get a few bucks for some new tires for the pickup, a case of beer and even get their tooth fixed.
I noticed this guy Tony Mayer has a lot of anti wolf buddies. I wonder if any of them will speak up about their friend being a elk poacher.
The biggest mistake Tony Mayer made was to poach the elk in Blaine County, rather than nearby Custer County. Otherwise, he’d have little to worry about. Anyone who is against wolves is assured a judge and jury in his favor in Custer County, or Lemhi County next door.
I wonder if the headless body was then photographed and put up on their web site as another terrible wolf kill for sport?
Maybe someone should post the photo with the caption: “Another terrible HUMAN kill for sport!”
I am an avid archery hunter who hunts Blaine County for elk every fall. I am also pro-state management for wolves. A few years ago myself and a hunting buddy hunted into the middle of the Phantom Hill wolves as we were working a herd of elk. We had several wolves above us and below us at varying distances up to 30 yards. It took them about 20-30 seconds to gather their bearings on what we were and then they floated into the forest. A few minutes later they were howling all around us in mid afternoon. We figured that we had separated them and they were trying to find one another. This was an incredible experience and I rank it as one of my great hunting accomplishments, to still hunt into the middle of a pack of some of the world’s most efficient predators. (On accident of course)
I have never liked this savetheelk fellow. I visited his web site and immediately knew that he was full of crap. Many of his claims perhaps are based on some real event, kind of like lifetime TV, but then twisted for effect. Of course this is not so different than many pro-wolf accusations that appear frequently on this web site. An example posted on this thread is “We’ve known this all along. The problem isn’t wolves – its most hunters.” It sounds like hunters turned this loser in. I have turned in poachers as well as workedwith law enforcement as a witness to wildlife crime. There are extremists on both sides of the debate; we should not let bad apples on both sides reflect the humanity in the middle. I hope that they throw the book at Mr. Poachtheelk.
I agree. Good post and must have been an awesome experience
Raul,Great post.Thank you for sharing.