Post by Woody Williams on Dec 16, 2008 17:36:17 GMT -5
From the Paducah Sun:
Bagging more than their limit leaves hunters holding the bag
Three Graves County hunters up on state charges and could face federal indictments.
By Steve Vantreese svantreese@paducahsun.com--270.575.8684
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
MAYFIELD, Ky. — Three Graves County men will appear in Graves District Court Wednesday on wildlife violation allegations that promise to be the opening volley in a barrage of charges over the illegal taking of game.
Dennis R. Taylor, 46, of Ky. 303 near Cuba; his stepson, Chase R. Taylor, 23, and Josh Faircloth, 22, both of the Dukedom area, each face eight citations for illegal taking of wildlife. Dennis Taylor and Faircloth each are charged with eight counts of illegally taking deer. Chase Taylor faces five counts of illegally taking deer and three counts of illegally taking wild turkey.
“It’s the tip of the iceberg,” said Greg Youree, a Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources conservation officer. “They’ve already confessed to illegally taking about 100 deer over the past five years. The violations we’ve charged them with so far are just from 2008.”
Youree said the investigation continues with the possibility of more charges for past Kentucky deer and turkey violations. Potentially more severe charges are pending with other states investigating possible violations. If found other violations are charged, the three could face federal prosecution under the Lacey Act, which prohibits the interstate transportation of illegally taken wildlife.
Wildlife authorities from Tennessee, Missouri and Iowa are lining up to interview and investigate the three with Chase Taylor already implicated in deer and turkey violations in the three other states, Youree said.
Youree said the three hunted essentially without restraint or consideration of regulations.
“They were taking way beyond their limit,” Youree said. “They didn’t check in deer. They were killing everything.”
The officer said the violations came despite liberal limits on deer — a hunter can take one antlered buck among two under the regular Kentucky deer permit, then an unlimited number of antlerless deer by purchasing bonus permits.
“Seven of the deer they’re charged with taking illegally were bucks,” he said. “They were taking big bucks to put on the wall, but they were killing little bucks, too.
“Since we charged these guys, I’ve been getting calls from landowners down in their area saying, ‘Now we know where all the deer have been going,’” Youree said.
The Graves County investigation started with information officer Denny Broyles provided. Broyles is the KDFWR conservation officer assigned to Hickman County, Youree said. The probe quickly came to focus on the three men from Graves County, with most of the alleged violations apparently committed during hunting outings in south Graves.
“Most of the killing was going on in about an eight-mile radius, some of it on Dennis Taylor’s place and some on other farms,” Youree said.
“We’ve seized more than 100 items — firearms, vehicles and illegally taken wildlife parts,” Youree said. “I seized 42 turkey beards from Chase Taylor.
“There are probably 100 deer racks at Dennis Taylor’s house,” Youree said.
Youree said, despite an abundant deer population, unchecked killing in violation of regulations is a disservice to legitimate hunters as well as theft of a valuable resource.
Youree said a 2004 Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources study showed that deer hunting, especially prominent in Graves County, generates millions of dollars in spending. He said a wealth of economic activity comes from local hunters spending on land leases and hunting club memberships, as well as lodging for visiting hunters, food, fuel, equipment and related services.
“These people who are killing in excess are taking public resources, and they’re taking money out of other people’s pockets,” he said.
Bagging more than their limit leaves hunters holding the bag
Three Graves County hunters up on state charges and could face federal indictments.
By Steve Vantreese svantreese@paducahsun.com--270.575.8684
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
MAYFIELD, Ky. — Three Graves County men will appear in Graves District Court Wednesday on wildlife violation allegations that promise to be the opening volley in a barrage of charges over the illegal taking of game.
Dennis R. Taylor, 46, of Ky. 303 near Cuba; his stepson, Chase R. Taylor, 23, and Josh Faircloth, 22, both of the Dukedom area, each face eight citations for illegal taking of wildlife. Dennis Taylor and Faircloth each are charged with eight counts of illegally taking deer. Chase Taylor faces five counts of illegally taking deer and three counts of illegally taking wild turkey.
“It’s the tip of the iceberg,” said Greg Youree, a Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources conservation officer. “They’ve already confessed to illegally taking about 100 deer over the past five years. The violations we’ve charged them with so far are just from 2008.”
Youree said the investigation continues with the possibility of more charges for past Kentucky deer and turkey violations. Potentially more severe charges are pending with other states investigating possible violations. If found other violations are charged, the three could face federal prosecution under the Lacey Act, which prohibits the interstate transportation of illegally taken wildlife.
Wildlife authorities from Tennessee, Missouri and Iowa are lining up to interview and investigate the three with Chase Taylor already implicated in deer and turkey violations in the three other states, Youree said.
Youree said the three hunted essentially without restraint or consideration of regulations.
“They were taking way beyond their limit,” Youree said. “They didn’t check in deer. They were killing everything.”
The officer said the violations came despite liberal limits on deer — a hunter can take one antlered buck among two under the regular Kentucky deer permit, then an unlimited number of antlerless deer by purchasing bonus permits.
“Seven of the deer they’re charged with taking illegally were bucks,” he said. “They were taking big bucks to put on the wall, but they were killing little bucks, too.
“Since we charged these guys, I’ve been getting calls from landowners down in their area saying, ‘Now we know where all the deer have been going,’” Youree said.
The Graves County investigation started with information officer Denny Broyles provided. Broyles is the KDFWR conservation officer assigned to Hickman County, Youree said. The probe quickly came to focus on the three men from Graves County, with most of the alleged violations apparently committed during hunting outings in south Graves.
“Most of the killing was going on in about an eight-mile radius, some of it on Dennis Taylor’s place and some on other farms,” Youree said.
“We’ve seized more than 100 items — firearms, vehicles and illegally taken wildlife parts,” Youree said. “I seized 42 turkey beards from Chase Taylor.
“There are probably 100 deer racks at Dennis Taylor’s house,” Youree said.
Youree said, despite an abundant deer population, unchecked killing in violation of regulations is a disservice to legitimate hunters as well as theft of a valuable resource.
Youree said a 2004 Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources study showed that deer hunting, especially prominent in Graves County, generates millions of dollars in spending. He said a wealth of economic activity comes from local hunters spending on land leases and hunting club memberships, as well as lodging for visiting hunters, food, fuel, equipment and related services.
“These people who are killing in excess are taking public resources, and they’re taking money out of other people’s pockets,” he said.
Yeah, they would have to check them in if there was a check station; can't cheat that can we.
