We know. We know. Poaching stories are like fingernails on the chalkboard to Montana hunters.

At least this one involves a conviction and sentencing. And what a no-nonsense sentence it appears to be. I guess 12 deer, two turkeys and a bighorn sheep will earn you that kind of punishment. Our thanks to KPAX TV in Missoula for alerting us to this via Stephanie Butzer, KMGH in Denver.

A Colorado Springs man who pleaded guilty to several poaching charges in Colorado will likely never hunt in 48 states ever again. Vike Kapu was accused of illegally killing 12 deer, 2 turkeys and a bighorn sheep ram across three Colorado counties. He was sentenced this week in a plea agreement, to six months in jail, fined $4,600 and given three years of supervised probation.

Last week, a Colorado wildlife hearing examiner decided to permanently suspend Kapu's hunting privileges, quoted as saying, “Mr. Kapu’s crimes against wildlife are the essence of what defines a poacher by taking wildlife without regard for the laws protecting them...viewed as a serious threat to Colorado’s wildlife and his violations are among the worst. The severity and level of indifference for wildlife, in this case, are rarely seen and cannot be tolerated.”

Now, about that 48-state ban: Because Colorado is a member of the Interstate Wildlife Violator Compact, Mr. Kapu’s lifetime hunting ban extends to the other 47 states that are also members. That of course includes Montana. The two states that are not members are Hawaii and Massachusetts.

Investigations began two-and-half years ago, after officials received a citizen tip regrading illegal wildlife killing in October 2018.

 

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