2-25 SS Poachers

 Press releases are generally a good thing in my job but I got a press release from Idaho Fish and Game that mortified me. Idaho Fish and Game’s Gregg Losinski sent me a press release with the headline: BEARS HIBERNATE, POACHERS DON’T!  FISH & GAME OFFICERS ARE KEEPING BUSY WITH WINTER WILDLIFE VIOLATIONS . More dramatic than the headline was a picture that accompanied it. There was a mule deer buck from Teton Canyon.  A Boone & Crockett scorer gave the buck a green score of 181 2/8”, meaning it was a trophy animal. It turns out that this magnificent trophy was illegally taken by a poacher. The criminal was eventually apprehended and charged with a felony. That part of the story I love.  I asked Greg what we can do as part of the legitimate sportsman’s community to help prevent these kinds of tragedies. “ If you do see something that you don’t think is right we definitely want to hear wrong Oaks by having them call our Citizens Against Poaching (CAP) Hotline at 1-800-632-5999. Callers can remain anonymous and they can even get a reward. We would rather have those tips come in that we can check out than just have people ignore things. a lot of times there are things happening that shouldn’t be and they end up hurting everyone when they lose the incredible bounty that Idaho offers.” It isn’t just Idaho, it is the entire Northwest. Sportsmen, be aware.