RANGER ACTIVITIES DIVISION
                           MORNING REPORT

Attention: Directorate
           Regional and Park Chief Rangers, USPP, BIFC, FLETC
           CC: RAD Information Net

Day/date: Thursday, January 18, 1990

INCIDENTS

89-370 - Yellowstone (Wyoming) - Poaching Convictions

On November 28, 1989, D.W. and K.B. of Idaho Falls, Idaho,
were sentenced in district court in Cheyenne to 30 days in jail and fined
$1,210 each after pleading guilty to transporting illegally taken wildlife,
a Lacey Act violation. D.W. and K.B. had shot a bull elk at Madison
Junction, about 14 miles inside the park from the West Entrance, on October
11, 1988. They left the carcass in the Madison River after removing only
the head and antlers. The elk was tagged with a valid Idaho hunting permit
and entered into a large bull contest sponsored by a local Idaho bar, where
it won first place. An anonymous telephone call to Yellowstone rangers
resulted in an investigation into the incident by rangers and a USFWS agent,
which in turn led to the arrest of D.W. and K,.B. During the sentencing,
Chief District Judge Clarence Bremmer told the men that they had violated a
national heritage and had decreased the public's enjoyment of the park by
removing a magnificent animal for their personal gratification.

On December 19, 1989, J.R., 35, and D.J., 56, plead guilty to
state wildlife violations before the justice of the peace in West
Yellowstone. H. was charged with the illegal sale of wild game and the
illegal killing of two moose north of West Yellowstone; he was sentenced to
two years in jail, fined a total of $6,070, and had his state hunting
privileges suspended for ten years. D.J. was charged with illegally
transporting and possessing both animals; he was sentenced to a year and a
half in jail, fined $2,552.50 and had his hunting privileges suspended for
three years. A local citizen had told a West Yellowstone police officer
that H. and D.J. had illegally killed a moose calf north of town in mid-
November and that they were selling the meat. Since it was not known
whether or not the offense had occurred within the park, rangers were
notified and assisted in the investigation. An undercover Montana state
game warden was introduced to H. and D.J. by the informant, and H.
offered to take the warden on another moose hunt on December 17th. H.
also sold the warden some of the meat. On the 17th, H., the warden and
the informant used snowmobiles to track a moose and calf from the park
boundary to Rainbow Point campground in the Gallatin National Forest. H.
shot the cow and offered to kill the calf, but the warden and informant told
him that it would be enough trouble just to get the cow back to town. The
moose was quartered and taken to H.'s house in a Park Service undercover
vehicle. H. again sold some of the moose meat to the warden. On the
evening of the 18th, state game wardens, park rangers and local police
arrested J.R. at his residence; D.J. was later arrested at a local bar.
Over 25 weapons were found inside the house. H. has served several terms
in the Montana and South Dakota penitentiaries for burglary. ATF agents
from Helena, Montana, will be charging him with illegal possession of
firearms by a convicted felon. (CompuServe message from Dan Shelly, CR,
YELL, 4 p.m. EST, 1/5/90).

STAFF STATUS

All hands on board.


Prepared by WASO Division of Ranger Activities

Telephone: FTS 343-4874/6039 or 202-343-4874/6039
Telefax: FTS 343-5977 or 202-343-5977
CompuServe: WASO-RANGER
SEAdog: 1/650 (Phone:343-6014; BAUD:2400)