| Welcome to Ontario Trophy Bucks forum. Enjoy your visit. You're currently viewing our forum as a guest. This means you are limited to certain areas of the board and there are some features you can't use. If you join our community, you'll be able to access member-only sections, and use many member-only features such as customizing your profile, sending personal messages, and voting in polls. Registration is simple, fast, and completely free. Join our community! If you're already a member please log in to your account to access all of our features: |
| Outfitter gets Prison time and $37,390 in fines; For using salt to attract deer and elk.. | |
|---|---|
| Tweet Topic Started: Feb 19 2013, 10:14 AM (1,387 Views) | |
| Renegade | Feb 19 2013, 10:14 AM Post #1 |
![]()
Atikokan, Ontario
|
Colorado Outfitter Sentence to Prison Time and $37,390 in Fines February 19, 2013. Colorado Parks and Wildlife An eight-year investigation by Colorado Parks and Wildlife and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has culminated in U.S. District Court Judge Christine Arguello sentencing Dennis Eugene Rodebaugh, 72, owner of D & S Outfitters of Meeker, to 41 months in federal prison. He must also pay $37,390 in restitution to the state and forfeit two all-terrain vehicles and a trailer used in the commission of his crimes. In September 2012, a federal jury in Denver found Rodebaugh guilty of six felony violations of the Lacey Act, a federal law that prohibits the transportation of illegally taken wildlife across state lines. Baiting wildlife is illegal in Colorado and most of Rodebaugh's clients were out-of-state hunters. As part of his sentence, Rodebaugh must also pay a $7500 fine that will go to the Lacey Act Reward Fund "This individual showed grievous disregard for wildlife laws, a considerable lack of ethics and he never expressed remorse," said lead investigator Bailey Franklin, district wildlife manager in Meeker. "It took tremendous resources and man-hours to bring him to justice and we are very satisfied with the sentence." Judge Arguello also ordered that Rodebaugh terminate his outfitting business and pay for the reclamation of more than 40 sites in the White River National Forest where the salt he placed caused damage to the environment. In addition, he will face a hearing with state wildlife officials that could result in a lifetime suspension of his hunting and fishing privileges in Colorado and 37 other states. Although suspected of profiting from illegal baiting for approximately two decades, state and federal wildlife investigators say that between 2002 and 2007 - the years that the investigation covered - Rodebaugh and his employee, Brian Douglas Kunz, 56, of Wisconsin, used hundreds of pounds of salt to attract elk and mule deer to an area where the outfitter had installed tree stands. They then guided their clients to the area where hunters shot the big game from the stands. According to the indictment, Rodebaugh earned nearly $250,000 from the illegal hunts during the period of the investigation. However, wildlife officials believe that he may have earned much more from his illegal activity over the approximately twenty years he operated his outfitting business. "This outfitter advertised a 90-percent success rate and drew numerous archery and rifle hunters from across the country," continued Franklin. "He made a substantial amount of money from his illegal activity." Charged as an accomplice, Kunz pleaded guilty to two misdemeanor charges of violating the Lacey Act. He received one-year's probation and ordered to pay a fine of $2,000. According to the indictment, most of Rodebaugh's clients were unaware of the illegal activity but wildlife officials did charge two individuals for knowingly taking wildlife over bait while hunting with D & S Outfitters. Colorado Parks and Wildlife investigators first learned of Rodebaugh's activities in 2005 when local sheep and cattle ranchers reported finding large salt deposits under tree stands in the White River National Forest. Acting on the tip, CPW officers and USFWS investigators began the two-year investigation of Rodebaugh and his outfitting operation, serving him with a search warrant in September of 2007. "The public should know that our officers are dedicated and diligent," said Northwest Regional Manager Ron Velarde, of Colorado Parks and Wildlife. "We are grateful to hunters and outfitters who follow our wildlife laws, but we will make every effort to bring violators to justice." Wildlife officials say that in addition to being illegal and unethical, there are other serious consequences of using salt for baiting big game. It congregates wildlife in tight groups leading to an increased possibility of transmitting diseases and the accumulation of thousands of pounds of salt placed by Rodebaugh over several years has led to environmental damage in the Rio Blanco District of the White River National Forest. "This individual risked the health of wildlife and caused damage to their habitat," said Velarde. "He willfully violated numerous laws and placed his clients in legal jeopardy. Our officers worked very hard to solve this case and we believe justice was served." Velarde says that the substantial assistance from local sheep and cattle ranchers in this case illustrates the importance of the public's help is in solving wildlife-related crimes. |
| |
![]() |
|
| crisop | Feb 19 2013, 10:34 AM Post #2 |
|
Almost know it all
|
thats a good start. should have been made to foreit all income from everything while they were investigating and a longer prison sentence |
| winter time with snow and ice means ICE FISHING | |
![]() |
|
| Partikle | Feb 19 2013, 01:16 PM Post #3 |
|
Team Ontario Trophy Bucks
|
Ouch, they sure are tough on crime compared to us. In Canada, he would have received a $1,000 fine with no prison time, maybe lose his hunting license for 2 years. You reap what you sew. |
![]() Population Control Specialist 00 Buck - Licensed to kill | |
![]() |
|
buckstop
|
Feb 20 2013, 09:09 AM Post #4 |
|
buckstop northern wisconsin
![]()
|
What he was wrong and should be punished BUT not so sure the punishment fit the crime. If it were a drug dealer he would probably get probation and a slap on the wrist. Just wondering if this judge wasn't a bit anti hunting. Again it was wrong but why on earth didn't they nail him after the first year and not drag this thing out for 6 years . |
![]() |
|
| Razorsedge | Feb 20 2013, 12:15 PM Post #5 |
|
Regular
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]()
|
not so sure about that Partikle here is a similar case involving an outfitter. no jail time, but didn't make as much either. NEWSNEWS Ministry of Natural Resources $13,995 In Fines Outfitters’ Moose Hunting Violations NEWS September 19, 2011 Two Chapleau-area tourist outfitters have been fined a total of $13,995 for charges related to the buying and selling of adult moose validation tags and unlawfully hunting moose. Jack Kwiatkowski, of Waymart, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty to charges for making false statements in six applications for moose validation tags and to four charges of unlawfully hunting adult moose. He was fined a total of $5,870. James Jackson, of Bryon, Ohio, pleaded guilty in 2010 to similar charges stemming from the same investigation. He was fined a total of $8,125. Court heard that in 2008, Kwiatkowski was the tourist outfitter of Shenango Lodge and Jackson was the tourist outfitter of Kyushyk Wilderness Lodge. Both lodges are located near Foleyet, Ontario, and advertise moose hunting vacations. In August of that year, the hunting outfitters contacted one another and conspired to complete applications for moose validation tags with names of hunters they knew would not be hunting at Kyushyk Wilderness Lodge. Four adult moose tags were eventually purchased by Kwiatkowski from Jackson for $4,000 U.S. which was an illegal transaction. In October 2008, two non-resident hunters harvested a cow moose under the authority of one of the invalid moose tags. Although neither hunter was charged in the case, Kwiatkowski and Jackson were held responsible for their part in the unlawful hunting of the moose. Wildlife officials from the states of Michigan, West Virginia, Pennsylvania and Ohio assisted Ontario conservation officers with the investigation. Justice of the Peace Theodore Hodgins heard Kwiatkowski’s case in the Ontario Court of Justice, Chapleau, on September 14, 2011. To report a natural resources violation, call 1-877-TIPS-MNR (847-7667) toll-free any time or contact your local ministry officer during regular business hours. You can also call Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477). Dan Williams, Chapleau District, 705 864-3109 Tim Caddel , Chapleau District, 705 864-3117 ontario.ca/mnr Disponible en français |
![]() |
|
| 1 user reading this topic (1 Guest and 0 Anonymous) | |
|
|
| « Previous Topic · The Plotters Forum <Habitat Improvement> · Next Topic » |












![]](http://z4.ifrm.com/static/1/pip_r.png)

2:32 PM Jul 11