Last November, we had seven slobs shoot 3 whooping cranes here in Central Kansas, near Quivira Wildlife Refuge. 2 of the cranes died, and the third was hurt bad enough it could not continue the migration to Texas with the other birds. It eventually flew south after hanging around until the middle of December. It's fate is unknown.

The seven guys were charged in Federal Court last week in Wichita. Just found out today that the seven have struck a deal and will plead guilty around the middle of the month. Unofficially, here is their punishment:

-$3,000 fine;
-Loss of all hunting privileges for 2 years;
-Must attend a Hunter Education course.

As a KS Hunter Ed instructor, I was hoping for community service to be served speaking to Hunter Ed classes across the state, but I guess we can't have everything.

Would be interesting to hear you all's take on this.

Tim

Well first off I am glad the guys were caught in the first place!

I'm kind of torn on the sentance. I think things probably should be alot harsher but $3k is alot of money to me... but I'd hate to loose the hunting rights for 2 years. Luckily I follow the laws just so I dont have to worry about either

I think having them stand up and talk about their transgressions in a Hunters Ed course would have been a good idea but there is no guarentee they would do a good humble job about it. Hard to judge them without seeing them personally, they could be the type that would make things worse having them speak in public.

How about a fourth item on the sentence - confiscation of ALL firearms belonging to them? Works for me.

I think they could have bin a little harder on them. It makes no sence to me why anybody would want to kill a animal like that it serves no purpose at all.

I'm surprised they got off that easy. I thought shooting an endangered species would carry a harder penalty. Especially since the number of whooping cranes is so very low. There are alot more Bald Eagles than whooping cranes. They should have also lost the guns they used to kill the birds as well as their vehicle if it was used in the process.

I think the fine was just. Plus you know darn well they spent a few $$$$.00
on the lawyer. I bet all said and done it cost each one 5k. Some people have deep pockets, some don't. I think the lost of hunting rights for two years is a JOKE. In Vermont you can lose your hunting license for 3 years just for shooting a doe, with no doe tag.
On the other hand, in Vt you can hunt on your own land with No hunting license. Meaning...Example you shoot a Doe out of season or with no Doe tag, get caught loose your hunting license for 3 years. And guess what next fall you get to go deer hunting on your own land. Follow all current laws, shoot a legal deer, make up deer tag with you name, address, date
and your all set......Guess what ? you never missed a deer season. But you got your name in paper.

Here in Wyoming you do have any guns, vehicles, or other equipment used in the violation of a game and fish law taken away. A few years back a guy over by Cody used his helicopter to herd elk to his son, then used the helicopter to transport the head and hide. Got caught and had the guns they used and the helicopter confiscated. He bought his helicopter back at the game and fish auction, but it cost him another $50,000.00. If these guys had been here they would have lost the guns they used along with the vehicle they drove to the site.
People who do these kinds of things are NOT hunters, they are just a$$holes with guns. We need to make sure the rest of the public understands that.

Seeing how laws are in Michigan i don't think that's adequate enough at all (i'll get into my 'law breaking' in a sec). Ok, first i know there would be a Malicious Use of a Firearm charge and a slew more of just basic Firearm Related and Criminal Intent charges (they don't mess around AT ALL here).

My law breaking happened while fishing with my dad (we both got busted) and here's how it went.
About 15 years ago my dad and i were fishing at a dam, and not knowing the current law back then with dam fishing, we were throwing our lines right to the discharge of the dam and letting the current take it back down. Then a guy and girl (in street clothes) came up to us and asked if we had any luck, which at that time we didn't but then and while still casting to the dam they both flashed a badge and said, "Licenses please......you know fishing within 150 feet of the dam is illegal don't you" we both said WHAT! The CO's went on to say (which 'I THOUGHT' was sort of a scare tactic) "Fines and penalties plus inpound of your vehicle and tackle with loss of fishing privileges can equil upto $10,000 and no less than $5,000". And now at this time i was freeking out but the CO's just signed the back of our licenses and said "you have a warning this time because it seems you made an innocent mistake, but if you are cought again you will incur the higher of the fines and usully legal fees are double that in federal court" and we were allowed to fish more, but not on or within 150' of the dam.
So after they left a guy came up and said "you fellas see that car getting towed out of here as you came......well they hauled the guy to jail a half hour before that for doing the same thing".

So yeah, seeing what my dad and i were up against, i'd like to see a stiffer penilty just because ignoance has no plea related to firearms!

Update:

I guess everything was handed down yesterday in Federal Court in Wichita regarding the slobs' sentences.

Everything was as I had reported, but in addition, the judge is making them do 50 hours each of community service work at Quivira Nat'l Wildlife Refuge, and making them pay the bill incurred in trying to save the injured birds in the amount of $2,700.00.

Guess the best I can hope for now is that I get to have them in a Hunter Ed class that I get to teach....

Tim

Looks like they got off pretty good with a light sentence!