36 Northwest Sportsman AUGUST 2019 | nwsportsmanmag.com
By Andy WalgamottMIXED BAG
H
unters have to wait up
to a decade and a half
to draw a coveted Mt.
Emily bull elk permit, but two
La Grande men decided to
short circuit that and kill one
last fall on a general tag.
Kyle Bowen and his father
Richard Bowen both pled
guilty in June to hunting
violations in the Northeast
Oregon unit and along with
both needing to pay $7,500 in
restitution to the Department
of Fish and Wildlife, as part
of their sentence they won’t
be chasing anything afield
for the next three years.
According to the Oregon
State Police, Kyle killed the trophy elk on a general tag, but needed to have a controlled
permit, while Richard assisted him.
Not only was the six-point’s rack and meat seized, but the Bowens are now out a
significant investment in gear because it was used during the incident, including “Mathews
bow, Zeiss binoculars, Garmin GPS, Rokman frame pack, Badlands backpack, Sitka clothing,
cellphone, trail cameras, elk calls and other archery equipment,” OSP reports.
Kyle and Richard were also given 10 and eight days of jail or work crew, respectively.T
roopers patrolling Oregon Coast saltwaters were chosen as the
state police Fish and Wildlife Division’s work unit of the year.
The Marine Fisheries Team, with troopers stationed from
Astoria south to Gold Beach, were lauded for their “exceptional work
... teamwork, mentorship, professionalism and thinking outside the
box to address issues.” With wholesalers struggling to correctly submit
fish tickets, MFT troopers organized a series of training sessions with
Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife staffers and held them in four
major coastal ports to help educate commercial dealers and sellers.
This year the squad also received recognition from ODFW’s Marine
Resources Program. “Thanks to all of you for your ongoing commitment
to MRP management, regulations, enforcement and to the industries
and resources we both serve,” MRP manager Dr. Caren Braby said in
awarding the team his bureau’s annual partnership award.Sentenced
O
regon State Police report
that Edward B. Topor, Jr., 58,
of Portland, Cody Veelle, 25,
of Molalla, and Melanie R. Stutes, 24,
also of Molalla were recently sentenced
for their links to illegal bear baiting on
Weyerhaeuser’s Molalla Tree Farm.
The case began in spring 2018 with
the discovery of several bait stations
across the company’s timberlands
southeast of Portland, as well as two
trail cameras. At least two bears were
shot, with one left entirely to waste and
the other partially wasted, according to
OSP, which reported the subjects also
tried to kill more over bait that fall.
After pleading guilty to one count
each of baiting and wastage, Toper had
his hunting license suspended for half
a decade, was ordered to pay $1,200 in
fines and pony up $2,500 for the Oregon
Hunters Associations poacher fund, and
was placed on a year’s probation. Velle,
who pled guilty to a count of aiding
in a wildlife violation, also received 12
months probation, won’t be hunting for
the next three years and was ordered to
pay $460 in fines. Stutes was sentenced
to pay $750 after pleading guilty to one
count of baiting.KUDOS
(OSP)La Grande Son,
Dad Convicted of
Killing Mt. Emily Bull
Richard and Kyle Bowen stand next to the trophy
bull elk killed by Kyle on a general season tag when
a unit-specific one was required. (OSP)