Conviction for Killing Grizzly Bear

https://www.usnews.com/news/best-st...11/wyoming-man-fined-25k-for-shooting-grizzly

This case had been kept quiet for the last year or so. A fine of 25k and suspension of hunting privileges for a year.

I note that Luke Ellsbury, a G&F employee/biologist, killed a grizzly bear in 2013. I think his fine was only $ 7,500.00. I could be wrong on that. I also note that Chris Queen, another G&F employee/warden, killed a grizzly bear in Sunlight Basin in 2017 while out elk hunting. He received no fine and the death was ruled self defense.

I guess if you want a break after shooting a grizzly bear, it may be better for you if you are wearing a red shirt and work for the G&F.

just sayin...mh

Lot of truth to what you said. Its all who you know.

I know of several bears that get killed that never make the news nor many will never hear about and depending on the red shirt it can go good if your in tight with them or go very south if you don't like each other.

I am just waiting for the day when Ron ostrom with the forest service gets it handed to him. Im surprised he hasn't shot a bear. He sees a bear a mile away and he is in tears and scared to death. Also I never understood why he can use government trucks,trailer,horses and tack and take his daughter hunting and also take other hunters out doing a guided hunt. Is he working or guiding????? He just points to his badge on his coat and that's the answer you get from him

>https://www.usnews.com/news/best-st...11/wyoming-man-fined-25k-for-shooting-grizzly
>
>This case had been kept quiet
>for the last year or
>so. A fine of 25k
>and suspension of hunting privileges
>for a year.
>
>I note that Luke Ellsbury, a
>G&F employee/biologist, killed a grizzly
>bear in 2013. I think
>his fine was only $
>7,500.00. I could be wrong
>on that. I also note
>that Chris Queen, another G&F
>employee/warden, killed a grizzly bear
>in Sunlight Basin in 2017
>while out elk hunting. He
>received no fine and the
>death was ruled self defense.
>
>
>I guess if you want a
>break after shooting a grizzly
>bear, it may be better
>for you if you are
>wearing a red shirt and
>work for the G&F.
>
>just sayin...mh


I thought Luke Ellsbury's fine was $10,000, the usual fine in Park County for the shooting of a grizzly bear when not in self defense and then self reporting the incident ASAP. Ellsbury self reported the violation as soon as he realized the mistake.

Chris Queen's incident was fully investigated by the Wyoming Dept of Criminal Investigation and it was determined he killed the bear in self defense. Queen also self reported the incident immediately.

A Wyoming hunter that accidentally (thought it was a black bear) killed a grizzly bear this fall in Park Co. and self reported it also received a $10,000 fine.

ClearCreek

This fine was a joke, and its not Stalkups first brush with game violations.

It's also pretty tough to claim self defense when you shoot the bear in the side with a .22 from the front seat of a truck.

He didn't get nearly what he had coming...and whoever said its about who you know or $$$, you'd be right.

Anyone else that couldn't afford a high priced attorney would have been slapped with jail time, a much higher fine, and wayyy more years of no hunting privileges for pulling a stunt like that.

Clear Creek,

You could be right about the fine. It is a sorry situation when a G&F carnivore biologist/employee can't tell the difference between a black bear and a grizzly bear. I wouldn't hunt black bears on this side of the mountain as a mistake just isn't worth it. Another fellow was recently convicted for doing this around Clark. That being said, I can count all the black bears I have seen on this side of the mountain on one hand.

Buzz H,
The Stalkup fellows case was very hush hush around here. I don't know why that was the case. This was the first reporting I saw on that case. jm77 told me about it last year. Dusty Lassiter from G&F was reluctant to talk about it when I questioned him this Summer. I have no idea who Stalkup is. I do know that some outfitters in this area are rumored to have driven many a grizzly bear out of their camps over the years with a .22. I guess the moral of the story is shoot the grizzly bear from the front with a high powered rifle, and if you do so you had better be bitten, mauled and bloody or have a witness. After, Jerry Ruth and Brian Loeper were mauled they shot the offending bear and were not prosecuted. If you aren't mauled first, I am guessing you have a 50-50 chance of claiming self defense unless you work for G&F.

I have had numerous close encounters with grizzly bears while hiking and hunting. I have never had to shoot or spray one yet. I hope that I am never in that situation for many reasons.

just sayin...mh

That biologist incedent was a little fishy, but things happen sometimes.
Don't no the man or much about the circumstances.
But, Mr. Queen I have met and spoke with several times over a few years.
If he felt he needed to shoot, you can bet he had to.
The bear he shot was a well known problem in that area by the guys I talked to that live and hunt there. That old sow likely would have killed someone eventually from the stories I was told.
It's a wonder someone hadn't already slipped a hole through that bear, with all the charges on hunters and hikers I herd about.
Though I agree fines seem to be all over the bored a lot of times.
Should be a more regular rate on that sort of thing.

If you hunt in grizzly country be prepared to have a few encounters. If you dont like grizzly bears hunt in places they don't roam. If you do have to shoot a grizzly tell the truth. Obviously Mr. Stalkup has an honesty problem and it didn't just start with this one incident. Losing your hunting license for one year is a jk. Simple really...

"Obviously Mr. Stalkup has an honesty problem"

Obviously you are not aware that Brent turned himself in once he realized he had killed the bear. He didn't try to hide anything. When the bear came back into his camp for the third or fourth time it came between him and his larger-caliber firearms so the .22 short he used was all he had in that immediate situation. He didn't try to hide anything yet keyboard warriors who don't know or care to know the full story pretend to be upstanding, law-obiding, ethical outdoor role models. Give me a break.

Dumb, dumb the bear only came to his camp once, not three or four times liked he reported. Read dummy read. There was an investigation and the tracks showed the bear only approached his camp once. He lied. Just for the record smarty this isn't his first GnF violation. Why did he plead guilty if he did nothing wrong? Now get off the internet and go drink another beer with your boy, Mr. Stalkup.

LAST EDITED ON Dec-14-18 AT 08:07AM (MST)[p]The last two comments in this post are interesting. I wasn't there when this occurred and I assume the two individuals arguing over this case were also not there. I don't know Mr. Stalkup or his past misdeeds. It is my understanding that there were no witnesses to this grizzly shooting. That is always going to be a problem when presenting a defense. Also, his past misdeeds might not be considered relevant by a trial judge. Did they involve shooting a grizzly bear or some other protected animal? The fact you have done something stupid or criminal in the past may not always be relevant to a criminal act you are charged with. In our system of justice we have well established rules of evidence that govern relevancy. Once a criminal, always a criminal, is not going to get a prosecutor many convictions.

I can tell you that many people plead guilty to avoid the expense and uncertainty of a trial. From what jm77 told me last year, I assume that Mr. Stalkup was not low income and able to use the services of a public defender. A 25k fine may very well be cheaper than having an attorney represent you through all proceedings and including a one or two day jury trial. That would be even higher if there was an appeal. The suspension of privileges for a single year tells the story in this case. There is no way the G&F would have agreed to this if they felt their case was a "slam dunk" in Park County.

The case was kept quiet and out of the press for almost a year until the plea agreement. If I were the deputy prosecutor, I would have real concerns about getting a conviction in front of a Park County jury. Many of the folks who live in Park County, and would sit on the jury, are sick of the "grizzly bear circus" that pervades this county. Many of us are tired of the out of state funded billboards, bears in our backyards and towns (Clark, Byron, Ralston, Heart Mountain, Cody, a local corn maze, and the Dairy Queen), people being attacked or chased regularly, the constant moving and return of problem bears, and the high expense borne on the subject which often comes from our pockets as sportsman. A juror or two holding out with no conviction would have been a huge problem for G&F. I can also assure you that G&F has not always had success when actually taking a case to trial.

Just a short time before this incident, you had a warden hunting alone who shot a grizzly bear with a high powered rifle. He got off with no fine or conviction of any kind. His job as a G&F employee may very well have had a lot to do with that outcome. In this case, an elk hunter hunting alone shoots a grizzly bear with a .22 and is charged by G&F. At one time, It was my understanding that Warden Chris Queen was the investigating officer on the Stalkup case. Do you think that may have been a problem at trial? Did Warden Queen intend to kill a grizzly bear when he shot it with a high powered rifle? Did Mr. Stalkup intend to kill a grizzly bear when he shot it with a .22 short? Hum?

Again, I hope to hell that I am never attacked by a grizzly bear. I often prefer to hunt and hike alone. I have been bluff charged and harassed by grizzly bears over the years. I have never had to shoot one or spray one. I doubt if I shot a grizzly bear in self defense, while I was alone, that I would get the same treatment that Mr. Queen did. That is just my opinion.

I have a trout stream in my backyard in Clark. The grass is high back there. I seldom fish it anymore as a sow and cub and a boar have been sighted in that area in 2018. I also hate fly fishing with a revolver or bear spray on. I don't want to shoot myself if the fly line gets tangled with either item. No comments on my fishing skills. I don't fish the Clarks Fork of the Yellowstone as much as I use to. It is now a travel corridor for grizzly bears.

I am sure to be attacked for my comments here. I am not defending Mr. Stalkup. I don't practice law anymore but I do know how the law can work. Everything is not always as black and white as it may seem.

just sayin...mh

Not going to attack your fishing skills or anything else in your post MH. During my career 30+ years in LE I know exactly what you are talking about and it definitely is as you say in your final sentence.

LAST EDITED ON Dec-14-18 AT 09:45AM (MST)[p]Here is something that crossed my mind about chris queen. The DCI investigated the case. I just don't picture DCI getting on horses and checking out the kill site.

I know several people that work in the DCI office. They used us as a contractor to do electrical work. I got to know them more when I was in the middle of a case. All because I hired a plumber and his phone was tapped, he was selling guns and dope, my phone call was just to hire a plumber. but anyway one guy in the DCI office is a hunter who I could see going in the backcounty. I bet they just looked at pictures and said case is complete. most of the employees are not willing to go into the backcountry

I am not a huge fan of Chris Queen. He is in really tight with some locals and takes their info to heart. Its also suggestions he gets that could affect us and already has.

I don't trust the guy any further than I can throw a stick. I have seen him write some dumb violations and also let his buddies off.

I will say for Chris if you need info for hunt he will share the info. I myself got his cell phone and asked about mnt. goats and sheep and his info was really good. I do give him a pat on the back for the info he is willing to share.

Travis Krane is another game warden I do not trust. Him and I got into a huge screaming match. The part that caused him to get really mad is I video recorded him, at that point I was protecting myself which in the end I won

mightyhunter

Queen and the bear he killed have about as much to do with this case as the defendants priors, but you chose to bring it up anyway. Huh. Next time you choose to make a long dissertation to make a point, it could be helpful to not make the same mistake you are pointing out.

Just for the record, my conversations with you about the grizzly shooting were to see what you were hearing. Not sure why you keep mentioning we talked about it.

LAST EDITED ON Dec-14-18 AT 05:18PM (MST)[p]grosventrehunter - No, the bear came into his camp "only one time" AFTER it had started to snow. That is why there appeared to be only one set of tracks. There is video evidence of the same bear coming into his camp and being run off by his dog prior to the snow coming down. Morons like you is why Brent took the plea rather than risking 12 uneducated hicks in a jury pool.

Alaska_bou,

It seems like you're in the know. All I know is what I read in the Cody Enterprise, which had more details then the above link. A couple of questions. First, why was he separated from his larger caliber rifles after the bear came into his camp two times as you state in post #7? Second, why not get in your truck?

That second question makes it pretty hard to claim self-defense to a jury, even if it is full of uneducated or educated hicks. No? Maybe the Cody Enterprise article got it wrong about his truck being there.

http://www.codyenterprise.com/news/local/article_979d0f6a-fcbf-11e8-a703-8b170457b83d.html

So your suggesting he purposefully used a small caliber because he is a malicious animal sadist? And turned turn himself in under his own volition after this encounter, mind you.

LAST EDITED ON Dec-14-18 AT 07:46PM (MST)[p]LAST EDITED ON Dec-14-18 AT 07:45?PM (MST)


Alaska, you need wipe your love for Brent off your lips!! He is a poacher plain and simple. AGAIN, this isnt your boyfriends first run in with the law. Maybe you are the buddy who also lost his hunting rights over a few "mistakes" while hunting mule deer with Brent. Here is a question from an uneducated hick. Tell everyone here and now if Brent ever lost his hunting rights in the past. When he plead guilty in the past was he worried about the uneducated hicks on the jury then too. Do tell....

Since you seem to know so much why didn't you testify on his behalf? I mean afterall you were present during the incident, right?

If I was ever accused of a crime I didn't commit there would never be a plea no matter how many uneducated hicks were on the jury. Birds of a feather.....

>So your suggesting he purposefully used
>a small caliber because he
>is a malicious animal sadist?
>And turned turn himself in
>under his own volition after
>this encounter, mind you.

I'm not suggesting anything. I simply asked a question to the narrative you put out there. It doesn't make sense for someone not to have their largest rifle next to them after a grizzly bear came into their camp twice. No answer for that second question?

If your going to shoot a bear in self defense, you better not shoot it in the a$$ as it walks away.


That is the single most important factor that distinguishes this case from the others that have been brought up here.

Boy everyone was up in arms when they canceled the Bear hunt and a guide got eaten. Now we B!T%H about this guy who alleged self defense which may or may not have happened. If you weren't there you don't know what really went down.

LAST EDITED ON Jan-02-19 AT 08:41PM (MST)[p]Pretty tough to claim self defense, when shooting a bear in the ribs (while supposedly shooting at its ass) with a .22 while either in, or standing next to your truck...

Plus, who isn't a good enough shot to hit a grizzly bear in the ass with .22 at 33 yards? Oh, I know, he must have bumped his scope...

There's enough that Stalkup admitted to, that nobody really needed to be there to figure out what happened.

Most people can connect the most obvious of dots.

nfh said:

Lot of truth to what you said. Its all who you know.

I know of several bears that get killed that never make the news nor many will never hear about and depending on the red shirt it can go good if your in tight with them or go very south if you don't like each other.

I am just waiting for the day when Ron ostrom with the forest service gets it handed to him. Im surprised he hasn't shot a bear. He sees a bear a mile away and he is in tears and scared to death. Also I never understood why he can use government trucks,trailer,horses and tack and take his daughter hunting and also take other hunters out doing a guided hunt. Is he working or guiding????? He just points to his badge on his coat and that's the answer you get from him

Click to expand...

Well, he is getting his just due! Maybe we should all chip in for a case of soap on a rope as he enjoys prison. He has been lying and cheating since 1990. How it took the FS this long to get him, I will never know. If people only knew half of the things he did when I was married to him but no….I was always the crazy one. Who is going to prison now? Sure isn’t me!

I feel like this post has been buffering since 2019. LOL. Took this long for the ex-wife to show up?

Ex-wife aka “Good time ranch”

This just got fun.

It's getting interesting now. This calls for extra butter on the popcorn..............

This thread is making it’s own gravy now.

yesterday, 2/21/24, was sentencing day for Ostrom. What punishment did that POS receive? As of a couple of days ago, Ostrom was posting on social media like he didn't have a care in the world. a true sociopath, fer sure. So, I take it that 'good time ranch' is an ex wife?

Good Time Ranch said:

Well, he is getting his just due! Maybe we should all chip in for a case of soap on a rope as he enjoys prison. He has been lying and cheating since 1990. How it took the FS this long to get him, I will never know. If people only knew half of the things he did when I was married to him but no….I was always the crazy one. Who is going to prison now? Sure isn’t me!

Click to expand...

So he killed this bear with one shot from a . 22 short?

P.T. Jeffers said:

yesterday, 2/21/24, was sentencing day for Ostrom. What punishment did that POS receive? As of a couple of days ago, Ostrom was posting on social media like he didn't have a care in the world. a true sociopath, fer sure. So, I take it that 'good time ranch' is an ex wife?

Click to expand...

Any word what the result was?

no wonder he's been running around the Basin acting all giddy and not a care in the world. All he got was a slap on the wrist and must of known that ahead of time. See my new thread regarding this jackwad