Wy Expo buck

Deerlove

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From left to Right, Joshua Coursey, Muley Fanatic Foundation President/CEO accepts a $2500 Reward from Jason Radakovich that was initially presented to Radakovich by the Wyoming Game & Fish Department for his role in the investigation that led to a poaching conviction surrounding one of Wyoming?s most noted trophy mule deer.








Radakovich Donates Back

Local sportsman Jason Radakovich was recently given a $2,500 cash reward for his efforts and information he provided to the Wyoming Game and Fish Department that led to the conviction in what many believe to be one of the most publicized mule deer poaching?s ever to occur in the Cowboy State.



On February 13, 2016, Wyoming Game and Fish personnel were contacted by Radakovich who along with Shane Garner and David Brown had observed a mounted deer on display at the Western Hunting and Conservation Expo in Salt Lake City, Utah. When they saw the deer on display, they immediately recognized it as one they had observed and photographed multiple times throughout the summer and fall of 2015 northwest of Pinedale. Several photographs of the large, non-typical buck who had earned the nickname ?Big Boy? had been taken throughout the summer, and again after the hunting season had closed on October 7. As members of the public discussed this matter online the case received significant public attention on social and traditional media.



During the investigation, game wardens and members of the Wyoming Game and Fish Department's Investigative Unit learned that the deer had been harvested on November 14, 2015, west of Big Piney, about five weeks after the mule deer season had closed in that area. The hunter, who had already harvested a mule deer in September, used a license valid for white-tailed deer to tag the mule deer, stating he thought the deer was a hybrid between a mule deer and a white-tailed deer.



On March 29, 2016, the hunter was charged with intentionally taking an antlered mule deer out of season and was formally sentenced on October 25, 2016, in the Sublette County Circuit Court. He was ordered to pay over $9,000 in fines and restitution, and to serve 10 days in jail or five days in jail and 50 hours community service. His hunting and fishing privileges were also suspended for seven years.



John Lund, Pinedale Regional Wildlife Supervisor for the Wyoming Game and Fish Department, said, ?The concern and assistance from the public is certainly appreciated and this case is a good example of the public and Game and Fish personnel working together to protect Wyoming?s wildlife. We often rely on tips and information from the public regarding wildlife violations. Without Jason?s information, the incident could have gone undetected.? Lund also noted that information leading to a conviction on serious violations can lead to cash rewards. The Stop Poaching Hotline is 1-877-943-3847 or 1-877-WGFD-TIP.



While appreciative of the monetary reward, Radakovich elected to turn the $2,500 reward over to the Muley Fanatic Foundation to be used in their ongoing efforts to raise awareness of the Stop Poaching Hotline and their efforts to deter future heinous acts of thievery. ?I didn't initiate my call to Game and Fish because of the reward. I made the call because I knew that Big Boy had been poached and it was wrong. Poaching is stealing and I was sick over it. This was a tremendous deer that many enjoyed seeing and it was stolen from all of us,? adds Radakovich. ?I hope the publicity and outcome of this case can be used to promote the continued efforts of the Stop Poaching campaign and the importance of sportsmen being equipped to provide accurate information when such infractions are encountered.?



?Jason?s willingness to do the right thing by putting himself out there for what he knew was a violation of the law is a testament to not only his integrity as an individual but also an emphasis on what it means to be a sportsman,? said Joshua Coursey, MFF President/CEO. ?Quite simply, this is about ethics. The word hunter has tremendous meaning and very little of it has to do with the kill or harvest. Beyond the harvest and the bounty such harvests provide, hunters have a sense of reverence to the resource that they hold themselves accountable to play within the rules. Adhering to season dates, shooting light, area boundaries, quota numbers etc. are all a part of what makes a hunter a hunter. What Jason did is part of what it means to be an ethical hunter.?









A well-documented mule deer dubbed ?Big Boy? that was poached in Western Wyoming in 2015 has become instrumental in furthering the message of Stop Poaching and the role sportsmen play in providing information when infractions of the law occur.





Through a signed memorandum of understanding the Wyoming Game and Fish Department has turned over several mule deer racks/antlers of convicted poaching?s to the Muley Fanatic Foundation for public display at their numerous MFF Chapter events around the Cowboy State. The recent addition of the deer at the center of this case has drawn a lot of interest. ?Big Boy has had a huge following and we are pleased to be able to showcase its mount and use it as conversation piece to bring awareness to the Stop Poaching campaign. It's an awesome buck and while his demise is unfortunate, we are focused on turning this negative occurrence into a positive effort.?



The Stop Poaching hotline has been around for years and Coursey adds that the message and the tools are still worth the effort. ?Folks need to understand that the Stop Poaching campaign isn't just for hunters. This effort is for consumptive and non-consumptive users alike. The Stop Poaching hotline number is just as valuable of a tool for photographers, campers, mountain bikers, ATV users etc. Sportsmen today go to the field essentially with a computer and camera in tote with the advancements of today?s phone. This is a powerful tool. Wyoming currently has 50 game wardens state-wide and an enormous amount of area to monitor. Everyone should have the Stop Poaching hotline number in their phone contacts and be willing to help report violations. It's a matter of civic responsibility in my opinion.?



?In order for us to curb the amount of poaching that occurs we have got to do our part. We need to help the authority with the collection of information that can build strong cases for convictions. I hear too often, why bother, Game and Fish will just slap them on the hand with a warning or with a meaningless fine. This is ignorant. The Wyoming Game and Fish Department don't prosecute, those duties fall within the responsibilities of the court system. Wyoming?s wildlife is a valuable resource and cases like this one where Jason, Shane and David helped provide solid information for the investigation proved vital. Cases like this one and even the Rock Springs College Hill buck in 2014 have garnered great attention and I believe the Courts are responding appropriately.?



If you have other ideas or ways to raise awareness of the Stop Poaching Hotline the Muley Fanatic Foundation would like to hear your ideas and suggestions to further spread the word and benefit the cause. For more information about the Muley Fanatic Foundation and its conservation efforts surrounding mule deer, visit the website muleyfanatic.org
 
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