Citizens Against Poaching Report Nabs Poachers

A call to the Citizens Against Poaching hotline from a Minidoka County resident on October 13, 2008, provided information that led to the conviction of two young men who had killed an antelope northeast of Rupert.

Idaho Fish and Game conservation officers James Stirling and Chris Shea started their investigation the following day. The reporting individual provided information that that helped officers identify several suspects.

In additional interviews, Stirling and Shea learned that the suspects had killed an antelope buck with a .17 caliber rifle, cut the head off with a hatchet, and left the body beside the road about 15 miles northeast of Rupert.

Two suspects were identified - James S. Ulrich, 21, of Rupert, and Trevor J. Darrington, 18, of Burley.

The officers interviewed the suspects, and each party implicated the other. Further information revealed that the head of the antelope was destroyed and disposed of in the desert.

After a week of interviews and case preparation, officers charged each suspect with wildlife violations that including hunting without license, hunting without a tag, taking antelope during a closed season, hunting with an unlawful weapon, possessing game taken unlawfully, wastefully destroying a big game animal and destroying or concealing evidence.

The case was heard in Minidoka County court.

Ulrich pleaded guilty to four charges: Unlawfully taking game animal; destroying or concealing evidence; unlawfully possessing, transporting or shipping wildlife; and wastefully destroying or mutilating wildlife.

He was ordered to pay $583 in fines and court costs, and a $200 civil penalty; to serve two years probation and two days community service; and his hunting privileges were revoked for three years.

Darrington pleaded guilty to three charges: Hunting during a closed season; hunting with an unlawful weapon; and wastefully destroying or mutilating wildlife.

He was ordered to pay $283 in fines and court costs, and a $200 civil penalty; to serve one year probation, four days community service; and his hunting privileges were revoked for three years.

Anyone with information about a wildlife crime is encouraged to call the Citizens Against Poaching hotline at 1-800-632-5999 or their local Fish and Game regional office.