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Never done it but this time I think I should. C&P
257izmycal
Member Posts: 684 ✭✭✭✭
I have never written a letter to the editor but this time I think I should. I read this in the paper tonight. I don't like the word "hunters" being used. These guys are not hunters they are nothing more than criminals in my opinion. They did not do it for food, they did it for fun. I know the officer in question.
In the Wellington Daily News, Wellington, Kansas.
"Complaint names others
Federal charges have been pressed on a group of five hunters in the killing more than 100 Canadian Geese. The case was investigated by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and by conservation officers from the state Fish and Wildlife Service.
The incident in question has caused former Sumner County Sheriff Deputy Brien Swingle to resign his post with the department.
Sumner County Sheriff Gerald Gilkey couldn't remember the exact date of Swingle's resignation, would only say Swingle did resign from his position, but could not further discuss employment issues.
Others charged in the case include Sumner County residents Todd Larson of Argonia and Kelley Phillips of Milan, and Peter Swingle and Brant Berringer, both of Attica.
In this case, the unlawful take of 147 waterfowl in one day, on Jan. 10, is being investigated.
Significantly, 117 of those foul are Canadian Geese, which are protected by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, according to Gary Mowad, special agent of the US Fish and Wildlife Service.
Under this act, a limit of only three Canada Geese is allowed per day, with an additional limit of six in possession for situations where there may have been a weekend-long hunting trip.
The group of five would have had a limit of 15 Canadian Geese and broke that regulation by over 100 fowl. Reports do not indicate what the hunters wanted to do with the fowl.
Mowad said that there were a number of regulatory violations under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act which were violated. The maximum penalty for each violation is $15,000 and six months in jail.
All five are charged with exceeding the daily limit of waterfowl, and exceeding the possession limit of migratory birds. In addition, Brien Swingle is charged with hunting with an unplugged shotgun.
Other regulations, such as the transportation of illegally taken migratory birds and hunting with invalid federal and state waterfowl stamps have also been added into the mix.
Local agent for the US Fish and Wildlife Service Manny Medina, resident agent in charge, said the hunters each face between two and five charges.
A subsequent hunting trip where 28 Canada Geese were killed by the same group of hunters is also being looked into by law enforcement.
The case will be handled through the federal court, prosecuted through the US Attorney's office in Wichita. The first court date has not yet been set.
The courts will look at prior records of the defendants, including Brien Swingle's previous charge of taking or dealing in wildlife, where he received probation and was ticketed for hunting deer in closed season. This complaint was filed by the state in October of 2002. At the time, Swingle was an employee of the Sumner County Sheriffs Department. He agreed to diversion in that incident.
Swingle has previous law enforcement experience in Argonia, where he served as the Chief of Police from Sept. of 1999 to August of 2002. He also resigned from that position after an alleged misuse of funds; however, current Argonia officials declined comment on the issue.
An official of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service explained that there is a large difference in limitations placed on different goose species. For example, Snow Geese are not considered very good to eat and they are over populate some areas, so there are very liberal limits on hunting that species of foul.
"With the Canada Geese, they are much better eating, and consequently hunted for consumption. However, the population is not nearly as high and for that reason there are lower limits allowed when hunting that species," said Mowad.
Mowad says the persons named in this case have all been cooperative in this investigation."
I am wrong for letting the use of the word "hunters" get to me?
Let me know your opinions.
Also I am getting close to the magic number of "257" posts and there will be a drawing soon. I will make another post with details.
Thanks for letting me rant.
257
You're a statistic whether you want to be or not.
In the Wellington Daily News, Wellington, Kansas.
"Complaint names others
Federal charges have been pressed on a group of five hunters in the killing more than 100 Canadian Geese. The case was investigated by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and by conservation officers from the state Fish and Wildlife Service.
The incident in question has caused former Sumner County Sheriff Deputy Brien Swingle to resign his post with the department.
Sumner County Sheriff Gerald Gilkey couldn't remember the exact date of Swingle's resignation, would only say Swingle did resign from his position, but could not further discuss employment issues.
Others charged in the case include Sumner County residents Todd Larson of Argonia and Kelley Phillips of Milan, and Peter Swingle and Brant Berringer, both of Attica.
In this case, the unlawful take of 147 waterfowl in one day, on Jan. 10, is being investigated.
Significantly, 117 of those foul are Canadian Geese, which are protected by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, according to Gary Mowad, special agent of the US Fish and Wildlife Service.
Under this act, a limit of only three Canada Geese is allowed per day, with an additional limit of six in possession for situations where there may have been a weekend-long hunting trip.
The group of five would have had a limit of 15 Canadian Geese and broke that regulation by over 100 fowl. Reports do not indicate what the hunters wanted to do with the fowl.
Mowad said that there were a number of regulatory violations under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act which were violated. The maximum penalty for each violation is $15,000 and six months in jail.
All five are charged with exceeding the daily limit of waterfowl, and exceeding the possession limit of migratory birds. In addition, Brien Swingle is charged with hunting with an unplugged shotgun.
Other regulations, such as the transportation of illegally taken migratory birds and hunting with invalid federal and state waterfowl stamps have also been added into the mix.
Local agent for the US Fish and Wildlife Service Manny Medina, resident agent in charge, said the hunters each face between two and five charges.
A subsequent hunting trip where 28 Canada Geese were killed by the same group of hunters is also being looked into by law enforcement.
The case will be handled through the federal court, prosecuted through the US Attorney's office in Wichita. The first court date has not yet been set.
The courts will look at prior records of the defendants, including Brien Swingle's previous charge of taking or dealing in wildlife, where he received probation and was ticketed for hunting deer in closed season. This complaint was filed by the state in October of 2002. At the time, Swingle was an employee of the Sumner County Sheriffs Department. He agreed to diversion in that incident.
Swingle has previous law enforcement experience in Argonia, where he served as the Chief of Police from Sept. of 1999 to August of 2002. He also resigned from that position after an alleged misuse of funds; however, current Argonia officials declined comment on the issue.
An official of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service explained that there is a large difference in limitations placed on different goose species. For example, Snow Geese are not considered very good to eat and they are over populate some areas, so there are very liberal limits on hunting that species of foul.
"With the Canada Geese, they are much better eating, and consequently hunted for consumption. However, the population is not nearly as high and for that reason there are lower limits allowed when hunting that species," said Mowad.
Mowad says the persons named in this case have all been cooperative in this investigation."
I am wrong for letting the use of the word "hunters" get to me?
Let me know your opinions.
Also I am getting close to the magic number of "257" posts and there will be a drawing soon. I will make another post with details.
Thanks for letting me rant.
257
You're a statistic whether you want to be or not.
Comments
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