An Idaho poacher has been sentenced to three months in jail, thousands of dollars in fines, and a 10-year hunting license suspension after a three-year undercover investigation revealed that he had illegally killed a mountain goat, provided guiding services without a license, and possessed a weapon as a convicted felon.
Idaho Fish and Game Investigators launched an operation against Paul D. Coward, 55, after receiving “nearly 23 years of complaints” by concerned sportsmen, including 20 separate tips.
Coward had been given nine violations or warnings by Idaho Fish and Game since 2015, according to the Couer d’Alene Post Falls Press. This included an illegal trapping conviction in 2015.
Agents went undercover to utilize Coward’s guiding services. In one operation, agents accompanied Coward on a guided elk hunt, which included visiting illegal bait sites. It is illegal in Idaho to use bait to attract deer or elk for the purposes of hunting.
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Based on this investigation, authorities obtained a search warrant for Coward’s home, where they found an illegally harvested mountain goat as well as firearms. Due to a previous felony conviction, Coward is prohibited from possessing firearms. The mountain goat was killed in Washington, and Idaho Fish and Game says Coward was trying to hide it in his home.
Coward was charged with multiple felonies and misdemeanors, including possession of drugs and paraphernalia, outfitting/guiding without a license, unlawful possession of firearms, hunting big game over unlawful bait, and a felony count of possession of unlawfully taken wildlife.
In exchange for his guilty plea, prosecutors dropped the misdemeanor charges as well as one of the felony charges.
First District Judge Scott Wayman suspended Coward’s five-year prison sentence and instead ordered him to spend the month of September in jail in the years 2022, 2023, and 2024. This was intended to coincide with archery elk season in Idaho, “which is when many of his violations took place,” according to IDFG.
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In addition, his hunting privileges have been revoked for 10 years in Idaho (as well as the other 48 member states of the Wildlife Violator Compact), and he’s been ordered to pay $16,000 in fines, restitution and court costs including a $10,000 civil penalty for the unlawfully possessed mountain goat.
Mary Miller of Kellogg, Idaho, called the judge’s sentence a “slap o’ the wrist,” and Melissa Cowles of Rose Lake, Idaho, called for new judges.
A GunsAmerica review of Coward’s Facebook profile reveals numerous images of trapped wolves and dead bull elk.
GunsAmerica reached out to Coward but did not receive a response by publication time.
Every one should be allowed to carry a gun. Why does the government CONTROL so much? Why does one have to pay and be licensed to guide ? Only crime I see here is illegally killing the goat.
Ignorant judge. Not letting him hunt one month a year? A poacher doesn’t care.
Crackhead Hunter Biden didn’t get 10years.
In Colorado, those crimes would have the Perp in far more heavy sentences than that.
I can see the leniency when the Hunter makes mistakes from ignorance or negligence, but he knew damn well that he was breaking many laws.
These fines and sentences for breaking the laws are supposed to both educate and punish those who violate them, but it’s very obvious this individual had NO intention of abiding by then to begin with, so leniency is NOT the message to send.
Plea bargain for what? BS!
Dog or cat would have been a life sentence
the judge well I can’t print what I think.
The judge needs to spend the rest of the sentence, 4 years and 9 months, in jail.
Felon in possession of a firearm, and he didn’t get 10 years?!