{"id":156529,"date":"2022-01-03T15:39:11","date_gmt":"2022-01-03T20:39:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.gunsamerica.com\/digest\/?p=156529"},"modified":"2024-08-31T11:33:45","modified_gmt":"2024-08-31T16:33:45","slug":"hunt365-idaho-hunter-gets-slap-on-the-wrist-for-unlawfully-killing-a-mountain-goat-other-felonies","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/hunt365-idaho-hunter-gets-slap-on-the-wrist-for-unlawfully-killing-a-mountain-goat-other-felonies\/","title":{"rendered":"Idaho Hunter Gets ‘Slap on the Wrist’ for Unlawfully Killing a Mountain Goat, Other Felonies"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"Idaho
(Photo: Idaho Fish and Game<\/a><\/em>)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Idaho Fish and Game Investigators launched an operation against Paul D. Coward, 55, after receiving \u201cnearly 23 years of complaints\u201d by concerned sportsmen, including 20 separate tips.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Coward had been given nine violations or warnings by Idaho Fish and Game since 2015, according to the Couer d\u2019Alene Post Falls Press<\/a>. This included an illegal trapping conviction in 2015.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Agents went undercover to utilize Coward\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Based on this investigation, authorities obtained a search warrant for Coward\u2019s 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<\/a> Coward was trying to hide it in his home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In exchange for his guilty plea, prosecutors dropped the misdemeanor charges as well as one of the felony charges.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

First District Judge Scott Wayman suspended Coward\u2019s 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, \u201cwhich is when many of his violations took place,\u201d according to IDFG.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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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\u2019s been ordered to pay $16,000 in fines, restitution and court costs including a $10,000 civil penalty for the unlawfully possessed mountain goat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mary Miller of Kellogg, Idaho, called<\/a> the judge\u2019s sentence a \u201cslap o\u2019 the wrist,\u201d and Melissa Cowles of Rose Lake, Idaho, called for new judges.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A GunsAmerica review of Coward\u2019s Facebook profile<\/a> reveals numerous images of trapped wolves and dead bull elk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n