Internet Bragging Costly to Harrison County Deer Poacher

[Fishhound]

[font "Arial"]A decision to brag on the Internet about a hunting success has proven costly to two Harrison County residents, according to Sgt. Roy Cool of the Division of Natural Resources Law Enforcement Section District 1 office in Farmington. On January 23, several citizens notified DNR officers that, on an outdoors related Internet message board, Robert Daniel “Murphy” Kane II, a 26-year old Bridgeport man, had posted that he killed two bucks on the first day of the 2006 buck season. The legal bag limit is one per day. Kane even disclosed details of the two deer kills, including photos of himself and the two deer. Kane had appropriately labeled the message board heading “Opening Day Bucks.” [/font]
[font "Arial"]Harrison County conservation officers investigated. Cpl. D.P. Whyte and Officer R.G. Waybright located and interviewed Kane for two hours January 27. Their investigation resulted in Kane being charged with five wildlife law violations: conspiring to violate Chapter 20 of the WV State Code (wildlife laws), failure to field tag a deer, illegal possession of a buck deer, hunting after killing a legally killed deer, and exceeding the daily bag limit of buck deer.[/font]
[font "Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"]Kane pleaded “no contest” before Harrison County Magistrate Gizzy Davis on January 29. Kane paid a total of $861.50 in fines and costs, which included a $200 replacement fee for the illegally killed buck. Investigating officers also confiscated Kane’s 10-point rack, which was waiting to be mounted at a taxidermist.[/font]
[font "Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"]Also charged in the investigation was Kane’s father, 53-year old Robert Daniel Kane I of Clarksburg. The elder Kane was assessed $381 on three charges involving conspiring with his son in game law violations and illegal possession of buck deer. Total fines and costs in the investigation came to $1242.50.[/font]
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[BEARCLAW]

Wow. Sounds like he was getting a bit greedy eh?
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[Tarpon4me]

LOL, geez. You'd think that if someone is stupid enough to break the law, they'd atleast have enough common sense to keep thier mouth shut about it. [crazy]
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[tlspyder13]

Nothing like handing over everthing needed to the courts. Always amazes me how many people catch themselves by having to document their illegal actions.
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[lunkerhunter2]

I would think not. Stupid is as stupid does.[]
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[RILEYFISH]

[mad][mad] It sounds to me as I read this that I think they got off way to cheap. 861.50 for fines and cost which included the 200 dollar replacement cost. Good hell men that is cheap.

They should have had the book thrown at them! A minor fine for a crime like that to me almost promotes poaching. Your chances of getting caught are slim. until you brag like that. Why did they not take his firearms, his vehicles, atvs etc. take away his hunting rights in other states.

Ok, I feel better now. The citizens of that state got taken for a ride in my opinion.
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[Tarpon4me]

You're right, it should've been a stronger penalty. However, they couldn't have taken his vehicle or anything. They have to catch them in the act for that. They can only confiscate what items were used DURING the hunting of the illegal deer. The DNR couldn't prove if he was even using his vehicle when hunting, or what firearm, etc...... The state won't waste the money to do expensive pherensic tests for a single deer.

I imagine if it were multiple deer, like a dozen or so, then they could justify the money for the tests. It costs thousands of dollars to do those tests.
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[RILEYFISH]

They do things a little diffrent in those parts. back here in the Utah, Wyoming, Idaho, MOntana, Colorado area, they would hit them hard, And they take vehiles and such. back there they have many more deer to take from than we do. and usually the poachers out here are taking a trophy class animal. Either way that guy got away with murder
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