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Illegally guided sheep hunts net big fines for Idaho outfitter.
With wild sheep hunts skyrocketing in price and the demand for wild sheep hunting blasting through the ceiling of opportunity it’s no surprise that shady folks looking to make a buck, or thousands in this case, are outfitting and guiding hunts for sheep in closed areas hoping to not get caught. Such is the case with Michael T. Scott and Jerrod R. Farr, a pair of men who sold, facilitated and guided a pair of illegal hunts for bighorn sheep in the Salmon-Challis National Forest, an area closed to commercial guiding.
Both men have been convicted and ordered to pay fines and restitution nearly totalling $50,000 and completing four and two-year terms of probation respectively. There is no word at this time as to whether or not the hunters who bought the hunts and hunted with these two men have been implicated in any punitive remuneration.
This example serves as a stark reminder that not all outfitters are who they claim to be and anyone looking to book a guided/outfitted hunt for anything should make sure the outfit they are booking with is 100% above board. There are plenty of ways to do this: interview past clients, especially from the previous hunting season, examine all marketing materials thoroughly (websites, social media pages, etc.) and look for things that appear “off”.
Perhaps the best way to ensure you’re getting a great outfitter is to use a trusted booking service that vets each and every outfitter and guide they work with. Eastmans Outfitter Finder is a great place to start. We personally hunt with and can vouch for all the outfitters we recommend so you can rest easy knowing you’re not going to get taken to the cleaners by a fly by night operation.
As for the punishment fitting the crime in the above case… I’d like to have seen both men serve actual jail time and receive lifetime hunting, fishing and trapping bans. Oh, and perhaps double the fines would make them and others like them think twice before stealing from the public trust that is American wildlife.
