|
Think twice before taking a roadside shot |
|
October 10, 2016 |
By Roger Phillips
IDFG Public Information Specialist
That buck or bull standing next to the road
might be a tempting target, but it might not be
what you think it is, and it could be a very
costly mistake.
Idaho Fish and Game conservation officers deploy
“artificial simulated animals” during hunting
season to catch law-breaking hunters. Commonly
called ASAs, they are life-like copies of deer,
elk and other game species that look and act
like the real thing.
“Officers watch the animal and respond if
someone violates the law,” said Fish and Game
Chief of Enforcement Greg Wooten. “This tool is
extremely important in our effort to curtail
illegal activity that is otherwise
undetectable.”
The simulated animals are typically used in
areas where there’s a history of spotlighting,
trespassing and road hunting.
“This is similar to other law enforcement
agencies watching an intersection based on
reports of frequent instances of failing to stop
at a stop sign, or monitoring speed compliance
using radar,” Wooten said.
Anyone found guilty of shooting an artificial
animal will lose his or her license, face a fine
up to $1,000 and a possible jail sentence of up
to six months. There is also a $50 minimum
restitution penalty for shooting an ASA to help
maintain the decoys.
That’s not all, officers can also cite people
for shooting from a road, trespassing, shooting
from a motorized vehicle, and other related
infractions that can increase penalties and
fines.
Although they’re not really an animal, judges
across the country have upheld the use of ASAs
and other tools to punish poachers, and judges
and prosecutors typically treat ASA cases the
same as shooting real animals.
More than 48 states and several Canadian
provinces have been using artificial animals
since the late 1980s. |
|
Questions or comments about this
article?
Click here to e-mail! |
|
|
|
|
