Illegal Party Hunting in Colorado Comes with $40K Fine

What will illegal party hunting get you in fines? In Colorado, about $40,000. That’s a mighty expensive hunt…

From this story in the Denver Post:
Parker outfitter Thomas E. Tietz and three out-of-state clients were fined almost $40,000 for illegally hunting trophy white-tail buck and other deer in Lincoln and Elbert counties. According to the Colorado Division of Wildlife, Tietz, 56, provided guided hunts to Thomas W. Franks, 56, of Harrisburg, Ill., and Amy S. Word, 35, of Newburgh, Ind., and Blaise Pignotti, 57, of St. Louis, Mo. The hunters agreed to plead guilty to “party hunting,” in which one person provides his or her hunting tag for an animal killed by another hunter, which constitutes an illegal transfer of a license, according to DOW. Tietz pleaded guilty illegal possession of wildlife and a separate count alleging he was responsible for the illegal taking of deer. He was fined $13,750 and was placed on supervised probation for two years. He lost his hunting and fishing privileges in Colorado and 34 other states that participate in the Interstate Wildlife Violator Compact. The hunters forfeited three rifles as part of their plea agreements. Franks and Word were each fined $11,968.50. Pignotti was fined $1,968.50, according to DOW

Ouch. I think that’s one party I’d just as soon skip out on…