We the undersigned of this petition call for an investigation to be done and prosecution initiated concerning the killing of an Oregon wolf identified as OR-9 on Jan. 2nd of 2012 near Emmett, Idaho. The wolf was shot illegally by a man whose wolf hunting license had expired as of the end of 2011. The hunter stated the store clerk that sold him the tag told him it was good for the entire season. The terms of the hunting tag, say otherwise.
According to Mike Keckler, communications bureau chief for the Idaho Department of Fish and Game, "The IDFG issued the hunter a warning over the incident "and that's as far as it went." He said the department stopped short of issuing a citation because the hunter received "incorrect information from a clerk from one of our vendor stores."
Ignorance however is not a legitimate defense. Similar claims for elk and other big game poachers have led to prosecution. This Idaho hunter/poacher was spending his time hunting coyotes when he saw and killed OR-9, a 2-1/2 year-old wolf from the Imnaha Pack from Oregon.
We ask that this hunter be held accountable as have previous poachers and be prosecuted to the letter of the law for this illegal killing.
