First I heard of this...

[Tuc]

Happened Sept, 2012

http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2012/09/25/wildlife-officers-seize-500-sets-of-antlers_n_1914699.html

[Alberta_huntress_83]

Heartbreaking to think of that many animals being taken down illegally I'm so glad they nailed this guy and I hope they punish him to the full extent of the law!

[JIMMY 808]

Happened Sept, 2012

http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2012/09/25/wildlife-officers-seize-500-sets-of-antlers_n_1914699.html

  God damn shed hunters some of these bastards use antlers for buttons on sweaters pisses me
Right off.  I bet the low life had a trained dog to assist in illegal activities. 

[walking buffalo]

Heartbreaking to think of that many animals being taken down illegally I'm so glad they nailed this guy and I hope they punish him to the full extent of the law!

How many animals were taken down illegally?

According to F&W, ZERO anilmals were illegally killed. This guy simply had collected and was gifted old antlers for the collection at his Garage.

He was baited by undercover agents over several un-invited visits into selling a couple sets of antlers for a nominal price that he did not have permits for. The fellow never offered to sell anything. He was repeatedly asked by the undercover agents to sell something, anything. In the end, he sold some old ratty racks for a few bucks. Did he break the law? Yes. Should Enforcement have targeted this fellow and put extended resources into this, Not a chance in Hell....


Mob mentality....  Lets dogpile because someone jumped on first....

[Weste]

How many animals were taken down illegally?

According to F&W, ZERO anilmals were illegally killed. This guy simply had collected and was gifted old antlers for the collection at his Garage.

He was baited by undercover agents over several un-invited visits into selling a couple sets of antlers for a nominal price that he did not have permits for. The fellow never offered to sell anything. He was repeatedly asked by the undercover agents to sell something, anything. In the end, he sold some old ratty racks for a few bucks. Did he break the law? Yes. Should Enforcement have targeted this fellow and put extended resources into this, Not a chance in Hell....


Mob mentality....  Lets dogpile because someone jumped on first....

I didnt read any of this in the report.  Where did you get the info Walking Buffalo?  I agree on the illegal taking of the animals, the story does not report that they were taken illegally (although that can be hard to prove), but trafficking is a serious charge and promotes other illegal activities.  Anyway, more info would be great.

thanks

[Weste]

  God damn shed hunters some of these bastards use antlers for buttons on sweaters pisses me
Right off.  I bet the low life had a trained dog to assist in illegal activities.

I didnt read anything about sheds.  The story says sets of antlers and the pictures show intact skulls with antlers attached.

[JIMMY 808]

I didnt read anything about sheds.  The story says sets of antlers and the pictures show intact skulls with antlers attached.

  Would the reporter have a clue if it was a shed or not?  I do see what appears to be intact skulls on the boards but I also see what looks like sheds. 

[Tuc]

Walking Buffola, I'm wondering where you got your info?

This thread wasn't intended to be 'mob mentality' as you so put it. Perhaps I should have explained a little better. The court date was last October and the reason I posted this was to see if any of you know something more about it. Yes, the info is sketchy but hey, I don't think this guy had time to shed hunt and run a business. I'd say there's quite a few antlers there.

Charges against Poyser and his company include two counts of unlawfully trafficking in wildlife, one count of possessing wildlife for the purpose of trafficking, and one count of unlawful possession of wildlife.

Read it, it didn't specify only selling antlers. He was also under surveillance for several months. I don't believe for one minute he was set up.

I was wondering what the final verdict was for this guy or is it still in court?

[weeman]

Actions of a few can make a hunter's look bad. What blows my mind is the volume of sheds in the picture..what a waste 

[honkerhitter]

If your picking up sheds or old found dead horns  with skull attached  what's the big deal ?  I done work for a customer that has an old wood arch rib shed, he has litterly thousands of sheds, some found dead skulls , some he legal harvested up and down both sides of the shed and as high up as you can reach. I thought it was awesome.

[Weste]

  Would the reporter have a clue if it was a shed or not?  I do see what appears to be intact skulls on the boards but I also see what looks like sheds.

The reporter stated that the person was charged with two counts of unlawfully trafficking in wildlife, one count of possessing wildlife for the purpose of trafficking, and one count of unlawful possession of wildlife.  These are the facts put out by the law enforcement agencies.  At no point does the reporter talk about skull, sheds or otherwise.  I am not sure what your mean by your comments.  If you know something besides what was in the article then please elaborate.

Thanks

[weeman]

If your picking up sheds or old found dead horns  with skull attached  what's the big deal ?  I done work for a customer that has an old wood arch rib shed, he has litterly thousands of sheds, some found dead skulls , some he legal harvested up and down both sides of the shed and as high up as you can reach. I thought it was awesome.

He was "trafficking" , that means he was selling them to make peso's.    I am waiting for a friend to give me a straight piece of antler so I can make a guitar slide out of it. Nothing like blues on my electric guitar.

[AxeMan]

I don't claim to know any details on this case all, but if they were sheds or skull pick ups, then people sell them all the time.  Even Halfords sells sheds in their store.  Also, some people will mount matched shed pick ups too.

I would be careful to jump on this guy before knowing any details.  Read what WB wrote in this thread.  Sounds like a scummy entrapment tactic by the RCMP again here.

[AxeMan]

He was "trafficking" , that means he was selling them to make peso's.    I am waiting for a friend to give me a straight piece of antler so I can make a guitar slide out of it. Nothing like blues on my electric guitar.

Paul, I will take you out this spring when the snow goes down a bit and we will find you a good shed for your guitar slide.  It will mean more to you if it is one you found.  I know of some spots where will find one or two for sure.

[weeman]

Paul, I will take you out this spring when the snow goes down a bit and we will find you a good shed for your guitar slide.  It will mean more to you if it is one you found.  I know of some spots where will find one or two for sure.

Thx.....and maybe catch a fish or two....

[Alberta_huntress_83]

How many animals were taken down illegally?

According to F&W, ZERO anilmals were illegally killed. This guy simply had collected and was gifted old antlers for the collection at his Garage.

He was baited by undercover agents over several un-invited visits into selling a couple sets of antlers for a nominal price that he did not have permits for. The fellow never offered to sell anything. He was repeatedly asked by the undercover agents to sell something, anything. In the end, he sold some old ratty racks for a few bucks. Did he break the law? Yes. Should Enforcement have targeted this fellow and put extended resources into this, Not a chance in Hell....


Mob mentality....  Lets dogpile because someone jumped on first....

Well sure glad you cleared all that up! If this guy is just a shed collector/hunter and not selling his antlers then there's NO illegal activity. And shed hunting is great! If he's that awesome to acquire that many sheds good on him! I must have missed all the information you're giving in that article?

Do you have links or information on this case that we haven't viewed because I'm just reading this one article for the first time hearing about it. And from the sounds of the article he's up to no good. So sorry for taking the article the way it was intended to be delivered. If those were all poached is all I was implying is very sad.

The article implies he's illegally trafficking or misusing the antlers. Til we know more info I guess I won't comment further? If he's guilty of a crime I hope he's punished to the full extent of the law. If he's just a good ol' boy out shed hunting and was being pressured into underecover agents, setting him up for entrapment for absolutely no good reason whatsoever, then I guess we have a big conspiracy on our hands! The RCMP and F&W randomly targeting shed hunters......they must be bored I guess. Uh huh.

Til you send us more links or info that explains more its just anm article to take a face value. Media screws stuff up all the time. Enlighten us WB!

[JIMMY 808]

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Innocently obtained racks, or a nefarious racket dealing in blackmarket animal parts?

Ask Garland Larry Poyser of Lougheed, Alberta, and he’ll tell you he’s no criminal mastermind — just a simple auto shop owner who made a few bucks off dead bucks.

“I was entrapped — I was set up by those guys.”

That’s Poyser’s claim, and it’s the defence he plans to repeat in court on Oct. 16.

That’s when the owner of Poyser Auto Service will stand before a judge, accused of being one of the most prolific animal poachers in recent Alberta memory.

Certainly, Poyser had a lot of questionable animal parts on the site of his auto shop, located in the prairie village of Lougheed, 350 km northeast of Calgary.

Poyser doesn’t deny that, readily admitting ownership of the massive pile of antlers boxed up and removed from his property by Alberta Fish and Wildlife officers.

The haul, seized on August 25, included 500 sets of white-tailed and mule deer antlers, along with 36 sets of moose antlers, six sets of elk antlers and a single caribou rack.

That’s a lot of dead animals, and Poyser agrees.

He says he’s been collecting the antlers for nearly 20 years, with neighbours and farmers from around the village bringing him unwanted racks, including those found on their rural properties.

He says he cleans them, and occasionally mounts them on wood, turning his auto shop into a bristling tribute to Alberta ungulates.

“I’ve been collecting them for years. Farmers around here give them to me,” said Poyser, adding family have joked with him about opening an antler museum.

But that’s where Fish and Wildlife officers have an issue, because possession of dead animal parts is illegal in Alberta without a permit.

While naturally shed antlers are fair game, you can neither accept or collect bits like skulls without a special permit issued from a wildlife office.

But the far bigger deal is when someone profits from wild animals parts, whether for use in medicine, such as bear gall bladders, or trophies, as in the case of skins and record-setting racks.

Turn carcasses into cash, and the province will throw the book at you.

“When you illegally traffic in animal parts, that fuels the black market for wildlife,” said Mitchell Visser, an officer with Fish and Wildlife.

Allegations that Poyser was doing just that has him facing $100,000 in fines and up to two years in jail.

He been charged with two counts of unlawfully trafficking in wildlife, one count of possessing wildlife for the purpose of trafficking, and one count of unlawful possession of wildlife.

The charges follow a sting operation in which an officer posed as a buyer for the antlers, which in turned followed a tip from what Visser calls a “reliable and valid source.”

But Poyser says he only discussed a few sets of antlers after a man claiming to be a furniture maker approached him and offered $40 a set for three racks.

“He said he wanted to build some tables, so I figured what the hell,” said Poyser.

The auto shop owner felt it was a reasonable deal, given the work he puts into cleaning the antlers, but other than labour, Poyser says he didn’t think there was much value in his collection.

“Not one is a trophy rack. Not a one,” he said.

However this specific court case turns out, Alberta Solicitor General Jonathan Denis says the province will continue it’s zero-tolerance policy on poaching.

“The rules are the rules, and that will be up to the judge,” said Denis, when told of Poyser’s defence.

He says the sale of wildlife parts can never be overlooked, because when a value is placed on wild animal parts, poaching always follows.

“The illegal sale of wildlife parts poses a threat to all wildlife in the province,” said Denis.

“This is a very serious infraction, and everybody has to be treated the same.

“We have to send a strong message about fish and wildlife resources


 

[JIMMY 808]

One day someone is going to get there ass sued off on one of these fourms...

[Weste]

I don't claim to know any details on this case all, but if they were sheds or skull pick ups, then people sell them all the time.  Even Halfords sells sheds in their store.  Also, some people will mount matched shed pick ups too.

I would be careful to jump on this guy before knowing any details.  Read what WB wrote in this thread.  Sounds like a scummy entrapment tactic by the RCMP again here.

Actually skull pick ups are illegal to sell without a permit.  Shed antlers , on the other hand, can be sold.  Again the pictures show intact skulls as well.  As for what WB, I see nothing in the article to support his claims.  Some follow up information would be good.

[Tuc]

The charges follow a sting operation in which an officer posed as a buyer for the antlers, which in turned followed a tip from what Visser calls a “reliable and valid source.”

This tells me that a reliable source put the CO's onto Poyser. They may never of known the guy before so. If he was selling antlers and skulls, he broke the law and chances are he was selling them before he sold them to the officers.
More facts would be nice and maybe WB knows something we don't.