From staff reports | Posted: Thursday, November 29, 2007 12:00 am
High-speed chase nets two poachers
A report of poaching activity near Pinedale led to a high-speed chase, a roll-over accident and charges brought against two Salt Lake City men for killing a trophy mule deer out of season Nov. 16.
After being confronted by game wardens, the suspects fled - one on foot and the other in a vehicle. The driver lost control of the vehicle and it rolled over several times. Gregory L. Carter, 48, who fled on foot, was charged with taking an antlered mule deer out of season, shooting from a vehicle and trespassing. The driver, Jeremy S. Zumwalt, 30, and a passenger in the vehicle were treated for minor cuts and scrapes. Zumwalt was charged as an accessory to the crime and with interference with a peace officer.
Carter and Zumwalt were arrested, then released from jail after posting bond. Both are scheduled to appear for arraignment on Dec. 13 in Sublette County Circuit Court.
The men had been working as subcontractors on construction projects in the Pinedale and Lander area.
Lion hunt area closed
The harvest limit of 16 mountain lions for Hunt Area 1 was reached Nov. 23 and has been closed to hunting for the season.
Area 1 is in the Black Hills area beginning where the Wyoming-Montana-South Dakota state lines meet stretching south to U.S. Highway 85 and west to the town of Sundance. The hunt area will not reopen until next season, probably September 2008.
Mountain lion hunters are reminded to check the status of their hunt area by calling 1-800-637-0809.
Cody bear seminars scheduled
The Wyoming Game and Fish Department responded to 116 human-bear conflicts in the Cody area between April and December, many of which could have been avoided, the agency stated in a press release.
Because of so many conflicts in the area, Game and Fish is hosting two one-hour seminars for homeowners to help reduce the number of bears gaining access to unnatural food sources such as garbage, pet and livestock feed, and birdseed.
"Living in Bear Country" will be offered Tuesday at 10:00 a.m. and at 6:30 p.m. in the EOC room located in the basement of the Park County Courthouse, 1002 Sheridan Ave, in Cody.
CWD continues to spread
For the second time this month, a new deer hunt area in the Big Horn Basin has been confirmed to have deer infected with chronic wasting disease.
A mature male mule deer killed in an area known as Fifteen Mile or Deer Hunt Area 125 tested positive for the wildlife disease. The lymph nodes of the deer were collected for testing by Game and Fish on Nov. 15.
"This is the second new area we have been informed of in as many weeks," said Cody Region wildlife management coordinator Kevin Hurley . "The previous positive came from deer hunt area 122 near Lovell."
Deer hunt area 125 will be added to the Department's list of areas known to have CWD. Most deer seasons are over in the area but some doe/fawn licenses are valid through the end of this month. Game and Fish recommends that deer hunt area 125 hunters transport only cut and wrapped meat, boned meat, animal quarters or other pieces with no portion of the spinal column or head attached, hides without the head, cleaned skull plates, and antlers with no meat or other tissue attached. The head, spine, and other nervous tissue should be left at the site of the kill or disposed of at an approved landfill. Rubber or latex gloves should be worn when field dressing any animal and while butchering.