Sutter National Wildlife Refuge Goose Hunt Gets One Hunter Fined, Probation, Loss Of Hunting Privileges For Taking Protected, Untagged Birds
A photo (above) of a group of 10 hunters standing over untagged and protected snow and white geese on the Sutter National Wildlife Refuge became damning evidence in a case that saw the ringleader of the hunt sentenced to a fine, probation and the loss of hunting privileges for three years. Here’s the U.S. Attorney Office’s press release:
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Carlos T. Ortiz, 27, of Live Oak, pleaded guilty today to transportation and receipt of untagged migratory game birds and was subsequently sentenced by U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeremy D. Peterson to a three-year hunting ban, three years of probation, and a $1,000 fine, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, Ortiz helped organize and participate in a 10-person goose hunt near the Sutter National Wildlife Refuge in Sutter County. During the hunt, Ortiz and others shot and killed 258 snow geese and white-fronted geese. Snow geese and white-fronted geese are migratory game birds protected by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. None of the birds were tagged as required by law.
This case was the product of an investigation by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Lee prosecuted the case.
And a few more details from the Sacramento Bee:
Under this law, hunters may not kill, capture, sell or transport any migratory bird, unless they are authorized to do so under a permit issued by the U.S. Interior secretary. Even with a permit, if migratory game birds are killed and left behind anywhere other than a hunter’s home, they must have a tag attached signed by the hunter with detailed information including their address, the number and species of birds and the date the birds were killed.
A U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and California Department of Fish and Wildlife investigation revealed that none of the 258 birds shot by Ortiz and other hunters on the trip were tagged as required by law. Prosecutors, in a Friday news release, did not say whether the group had a permit to hunt the birds.
Read more at: https://www.sacbee.com/news/local/crime/article277977513.html#storylink=cpy
