December 9, 2022 |
By Jim O’Reilly
The Saratoga man charged in September with intentionally taking an antlered big game animal out of season will meet again later this month with Carbon County prosecutors as he tries to arrange a plea deal.
As reported by Bigfoot 99, Tom Arthur and county prosecutors met on November 19th in an out-of-court settlement conference. Arthur’s attorneys failed to reach a plea agreement then. Another conference is now scheduled for December 27th.
Arthur owns the Upper Cedar Creek Ranch, east of Saratoga. The citation shows that Arthur is accused of intentionally killing an antlered game animal out of season. The incident occurred at the north edge of his property near where it borders the Condict Ranch. Arthur apparently killed a large trophy buck with a rifle during archery season.
The Wyoming Game and Fish Department allocates a certain number of limited quota hunting licenses to landowners. However, all hunting regulations remain in effect for landowners. Wildlife is the property of the state, and landowners they do not have the right to kill a game animal out of season, even if it is on their land.
The Arthur poaching case has put a spotlight on how landowners tend to enjoy a privileged status when it comes to hunting licenses. Critics say the WGFD practice of issuing limited quota licenses to landowners reduces the number available in the lottery to all hunters. The impact of the policy inflates the value of land, the value of limited quota licenses, as well as the price for the racks of trophy game animals. Some say the WGFD policy turns hunting into a “rich man’s sport.”
Arthur’s attorney is Jason M. Tangeman, of Nicholas & Tangeman LLC, in Laramie. When asked for a statement about the case, Tangeman’s assistant said the attorney was, “not interested in talking about anything.”
Wyoming Game and Fish policy makers in Cheyenne have not yet responded to a series of questions submitted to them by Bigfoot 99.
Poaching is a serious offense. Area hunters are keeping a close eye on the case to see if Arthur’s wealth, which helped him secure the limited quota license, impacts way it is handled. The need for a third settlement conference suggests that the negotiations are not going the defendant’s way. If a deal is not reached at some point, the case will end up in court.
Pictured above: File photo of a mule deer.
