People may disagree with listings and regulations, but if you are going to be a fool, do so at your own risk!
Remember it is your wildlife as much as anyone else's! Report all poaching! It is thoughtless people like Colson that give all sportsmen a black eye!
A 54-year old Franklin County man landed in Gulf County Jail Friday charged with killing a black bear.
Larry Joe Colson, DOB 4/25/54, of Apalachicola, turned himself in at the county jail in Port St. Joe after Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) investigators told him they had an arrest warrant for him. Colson reportedly admitted to officers he shot a bear on his Gulf County hunting lease Jan. 17.
He's charged with intentionally killing a threatened species, a black bear. The charge is a third-degree felony, punishable by up to five years imprisonment and up to a $5,000 fine.
"Initially, uniformed patrol officers received information that someone claimed to have killed a Florida panther on private property in Gulf County," FWC investigator Steve Thomas said. "They made an on-site visit Jan. 20 to the property where the incident supposedly occurred, and at first, they didn't find anything.
"They returned on Jan. 22 and found the remains of an adult male bear. Colson was identified as a suspect, was interviewed and admitted shooting the bear."
Thomas said no panther remains were found during the visits to the property.
Officers seized Colson's Remington .30-06 rifle as evidence.
Media Contact:
Investigator Steve Thomas (850) 251-7327
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Albert A Rasch
5 comments:
I'm so glad he was caught and justice was served. Even if you disagree with the laws, they are still laws.
Another black "eye" on the hunting establishment. Big difference between hunters and killers.
What were the circumstances involved Albert?
Is he claiming self defense, depredation shooting or did he just commit a stupid act of simple poaching from the State?
Just wondering if there were extenuating circumstances!
Native,
I don't know if there were any extenuating circumstances. What i will do though is call the F&W tomorrow and get what info they will give out and report back.
Thanks for reminding me to check my facts, though in my defense, the original news story was verbatim Florida Fish & Wildlife.
I'm calling the investigator tomorrow. This is how you learn!
Thanks and Regards,
Albert
We have had a lot of poaching in IA in the last few years. We loosing good breeding stock due to people not following simple rules. I have come across several big bucks in the last few years with their antlers or heads sawed off. Makes me sick, and as Rod said gives hunters a black eye.
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