SHERIDAN- Wildlife crime in Northeast Wyoming increased dramatically in 2006 and violations were more serious than seen in years past. Detected numbers of wildlife violations in the Wyoming Game and Fish Department’s Sheridan Region increased by nearly 40% over that documented in 2005. In 2005, 403 wildlife and watercraft violations were handled by game wardens in the region compared to 565 in 2006. The Sheridan region includes Sheridan, Johnson, Campbell and a portion of Crook counties.

Not only were the number of violations up, they were generally more serious.

"We use a wildlife crime severity index to measure the overall severity of violations detected in any one year," said Bruce Scigliano, Sheridan game warden and regional law enforcement coordinator. "The severity index has been going up for several years and last year it took a big jump. So not only did we have more violations, we also had more serious wildlife crime, such as wanton destruction, killing big game out of season, waste and over limit of big game."

Wanton destruction, sometimes called thrill killing, was especially troublesome in 2006. Thirty-eight cases of wanton destruction were documented in the region in 2006 compared to just thirteen cases in 2005. According to Scigliano, at least 38 antelope and deer were shot and left to rot.

"The people that commit this type of crime are not hunters," said Scigliano "They are killers- they get a thrill by shooting an animal and watching it die."

In cases of wanton destruction, the shooter recovers nothing. Meat, hide and antlers are left to waste in the field.

"What is worse is that research shows that wardens find as little as 10% of the animals killed in this manner. In other words, we could have had many more than 38 deer or antelope shot and left in the region last year."

Most of the wanton destruction occurred in the Gillette area where wardens made a number of high profile cases. Violators usually receive stiff fines and lose their hunting privileges.

Fortunately, the public has responded to the prevalence of wildlife crime by reporting violations. According to Regional Wildlife Supervisor Joe Gilbert, 186 of the 565 violations in the Sheridan region were detected because citizens reported known or suspected violations.

"The public plays a huge role in our law enforcement effort. It shows that they care and take wildlife crime seriously. Most of the cases of wanton destruction, waste and over limit are detected as a result of a phone call from the public," said Gilbert. "Without the public’s involvement we would not be nearly as effective as we are."

Gilbert thanks those who took the time to call in 2006 and encourages those with knowledge of violations to call the Game and Fish Department’s Stop Poaching hotline at 1-800-442-4331. The telephone line is manned 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Callers may remain anonymous and are eligible for a reward.
(Contact: Bruce Scigliano, 672-2790; Warren Mischke 672-7418)