Show Violators prosecuted in Utah elk hunt hunk Thus far the 1975 elk season has brought about the arrest and subsequent conviction of 29 Utah elk hunters according to toT T T. T Dean assistant law enforcement chief Utah Wildlife Resources said that this number was not a complete list of all the violators who were ticketed during this years year's hunt It includes only those who have been to court and were con con- TilE THE MOST often cited misdemeanor to date is for making unlawful application for a permit By law hunters are allowed to apply for only one elk permit each year Sentences for a typical Class B misdemeanor such as applying for two permits vary from an average fine of 50 up to a maximum penalty of fine and six months in jail Violations categorized as Class ClassA A misdemeanors include the endangered species list Maximum penalty for Cor Class A violations is a 1000 fine or and-or one year in jail Citations for carrying a gun on a game preserve and having havinga a loaded gun in a vehicle were the second most frequent violations Several hunters were guilty of hunting outside designated elk hunting units while approximately the same number of errant hunters took cows in the bull only season indicated that citations are a necessary part of game management procedures Uncontrolled shooting of our game species would eventually reduce the number of animals necessary to maintain a breeding population Once that number is reduced too far Car the species is endangered he sa said id ITS ONLY the small minority of hunters that break the rules Most good hunters make every effort to be Informed informed informed in In- formed of the regulations and to abide b by them Those who do donot donot donot not however could cause serious population depletions and upset upsel sc sex ratios by harvesting harvesting har vesting unauthorized animals It Il is necessary to control those individuals who are unable to see the long range effects of their actions II The negative effects however are not limited solely to the animals The wrongdoings wrong wrong- doings o of some hunters reflect a abad abad bad image on all other hunters And as previously stated most hunters are conscientious ethical people ASIDE FROM l the damage done to game animals and the unethical aspersions cast upon many hunters by the acts of a afew afew few the violations can be costly Last year in fines for hunting and fishing related violations were paid to the state During 1974 these same violations resulted in a total of days spent in jail concluded by saying We are hopeful that Utah hunters will take the initiative to police their own back yards yards' If and when that becomes a consistent proposition the effectiveness of Utah's game management programs will provide more hours of recreation in the out out-of- doors for Cor a greater number of sportsmen HY BY KEEPING careful watch over their hunting activities sportsmen can help to keep game animal populations in balance Law Enforcement personnel due to the size of the territory in Utah are unable to cover as much countryside as their job demands The ethical hunter can help by reporting violations and by insisting that other hunters abide by the regulations said Hunters do offer a great deal of assistance to division of of- Many arrests are made from the initial information given to the division by other hunters Until all hunters obey the hunting laws violators will continue to be prosecuted and those who insist on breaking the laws will have to pay the p price |