On April 24, 2017, 53 year old Jeffrey Allan McCRAVEN of Lebanon, was found guilty in a Linn County Court of one count of Taking, Angling, Hunting, or Trapping in Violation of Wildlife Law or Rule, a Class A Violation.
Subject to the guilty verdict, McCRAVEN was required to:
-Forfeiture of the elk meat and antlers; Ordered by the court to be released to the victim.
-Forfeiture of Bow and Arrow seized during investigation.
-Pay $15,000 in restitution to ODFW.
-Pay $435 for the violation of Take/Possession of Bull Elk.
-Pay $279.23 for meat processing.
-Pay $500 to the OHA TIP fund.
-Hunting privileges suspended for a period of 3 years.
The charges stemmed from an investigation by the Oregon State Police Fish and Wildlife Division Mid-Valley Team, which concluded McCRAVEN engaged in the unlawful take of a trophy 6x6 bull elk in East Linn County on September 11th, 2016.
The investigation revealed that the bull elk was legally shot and mortally wounded by the victim who is an acquaintance of McCRAVEN. A search party, which included McCRAVEN, could not locate the bull that day. The following morning, McCRAVEN located the expired elk and he shoved and shot arrows into the bull to make it appear as if he had lawfully harvested the bull. McCRAVEN then validated his archery elk tag, and then tried to convince others that he killed it.
A violation of any provision of the wildlife laws (such as the unlawful take of deer), or any rule adopted pursuant to the wildlife laws, is a Class A misdemeanor if the offense is committed with a culpable mental state in Oregon. If convicted, a person can be charged with the maximum penalty of $6250, have their hunting privileges suspended and forfeit weapons or other items used in the commission of the crime(s).
The Oregon Hunters Association offers rewards to persons, through their T.I.P. fund, for information leading to the issuance of a citation to a person(s), or an arrest made of a person(s) for illegal possession, killing, or taking of bighorn sheep, mountain goat, moose, elk, deer, antelope, bear, cougar, wolf, fur-bearers and/or upland game birds and water fowl. T.I.P. rewards can also be paid for the illegal taking, netting, snagging, and/or dynamiting of game fish, and/or shell fish, and for the destruction of habitat.
In addition rewards may be paid for information leading to the issuance of a citation to a person(s), or an arrest made of a person(s) who have illegally obtained Oregon hunting/angling license or tags. People who "work" the system and falsely apply for resident license or tags are not legally hunting or angling and are considered poachers.
REWARDS:
Bighorn sheep, mountain goat, moose $1,000
Elk, deer, antelope $500
Bear, cougar, wolf $300
Habitat destruction $300
Illegally obtaining Oregon hunting or angling license or tags $200
Game fish, shell fish $100
Upland birds, waterfowl $100
Fur-bearers $100
Subject to the guilty verdict, McCRAVEN was required to:
-Forfeiture of the elk meat and antlers; Ordered by the court to be released to the victim.
-Forfeiture of Bow and Arrow seized during investigation.
-Pay $15,000 in restitution to ODFW.
-Pay $435 for the violation of Take/Possession of Bull Elk.
-Pay $279.23 for meat processing.
-Pay $500 to the OHA TIP fund.
-Hunting privileges suspended for a period of 3 years.
The charges stemmed from an investigation by the Oregon State Police Fish and Wildlife Division Mid-Valley Team, which concluded McCRAVEN engaged in the unlawful take of a trophy 6x6 bull elk in East Linn County on September 11th, 2016.
The investigation revealed that the bull elk was legally shot and mortally wounded by the victim who is an acquaintance of McCRAVEN. A search party, which included McCRAVEN, could not locate the bull that day. The following morning, McCRAVEN located the expired elk and he shoved and shot arrows into the bull to make it appear as if he had lawfully harvested the bull. McCRAVEN then validated his archery elk tag, and then tried to convince others that he killed it.
A violation of any provision of the wildlife laws (such as the unlawful take of deer), or any rule adopted pursuant to the wildlife laws, is a Class A misdemeanor if the offense is committed with a culpable mental state in Oregon. If convicted, a person can be charged with the maximum penalty of $6250, have their hunting privileges suspended and forfeit weapons or other items used in the commission of the crime(s).
The Oregon Hunters Association offers rewards to persons, through their T.I.P. fund, for information leading to the issuance of a citation to a person(s), or an arrest made of a person(s) for illegal possession, killing, or taking of bighorn sheep, mountain goat, moose, elk, deer, antelope, bear, cougar, wolf, fur-bearers and/or upland game birds and water fowl. T.I.P. rewards can also be paid for the illegal taking, netting, snagging, and/or dynamiting of game fish, and/or shell fish, and for the destruction of habitat.
In addition rewards may be paid for information leading to the issuance of a citation to a person(s), or an arrest made of a person(s) who have illegally obtained Oregon hunting/angling license or tags. People who "work" the system and falsely apply for resident license or tags are not legally hunting or angling and are considered poachers.
REWARDS:
Bighorn sheep, mountain goat, moose $1,000
Elk, deer, antelope $500
Bear, cougar, wolf $300
Habitat destruction $300
Illegally obtaining Oregon hunting or angling license or tags $200
Game fish, shell fish $100
Upland birds, waterfowl $100
Fur-bearers $100