Oregon couple sentenced for shooting into fleeing elk herd

An Japanese Oregon couple has been sentenced for searching offenses after capturing right into a fleeing herd of elk and leaving 5 animals to rot, based on state Fish and Wildlife Division officers.

Chris and Stephanie Lardy, residents of Hines, had been sentenced final week to jail time, fines and suspended searching licenses for killing 5 elk together with two calves, two cows and a spike bull and leaving them to decompose, Fish and Wildlife officers stated in an announcement. Two different cow elk had been tagged and brought.

Chris Lardy was convicted of taking a bull elk out of season and exceeding the bag restrict of elk. Stephanie Lardy pleaded responsible to aiding/counseling in a recreation violation. He should additionally write and publish an apology letter within the Burns Instances-Herald as a part of his sentence.

Witnesses stated that on Dec. 11, 2021, they noticed the motive force of the car cease twice to fireside dozens of photographs into the fleeing herd. An investigation confirmed the couple fired into the herd, continued a brief distance, shot once more after which gutted and picked up two cow elk earlier than leaving the scene, officers stated.

The case is irritating to wildlife managers, hunters, and troopers, officers stated. Not solely was it a disregard for wildlife, but in addition for the security of others within the discipline, Fish and Wildlife Sergeant Erich Timko stated.