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This is not the first time this outfitter had been involved with illegal activities. When I was looking for an elk guide in 2018 I was cautioned about this bunch.After a four-month investigation, the Pennsylvania Game Commission filed charges earlier this month in a case involving the shooting of a trophy elk in Karthaus Township, Clearfield County. Evidence against the accused parties includes video footage of the hunt.
The story began last August, when Richard Prentiss purchased just one $25 ticket in the Keystone Elk Country Alliance raffle. The ticket gave him a one in 10,580 chance to win the 2019 Elk Conservation License and a six-day fully guided Pennsylvania trophy elk hunt. His name was selected in the Aug. 18 drawing at the Elk County Visitors Center.
Each year since 2014, Elk County Outfitters have donated six days of guiding service to the lucky hunter who wins the drawing. TomBob Outdoors, LLC, of Ridgway signed on to shoot video of the hunt. Prentiss met with Elk County Outfitters later that day, and they agreed that the guides would call Prentiss when a large bull had been scouted.
The call came on Oct. 2 — a massive bull had been located. Prentiss made the 90-minute drive from his home in Lycoming County into the elk range. He hunted with guides and a videographer from TomBob Outdoors that evening and the following day. Then, on the morning of Oct. 4, they relocated the trophy bull on private property.
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#readlocalThe luck continued. According to Elk County Outfitters, Prentiss made a 136-yard shot with his 6.5 Creedmoor and hit the elk a second time at 175 yards. The bull was down at 7:20. Its large antlers were gross green scored at 458 inches. Prentiss had a big supply of meat and the trophy of a lifetime, or so he thought.
When reviewing the video footage, TomBob Executive Producer Brad Clinton noticed what he thought were potential problems with the hunt.
“I surrendered the raw footage to both the Game Commission and the outfitters,” Clinton said.
Although the Keystone Elk Country Alliance is not directly connected with the hunt itself, Rawley Cogan, President and CEO of the Alliance, also became involved.
“KECA became aware on Nov. 18, 2019, of potential game law violations after video footage of the 2019 Elk Conservation License hunt was being reviewed,” Cogan said. “KECA and TomBob Outdoors have zero tolerance for and do not condone any wildlife violations. Our organizations are fully cooperating with the Game Commission on this investigation and will continue to work to ensure all facts are provided and those responsible for any violations are held accountable.”
Prentiss’ elk hide, meat and antlers were confiscated, and all local parties involved were interviewed by the investigating officer, Clearfield County Game Warden Mark Gritzer. Prentiss was interviewed by a Lycoming County warden. Of course, there are two sides to every story.
“Elk County Outfitters was both saddened and angered when we learned that one of our 2019 hunts was put under investigation,” owner Jack Manack stated. “Something so special to a lucky hunter has been totally ruined. We’re not talking about just an elk rack or a freezer full of meat here, we’re talking about something hunters hold more dearly than that. The memory. The story. That’s gone. These things have been taken and cannot be given back.
“That is the shame here,” Manack continued. “That is the one and only crime that has been committed, and those committing that crime have no accountability, have no penalty, and pay no price for false accusations.”
On March 10, multiple charges were filed by the Pennsylvania Game Commission against hunter Prentiss and Elk County Outfitters’ guides Gary Couteret, of Frenchville, and Kim Rensel, from Butler. The charges were filed with Magisterial District Judge Jerome Nevling at his office in Kylertown, Clearfield County. If found guilty of all charges, the hunter and guides face fines and costs of more than $7,000 each.
The charges include unlawful devices and methods (using a motor vehicle to locate elk), shooting on or across highways (shooting at the elk after alighting from a vehicle while being within 25 yards of the traveled portion of the roadway) and unlawful taking of game. A $5000 replacement cost for the trophy elk accompanies the unlawful taking charge. In addition, Couteret was charged with making false or fraudulent statements regarding his involvement with the Prentiss elk hunt.
Although no one from the Game Commission is saying much about the pending court case, Warden Gritzer offered a short statement.
“We had a crime lab examine the video and it vividly depicts violations,” he said.
Likewise, for Elk County Outfitters.
“Since this is going to court, we cannot comment more about this matter other than we are confident that things will work out and this will be proven to be a totally legal hunt,” Manack said. “We are confident the rack and meat will be returned to the hunter, but the joy, the happiness, the great memories are gone for good.”
It should be noted that, in 2015, a different Elk County Outfitters guide and hunter were charged with similar offenses, and Judge Nevling dismissed the case. No court date had been set in the current case; however, it will likely be in April or May.
Mark Nale, who lives in the Bald Eagle Valley, is a member of the Pennsylvania Outdoor Writers Association and can be reached at
[email protected].
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