Another Example of FINES BEING TOO LOW
12-18-2006, 05:49 PM
#1
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Another Example of FINES BEING TOO LOW
http://www.pgc.state.pa.us/pgc/cwp/view.asp?Q=170803&A=11
Pennsylvania Game Commission - State Wildlife Management Agency
2006 Press Releases
SearchPennsylvania Game Commission - State Wildlife Management Agency HomePrintable VersioneMail
Release #163-06
VENANGO COUNTIAN PLEADS GUILTY TO SHOOTING BEAR IN RESIDENTIAL AREA
FRANKLIN - On Nov. 21, the second day of Pennsylvania's bear season, a call from a concerned citizen sent Pennsylvania Game Commission Wildlife Conservation Officer (WCO) Clint Deniker to the intersection of 15th Street and Tingley Avenue in the Franklin Heights area of Franklin, Venango County. The caller told a dispatcher at the agency's Northwest Region Office that an individual was shooting at a black bear in a residential area.
WCO Deniker was assisted on scene by Deputy WCO Janet Baker, Land Management Group Supervisor Jim Deniker, and Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission Waterways Conservation Officers Mark Kerr and Gregg Pochron.
"This is an unfortunate case of an individual disregarding hunting laws and firearms safety in a reckless effort to kill a bear," WCO Deniker stated. "Thankfully, someone got involved and we were able to apprehend the violator."
The defendant, Alphonso Lauricia, 72, of Franklin, while putting gas in his vehicle at a station on 15th Street, spotted the bear in a large oak tree directly across the street from the gas station. Lauricia returned to his residence and retrieved a crossbow and two .308 caliber rifles. Upon returning to the bear's location, he parked his vehicle on a side street and positioned himself to shoot the bear with his crossbow. The oak tree where the bear was located was four feet from a garage and within 20 yards of at least two other residences. The Game and Wildlife Code specifies that hunters must be at least 50 yards away from occupied buildings if using a bow or cross bow or 150 yards if using a firearm before attempting to take wildlife, unless they have advance permission from individuals whose safety zones they encroach.
The defendant shot four times with his crossbow, striking the bear twice. The bear then descended the tree and fled, with Lauricia firing numerous times with his rifle at the bear as it made its way through the residential neighborhood. Game Commission Northwest Region Director Keith Harbaugh apprehended Lauricia when he brought the bear to the Northwest Region Office - just a short distance south of Franklin Heights - to have it processed and tagged by agency officials.
"This individual's only concern was killing that bear, apparently at any cost," WCO Deniker said. "In the process, he violated basic safety regulations and placed the general public in danger."
Lauricia was charged with three counts of violating the Game and Wildlife Code: unlawful taking of big game; violating a safety zone; and trespass on private property while hunting. He was ordered to pay fines and court costs totaling $1,584 by Magisterial Judge Robert Boyer of Franklin.
In addition, Lauricia likely will have his hunting and trapping privileges revoked for an unspecified period.
Created in 1895 as an independent state agency, the Game Commission is responsible for conserving and managing all wild birds and mammals in the Commonwealth, establishing hunting seasons and bag limits, enforcing hunting and trapping laws, and managing habitat on the 1.4 million acres of State Game Lands it has purchased over the years with hunting and furtaking license dollars to safeguard wildlife habitat. The agency also conducts numerous wildlife conservation programs for schools, civic organizations and sportsmen's clubs.
The Game Commission does not receive any general state taxpayer dollars for its annual operating budget. The agency is funded by license sales revenues; the state's share of the federal Pittman-Robertson program, which is an excise tax collected through the sale of sporting arms and ammunition; and monies from the sale of oil, gas, coal, timber and minerals derived from State Game Lands.
Ok you guys who tried to defend the guys in the last post. And those that said there wasn't enough evidence or decription to base your decisions on Try this one. These fines are way too low for these crimes. I know most of you will probably say "He's and old man leave him alone"
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Pennsylvania Game Commission - State Wildlife Management Agency
2006 Press Releases
SearchPennsylvania Game Commission - State Wildlife Management Agency HomePrintable VersioneMail
Release #163-06
VENANGO COUNTIAN PLEADS GUILTY TO SHOOTING BEAR IN RESIDENTIAL AREA
FRANKLIN - On Nov. 21, the second day of Pennsylvania's bear season, a call from a concerned citizen sent Pennsylvania Game Commission Wildlife Conservation Officer (WCO) Clint Deniker to the intersection of 15th Street and Tingley Avenue in the Franklin Heights area of Franklin, Venango County. The caller told a dispatcher at the agency's Northwest Region Office that an individual was shooting at a black bear in a residential area.
WCO Deniker was assisted on scene by Deputy WCO Janet Baker, Land Management Group Supervisor Jim Deniker, and Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission Waterways Conservation Officers Mark Kerr and Gregg Pochron.
"This is an unfortunate case of an individual disregarding hunting laws and firearms safety in a reckless effort to kill a bear," WCO Deniker stated. "Thankfully, someone got involved and we were able to apprehend the violator."
The defendant, Alphonso Lauricia, 72, of Franklin, while putting gas in his vehicle at a station on 15th Street, spotted the bear in a large oak tree directly across the street from the gas station. Lauricia returned to his residence and retrieved a crossbow and two .308 caliber rifles. Upon returning to the bear's location, he parked his vehicle on a side street and positioned himself to shoot the bear with his crossbow. The oak tree where the bear was located was four feet from a garage and within 20 yards of at least two other residences. The Game and Wildlife Code specifies that hunters must be at least 50 yards away from occupied buildings if using a bow or cross bow or 150 yards if using a firearm before attempting to take wildlife, unless they have advance permission from individuals whose safety zones they encroach.
The defendant shot four times with his crossbow, striking the bear twice. The bear then descended the tree and fled, with Lauricia firing numerous times with his rifle at the bear as it made its way through the residential neighborhood. Game Commission Northwest Region Director Keith Harbaugh apprehended Lauricia when he brought the bear to the Northwest Region Office - just a short distance south of Franklin Heights - to have it processed and tagged by agency officials.
"This individual's only concern was killing that bear, apparently at any cost," WCO Deniker said. "In the process, he violated basic safety regulations and placed the general public in danger."
Lauricia was charged with three counts of violating the Game and Wildlife Code: unlawful taking of big game; violating a safety zone; and trespass on private property while hunting. He was ordered to pay fines and court costs totaling $1,584 by Magisterial Judge Robert Boyer of Franklin.
In addition, Lauricia likely will have his hunting and trapping privileges revoked for an unspecified period.
Created in 1895 as an independent state agency, the Game Commission is responsible for conserving and managing all wild birds and mammals in the Commonwealth, establishing hunting seasons and bag limits, enforcing hunting and trapping laws, and managing habitat on the 1.4 million acres of State Game Lands it has purchased over the years with hunting and furtaking license dollars to safeguard wildlife habitat. The agency also conducts numerous wildlife conservation programs for schools, civic organizations and sportsmen's clubs.
The Game Commission does not receive any general state taxpayer dollars for its annual operating budget. The agency is funded by license sales revenues; the state's share of the federal Pittman-Robertson program, which is an excise tax collected through the sale of sporting arms and ammunition; and monies from the sale of oil, gas, coal, timber and minerals derived from State Game Lands.
Ok you guys who tried to defend the guys in the last post. And those that said there wasn't enough evidence or decription to base your decisions on Try this one. These fines are way too low for these crimes. I know most of you will probably say "He's and old man leave him alone"
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12-22-2006, 08:33 AM
#5
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location:
Posts: 152
RE: Another Example of FINES BEING TOO LOW
he will lose his license for 5 years most likely...1500 for a senior who does not work anymore might be alot to him
I think it fits
christ we let child predators off easier ...think about it
you get caught drinking and driving...you lose your license for 3 months. you could kill someone.
hunting violation just as dangerous...lose the license for 5 years .........the fines are about the same
mmmmmmmm
I think it fits
christ we let child predators off easier ...think about it
you get caught drinking and driving...you lose your license for 3 months. you could kill someone.
hunting violation just as dangerous...lose the license for 5 years .........the fines are about the same
mmmmmmmm
12-24-2006, 07:11 PM
#6
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RE: Another Example of FINES BEING TOO LOW
he will lose his license for 5 years most likely...1500 for a senior who does not work anymore might be alot to him
I think it fits
I think it fits
12-27-2006, 11:39 AM
#8
Join Date: Mar 2006
Posts: 184
RE: Another Example of FINES BEING TOO LOW
That is another real issue, penalties for poaching and violating huning safety laws are so low its almost not worth the man-hours involved in reponding, apprehending and processing paperwork. I would bet most of the costs of the total fine were court fees.
It is very difficult to understand, but when these fines were established ($500.00 for poaching, etc) the amount was really quite a bit of money. Of course, our money has gotten "cheaper" and a $500.00 fine today is more like a $50.00 30 years ago. So the natural response is to raise the fines, which is correct...
EXCEPT
this does require a new law, not just a "fine increase". And we must understand that some of the moonbat politicians would love to tie in losing your 2nd Amendment Rights, having to turn in or have confiscated, your firearms. In NYS, we had a bill that passed the Assembly and Senate last year to increase the fines for poaching from $250 per poached animal, up to $1,000.00 per poached animal, and loss of hunting license for a period of 5 years. ALl this was 1st offense. Second offense fines went up to $1500.00 per animal, and lose hunting license for 5 years. Third offense was at least $2,000.00 per animal and loss of hunting license permanently.
NY Gov. Pataki vetoed this. Why? Because creatively attached to this "new law" was a gun control portion, which stated that you would also lose your pistol permit and firearms. One thing (poaching) had nothing to do with the other (2nd Amendment Right).
Gotta watch these moonbats. Gotta watch what you ask for. You may get more than what you bargained for.....
It is very difficult to understand, but when these fines were established ($500.00 for poaching, etc) the amount was really quite a bit of money. Of course, our money has gotten "cheaper" and a $500.00 fine today is more like a $50.00 30 years ago. So the natural response is to raise the fines, which is correct...
EXCEPT
this does require a new law, not just a "fine increase". And we must understand that some of the moonbat politicians would love to tie in losing your 2nd Amendment Rights, having to turn in or have confiscated, your firearms. In NYS, we had a bill that passed the Assembly and Senate last year to increase the fines for poaching from $250 per poached animal, up to $1,000.00 per poached animal, and loss of hunting license for a period of 5 years. ALl this was 1st offense. Second offense fines went up to $1500.00 per animal, and lose hunting license for 5 years. Third offense was at least $2,000.00 per animal and loss of hunting license permanently.
NY Gov. Pataki vetoed this. Why? Because creatively attached to this "new law" was a gun control portion, which stated that you would also lose your pistol permit and firearms. One thing (poaching) had nothing to do with the other (2nd Amendment Right).
Gotta watch these moonbats. Gotta watch what you ask for. You may get more than what you bargained for.....
12-27-2006, 04:27 PM
#9
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RE: Another Example of FINES BEING TOO LOW
Doc, I understand what your saying. Believe me when I tell you I'm 100% against gun control and very pro second amendment. I've spent a good many years fighting against bogus gun laws. I will say that in this case of a man shooting in a residential area with 2 to 3 different weapons is a real danger to the folks around him and has a severe lack of judgement. I don't want any gun control laws attached to Game laws. If someone commits a crime with a firearm, that firearms is confiscated. They don't get it back...ever. This man commited crimes involving firearms he should lose them. I'm not saying he shouldn't be allowed to buy another rifle as like in felony convictions,but he loses the ones he used in breaking the laws.
12-28-2006, 09:04 AM
#10
Join Date: Mar 2006
Posts: 184
RE: Another Example of FINES BEING TOO LOW
ORIGINAL: TRYKONOISSEUR
Doc, I understand what your saying. Believe me when I tell you I'm 100% against gun control and very pro second amendment. I've spent a good many years fighting against bogus gun laws. I will say that in this case of a man shooting in a residential area with 2 to 3 different weapons is a real danger to the folks around him and has a severe lack of judgement. I don't want any gun control laws attached to Game laws. If someone commits a crime with a firearm, that firearms is confiscated. They don't get it back...ever. This man commited crimes involving firearms he should lose them. I'm not saying he shouldn't be allowed to buy another rifle as like in felony convictions,but he loses the ones he used in breaking the laws.
Doc, I understand what your saying. Believe me when I tell you I'm 100% against gun control and very pro second amendment. I've spent a good many years fighting against bogus gun laws. I will say that in this case of a man shooting in a residential area with 2 to 3 different weapons is a real danger to the folks around him and has a severe lack of judgement. I don't want any gun control laws attached to Game laws. If someone commits a crime with a firearm, that firearms is confiscated. They don't get it back...ever. This man commited crimes involving firearms he should lose them. I'm not saying he shouldn't be allowed to buy another rifle as like in felony convictions,but he loses the ones he used in breaking the laws.
Like the debate over Blaze Orange in NYS. We do not require it. We have over 500,000 licensed hunters in NYS for 2006. This year we had 17 firearms-related accidents, one fatality. Over half of these accidents (9) were SELF-INFLICTED, with the king of all morons blowing his hand off while using his shotgun as a walking stick! The fatality was in Northern Zone, where a hunter in a TREESTAND shot and killed his hunting partner while the guy was walking into the shooter's position. How does one 20' up a tree mistake a human walking on two legs for a deer? Answer, either moron or premeditated murder, IMHO. Then we had the two brother-in-laws who did a quick draw sound shoot at eachother through a thicket. One guy didn't get hit, while the other sustained an abdominal wound, and survived. Morons. Another guy shot his buddy in the leg, while sitting in the car, when he was unloading his rifle. Again, moron.
LOts of morons out there, and this idiot shooting at a bear in a tree in a residential neighborhood is certainly one of those.... MORONS....
Seems like we find more morons every year, don't we? FUBAR.
