jones123

Read this! Unbelievable. Guess it stands to reason, given the people this guy hangs with.

Penalties for poaching are not stiff enough. We need to bring back public hanging.

It hits home as this was going on right where I hunted last year.





Photo courtesy New West News
Former Conrad Burns and Jack Abramhoff employee Shawn Vasell poses with a deer illegally shot near Fishtail last November. FWP criminal investigator Jeff Scott was able to determine the location by identifying the tree over Vasell’s right shoulder.



Vasell friend pleads guilty to hunting violations
Rip Cook
Staff reporter
A friend of a former employee of Senator Conrad Burns and convicted lobbyist Jack Abramhoff pled guilty to three hunting violations in Stillwater County Justice Court this past Tuesday, May 23.
James “J.R.” Reger said in court that he was guilty of trespassing, transferring a hunting license, and of possession of an unlawfully killed big game animal. He was ordered to pay fines totaling $1,105, and will also lose hunting privileges for a year.

Reger is friends with Shawn Vasell, who has worked with both Burns and Abramhoff. Vasell was convicted this past December of hunting without a license and trespassing after killing a deer near Fishtail while hunting with J.R. Reger and his brother, Michael.
Fish, Wildlife and Parks criminal investigator Jeff Scott was tipped off to the poaching after Reger posted a picture of Vasell with the illegally killed deer on his web site. Scott was able to determine the exact location of where the picture was taken because of a distinctive tree in the background.
The web site was shut down shortly after the incident. Several blogs refer to Reger allegedly bragging about the incident, stating that the publicity he gains from poaching is worth the fines.
“I highly recommend poaching a little or doing something minor to get your name in the paper at least once a year,” Reger allegedly wrote on his web site.
In court, Justice of the Peace Marilyn Kober sternly admonished Reger for his attitude.
“I hope through this crime you get the publicity you desire, and I hope the citizens of Montana realize that your poaching is nothing if not a case of intentional theft, theft of Montana’s resources, theft from every Montana citizen,” Kober said. “You might think that is absolutely hilarious. I am not as amused as your fellow poachers will be.”
Kober also admonished Reger’s attorney, Brian Kohn of Billings, for cursing at Scott at a previous hearing.

“Your profanity in the presence of the Court in the future will not be tolerated,” said Kober.
Similar charges of hunting violations against Michael Reger were dismissed.

dayna0306

I personaly would be ashamed of anything I got by cheeting ,it's like trying to brag about winning a marathon when you started a day early. I lose all respect for some one like that.

Howler

He's a hero in his own mind!!! I'd guess he's got lots of friends in low places, namely jail, that he can brag to!!

charlie brown

For people like him, hitting him with a puny little fine like that does absolutely nothing, as he, himself pointed out. The only way to curtail the situation is to make poaching a felony. It was done here in Nevada in 2004, and seems to be working well. With his intent, it would be a felony, no doubt. The big thing there is a felon can't posses firearms, etc, so any violation of being a felon, then becomes a greater penalty in the future. Only way to curtail these jerks IMO.

huntingson

You're right Charlie brown, felony charges make complete sense, especially in a state where the economy benefits so much from legal hunting.

Yedneck

[:@]I also agree with Charlie Brown.This should be a Felony charge now.If a person cant do it the right way to start with they should not be allowed to do it at all.And as a Felon you can not have a firearm.I wouldnt even let him hold a fishin ploe.