Game warden uses Internet to catch poachers

Type the word "antlers" into eBay's search engine, and more than 1,000 auctions pop up.

Not all of them are for real antlers. Some people are selling antler-themed collectibles or home décor.

But there are dozens of deer, elk and moose "sheds" up for bid, including some from Montana. Last week, buyers vied for a 37-pound elk rack from Fort Benton priced at $3,000.

Didn't think to check eBay for antlers?

It's a little trick Montana Game Warden Derek Fagone picked up while investigating hunting violations.

"It's like a chess game," Fagone said of his work in Fish, Wildlife and Parks Region 5. "What makes it fun is catching these guys."

It is not illegal to collect and sell antlers that an animal sheds naturally, but hunters have been known to unlawfully kill an animal to harvest its headgear.

Based in Big Timber, Fagone is charged with ensuring sportsmen follow hunting, fishing and other regulations on public land in Sweet Grass County.

"There is no typical day," he said.

In February, going to work could mean spending a day astride a snowmobile patrolling the foothills for trappers or mountain lion hunters.

During summer, he might ride a horse to a high mountain lake to check fishing licenses.

Into fall and early winter, Fagone puts in long hours during big-game season, working check stations or investigating tips about violations.

"We want people to go out there, have a good time enjoying the resources and not get into trouble doing it," Fagone said.

Most of the time, he works alone. The next-nearest game wardens are stationed miles away in Columbus and Harlowton.

"When I get a call in Sweet Grass County, it's me," he said.

Most of his investigations begin with leads dialed in to TipMont, the state's tip line for fish and game violations.

"I do think some people consider fish and game violations less serious because they're not against a person," Fagone said.

But without reports from citizens, game wardens wouldn't be able to do their jobs, he said.

"The odds of me coming upon it - someone shooting from the road or poaching a deer" are slim, Fagone said.

Reporting violations is the right thing to do, he said.

"It's an ethical thing, more than anything," he said.

Fagone shakes his head at unethical hunters who break the rules to get a trophy animal.

"I can't understand what the story about the big elk on the wall would have been when you know what really happened," he said.

Fagone, who used to work as a biologist, is in his fourth year as a game warden.

"It's a perfect fit for me," he said.

Published on Monday, February 04, 2008.
Last modified on 2/4/2008 at 12:48 am

Copyright © The Billings Gazette, a division of Lee Enterprises.

Good for him, poachers give us real hunters a bad name"

I Agree Rock, When I Was Searching The Net This Morning And Found This It Reminded Me Of The Guy They Just Caught Selling Stolen Property, This Guy Wasn't Small Time Either He Had Truck Loads Of Stuff That He Was Selling On e-bay. Well In Any Case Lock Him Up And Anyone That Had Any Thing To Do With It.

That remians me, back about 6 years ago, I work a case concerning stolen coins, I had a suspect but couldnt pin it on him, untill I went on ebay and started sniffing around, took me 11 days but I found him, and was able to make the arrest, and get most of his coins back"

You Know What Is Sad But True, Is If You End Up Buy Any Stolen Property On There You Will Get It For Receiving Stolen Property If They Were To Find You With It, ebay Is Good But I Will Stick With The News Papers.

Rock,,I may have sent this to you by pm by mistake,,,,,anyway,,,what I was saying is that Pawn Shops and CB radios were my best friend..Sure help me get the goods on alot of folks.

What burns me up is to hear the news casters say,"A hunter was caught poaching today". First off It was not a hunter, It was a "POACHER"..............

A poacher is a thief..........

A Hunter is a sportsman......

Dragger wrote:

What burns me up is to hear the news casters say,"A hunter was caught poaching today". First off It was not a hunter, It was a "POACHER"..............

A poacher is a thief..........

A Hunter is a sportsman......

You Are So Right Buddy.