(KRON) — A Contra Costa County man pleaded no contest in a poaching investigation from the California Division of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) after being accused of illegally taking pictures and taking a pronghorn on personal property in Northern California, officers introduced Wednesday.
The investigation started in August 2024 when a tip to CalTIP reported a person seen illegally taking pictures the pronghorn with a compound bow on personal property in Modoc County.
Pronghorns, that are most intently associated to giraffes, can look just like deer from a distance and are appreciated because the quickest land animal in North America.
Responding CDFW officers canvassed the kill website, interviewed witnesses and searched on-line information and investigatory databases, the company mentioned. The investigation led to Earnest Davis, 53, of Clayton, being named as an individual of curiosity, in accordance with CDFW.
FILE – Pronghorn stomping his foot (Getty Photographs)
Officers went to Davis’ residence in Clayton, the place officers mentioned it was decided that he poached the male pronghorn.
A proper criticism in opposition to Davis was submitted by wildlife officers to the Modoc County District Lawyer’s Workplace. In the course of the January 30 arraignment, a settlement settlement was reached within the case.
Davis pleaded no contest to being concerned within the unlawful take of the pronghorn of personal property. All different violations within the criticism had been dismissed within the settlement, officers mentioned.
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As a part of the settlement, Davis will probably be topic to at least one yr of abstract probation and lose looking privileges throughout that point. Phrases additionally included the forfeiture of the pronghorn’s meat, a fee of $3,000 in restitution and the requirement to finish a hunter schooling course.
In California, solely 137 pronghorn looking tags had been issued in 2024. Wildlife officers mentioned it may possibly take years, typically a long time, of making use of earlier than a hunter is awarded a tag to legally hunt pronghorn.
“We have zero tolerance for poaching and those who would cheat the system and undermine the opportunities Californians have to legally hunt pronghorn antelope in this state,” mentioned CDFW Chief of Legislation Enforcement Nathanial Arnold. “We’re grateful for the collaboration and support from Modoc County District Attorney Salarno, who shares our values of protecting one of California’s iconic big game species.”
