Men sentenced in White Pine County illegal elk kill
An adult father and son from Wisconsin were sentenced and fined this week in the Seventh District Court of Ely for poaching a bull elk in White Pine County in November of 2015, according to the Nevada Department of Wildlife.
Ed Singler of Shiocton, Wis. had a valid bull elk tag for hunt units 221, 222 and 223, but his adult son, Ryan Singler of New London, Wis., took the shot. The two then falsely claimed that it was the elder Singler who harvested the animal, an NDOW news release states.
Ryan Singler pled guilty to a gross misdemeanor and was sentenced to 270 days in jail (suspended), a $2,000 fine and a $6,000 civil penalty along with forfeiture of the rifle, scope and anything harvested from the elk. Ed Singler also pled guilty to a gross misdemeanor and was sentenced to 270 days in jail (suspended), a $1,000 fine and a $6,000 civil penalty.
The two also received 10 days in the White Pine County Jail, which they began serving following the sentencing hearing, and 40 hours of community service to be served with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. The two men will not be permitted to hunt or purchase any hunting license or tag for six years in the 47 states that recognize a Nevada revocation.
“This is such a senseless crime,” said Scott Giles, game warden with the Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW). “These individuals had a valid tag in that area, but because they felt the rules did not apply to them they wound up receiving some pretty steep fines and penalties.”
The case was done in coordination with conservation officers from the Law Enforcement Division of the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, who had brought the possible violation to the attention of NDOW. Wisconsin conservation officers also served search warrants on both Ed and Ryan Singler’s homes, vehicles and cell phones.
“The teamwork between NDOW and the Wisconsin DNR was crucial to the success of this case,” said Tyler Turnipseed, Chief Game Warden for NDOW.
A local guide was also sentenced in the case. Tyler Brunson of McGill reached a plea agreement with the White Pine County District Attorney’s Office for his testimony. Brunson was convicted of hindering a game warden, which is a misdemeanor and carries with it three years revocation of all license privileges.
To report wildlife crime, sportsmen and members of the public can call Operation Game Thief at (800) 992-3030. To learn more about game wardens and wildlife in Nevada visit NDOW at ndow.org.
- 000
- 2015
- Cell Phones
- community
- Community Service
- Community Service
- Community,
- conservation
- county
- crime
- Department of Wildlife
- gross misdemeanor
- Hearing
- homes
- Hours
- learn
- license
- local
- Members
- men
- natural
- natural resources
- Nevada
- Nevada Department of Wildlife
- new
- news
- officers
- Outdoors
- Pine
- public
- Search
- service
- White
- white pine county
- law enforcement
- hunting
- wildlife