Elk Season is Now Jail Season for Pendleton Man Convicted of Poaching

A poacher will pay $75,000 in fines and serve jail time after killing numerous deer and
elk near Pendleton in what officials called a wildlife crime spree.

Walker Erickson, 28, of Pendleton, pleaded guilty to 22 charges including illegally killing deer and elk, leaving game animals to waste and trespassing. All charges accumulated in an 18-month timeframe, leading officials to declare the case a crime spree.

In the summer of 2020, OSP received a call to the Turn In Poachers (TIP) Line. Oregon State Police Fish & Wildlife troopers began gathering information and evidence, which led to a search warrant at Erickson’s residence in Dec. 2021. Troopers seized six sets of deer antlers, three sets of elk antlers including those of a 7×7 trophy bull elk, a rifle, a bow, and meat. The investigation led troopers to additional instances of poaching.

Sentencing included $15,000 for the 7X7 bull elk, $15,000 for a 6X5 bull elk and $7,500 for a 4X4 mule deer buck. In addition, Erickson will serve 14 days in jail during elk hunting season for the next three years.

“Elk season is now jail season,” said Jay Hall, Wildlife Anti-Poaching Resources prosecutor. Hall, who is an assistant attorney general with the Oregon Department of Justice, prosecuted the case on behalf of the Umatilla County District Attorney’s office. The Aug. 1 sentencing reflected Hall’s recommended punishment to fit the crime.

This case reflects the first significant application of new sentencing guidelines established by the Oregon Legislature in 2018. HB 3035 created stiffer penalties and allows prosecutors to elevate poaching crimes from a misdemeanor to a felony.

In addition to fines and jail time, Erickson forfeited the rifle and bow he used to commit the crimes, and all trophies and game parts. That includes a freezer full of meat that the court ordered forfeited and directed the OSP Fish & Wildlife division to provide to the Blue Mountain Wildlife Center, for their raptor rehabilitation program.

“Poaching poses a direct threat to Oregon’s precious fish and wildlife populations,” said Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife Stop Poaching campaign coordinator Yvonne Shaw. “In 2022 alone, nearly 5,000 animals were poached in Oregon – that we know of. We need all Oregonians to be our eyes and ears in the fields, forests, waterways, and beaches of Oregon.”

For more informaTon on how to recognize and report poaching, and how poaching impacts Oregonian’s natural resources, go online.