A father and son from La Grande have been sentenced to jail time and a three-year ban from hunting for killing a trophy elk in a controlled hunting unit.
On June 10, Kyle and Richard “Rick” Bowen, both of La Grande, plead guilty in Union County Circuit Court to charges involving illegal hunting activities in the Mt. Emily unit.
An investigation conducted by the Oregon State Police Fish and Wildlife Division in La Grande found that during the 2018 archery elk season, Kyle Bowen harvested a trophy class bull elk in the Mt. Emily wildlife unit. The Mt. Emily unit is a controlled elk hunting unit with a minimal number of tags issued each year for the hunting of branch antlered bull elk. Currently a hunter will need to wait at least 18 years to draw a tag to hunt branch antlered bull elk in the Mt. Emily unit.
Kyle Bowen only possessed a general season archery elk tag in 2018. The investigation found that his father, Richard “Rick” Bowen assisted Kyle with the unlawful hunting activity. As part of the investigation a search warrant was served at the Bowen residence.
Kyle Bowen plead guilty to a Class A misdemeanor for hunting in violation of the wildlife laws. Kyle was sentenced to the following:
- 36–month hunting license suspension. This includes no hunting or assisting others in hunting.
- 18–month probation. This includes a letter of apology to a private landowner and no entry onto that property.
- 10 days in jail with work crew eligibility.
- $7,500 restitution to the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife
- $100 bench probation fee.
- Forfeiture of equipment utilized in the illegal take including a Mathews bow, Zeiss binoculars, Garmin GPS, Rokman frame pack, Badlands backpack, Sitka clothing, cellphone, trail cameras, elk calls and other archery equipment seized.
- Forfeiture of 6×6 bull elk antlers and associated elk meat.
- Forfeiture of 7×7 bull elk antlers that were unlawfully possessed.
Charges for criminal trespass and unlawful possession of wildlife (7×7 elk antlers) were dismissed and a charge of tampering with evidence was discharged as conditions of the plea agreement.
Richard “Rick” Bowen plead guilty to a charge of Aid, Assist, Counsel or Share in the Proceeds of a wildlife violation a Class-A misdemeanor. Richard was sentenced to the following:
- 36–month hunting license suspension. This includes no hunting or assisting others in hunting.
- 18–month probation. This includes a letter of apology to a private landowner and no entry onto that property.
- 8 days in jail with work crew eligibility.
- $7,500 restitution to the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife
- $100 bench probation fee.
- Forfeiture of equipment utilized in the illegal take.
- Forfeiture of marijuana seized.
Charges for criminal trespass and unlawful possession of marijuana were dismissed as conditions of the plea agreement.
