Poacher Sentenced, Aug. 10

On August 5th, 2015, an Enterprise area man was sentenced in Wallowa County Circuit Court following a July 23, 2015, conviction for Taking Elk without a Valid Elk Tag and Criminal Trespass – Second Degree. On September 7th, 2014, Skyler WILLIS, age 23, Enterprise, shot a trophy 6-point bull elk with his bow on the Zumwalt Prairie, which is located in the Chesnimnus Wildlife Management Unit. WILLIS did not have a valid Chesnimnus Unit Tag and was also trespassing on The Nature Conservancy property when he retrieved his bull elk. Oregon State Police Fish and Wildlife Division Troopers from the Enterprise Worksite soon became aware that WILLIS had unlawfully killed the bull elk and began a three month long investigation into the crime. As a result of the investigation, the elk antlers, which scored 319 Boone and Crockett, the elk meat as well as the bow that WILLIS used to unlawfully kill the bull elk were subsequently seized. At the conclusion of the lengthy investigation which included the use of DNA evidence, WILLIS was cited for Taking Elk without Valid Elk Tag and Criminal Trespass – Second Degree in early February of 2015. On August 5th, 2015, WILLIS was sentenced by Judge Russell West in Wallowa County Circuit Court. As part of WILLIS’ sentence, his hunting privileges were suspended for three years; he was placed on 24 months of supervised probation, during which time WILLIS is prohibited from possessing any firearms as well as archery equipment and is not to accompany anyone who is hunting. Willis also had a one-year suspended jail sentence and received eight days of work crew and seven days of community service. The elk antlers, elk meat and bow are forfeited to the State. Additionally, WILLIS is to write a letter of apology to the hunters of Oregon and the letter is to be published in the Oregon Hunters Association (OHA) magazine. WILLIS is to also write a letter of apology addressed to The Nature Conservancy. WILLIS was further ordered to pay $5000 in restitution for the trophy bull elk as well as $200 in fines.