Two arrested in suspected poaching incident
Published on -11/20/2009, 11:49 AM
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By STEVEN HAUSLER
Hays Daily News
A manhunt ended in the arrest of two men Tuesday evening in connection with a suspected deer poaching incident in rural Ellis County.
The two men, Ryan Christopher Feuerborn, 23, of Louisburg, and Brian Alan Clapp, 25, of Butler, Mo., were apprehended after a search that lasted more than two hours. An unnamed witness saw the men shoot a trophy white-tailed buck from their vehicle along the Saline River in northwest Ellis County.
Law enforcement officers with the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks, Kansas Highway Patrol, Hays Police Department and Ellis County Sheriff's Department all were involved in the search effort. A KHP airplane using forward-looking infrared radar, FLIR, a night-vision device mounted on the plane, flew to the scene to help search for the men.
One suspect, detected by the airplane's FLIR, was arrested after hiding in an uncut grain sorghum field for nearly two hours. The second man fled the scene and checked in at two different motel rooms in Hays later that evening. He was arrested in Hays after a short chase on foot. A rifle was seized outside the motel room where the man had first checked in, and four other guns were collected from the vehicle, driven by a woman.
According to law enforcement, the two men were riding with the woman who had dropped the men off after they began shooting at the deer from their vehicle.
The woman was later released from custody.
The witness, a local bowhunter, told KDWP the men shot the deer from Riverview Road, firing in his direction where he was bowhunting from a tree stand.
The witness took cover behind a tree and when the shooting stopped, he ran to his truck. The witness then stopped the driver of the vehicle and held her until law enforcement arrived at the scene. It is believed the suspects were attempting to cut off the deer's antlers when the witness verbally confronted the two men from a distance.
The two men then abandoned the deer and fled on foot into the grain field.
"Having the KHP plane up there with the FLIR unit was a big help and was probably the key to catching these guys," said Shane Zeigler, a game warden for KDWP.
Officials with the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks said the two men are expected to be charged with two felonies: illegal harvest of a trophy deer, which comes with a fine of $5,000, and obstructing official duty. The men also are expected to be charged with eight misdemeanors: hunting without a license, hunting without a valid deer permit, criminal hunting without permission, hunting from a vehicle, wanton waste, hunting deer with an illegal caliber firearm, hunting during a closed season, and criminal discharge of a firearm.
Officials with KDWP said they are investigating a number of deer poaching incidents across northwest Kansas, including a late October incident in southern Ellis County near Munjor where an arrest was made.
oh wow another precious little deer with antlers was shot and i just paid thousands in tax dollars over a deer. great job. maybe u could use that little plane to catch all the illegal aliens or stop the drug trafficing. good job policemen and women. u caught two guys who killed a deer.
(Posted by: travis)
Land Owners-Permission: 11/24/2009
OK, I will lay it on the line, landowners do not let anyone hunt, its getting worse every year, out of staters are buying up all the land that could possibly hold a deer, in ten years the average person will not be able to hunt. Walk in land has been shrinking for two decades due to our States hunger for out of state licenses that this year went unlimited, $320 a tag, buy all you want. This will spur a new generation of out of state landowner. These owners do not do anything to the land but let the weeds grow so it might hold a buck. Farmers can no longer buy the land to expand their farms at $1000 frickin dollars an acre. Our state caters to out of staters. The system creates the problems, he who cant hunt will hunt anyway. Like it or not.
(Posted by: A lifetime hunter)
Have we forgotten?: 11/23/2009
It is possible that the plane was put into use because there was a bow hunter, in the nearby vicinity, and could have been shot...or worse, killed. Therefore, I see no fault in sending out more emergency help, including the plane. GREAT JOB!!!
(Posted by: Local Bow Hunter)
ty9: 11/23/2009
Do you really think that deer is barely 100 pts? Trophy standards are measured by the width and anything over 16" is considered a trophy. That deer would score somewhere between 140 and 150 and would dwarf anything you have shot. The plane was used because the suspect hiding in the milo was armed with a rifle, it was dark, and he refused to surrender.
(Posted by: wow)
One that got away: 11/22/2009
For every poacher there are 10 that get away, but KDWP and Highway Patrol do the best they can. Landowners and other hunters need to be on the watch.
If you want the deer population controlled, buy antlerless permits and go hunting.
Natural resources belong to eveyone, not one person or individual---they belong to all of us---KDWP is the steward of the resource---the guardian for all of us to keep poaching of trophies under control.
(Posted by: Fair Chase and the Future of Hunting)
Got'em: 11/22/2009
I have spent my time and money every year to come up there and hunt, and to have people that cheat and do it early ticks me off. This is what I call a cleansing of the wicked. Great job KDWP!
(Posted by: An out of Stater!)
poaching: 11/22/2009
Tim,
Either you want to stop the poaching or not stop it. If not then continue with the antler Hype as usual.
My suggestion would be to have all the legal deer kills verified with the KDWP by a check system on the kills then that would make it legal to sell it or buy it. How's than Tim? A soulution maybe.
(Posted by: Chief)
Re. TO something to think about.: 11/21/2009
Maybe you see more out of towners is because Big Hunting Guide Outfitters who are not from here rent or lease the land from farmers and most of their clients are from out of state. It really sucks for the local guy!! And are these farmers claiming this on their income for the year? Probably not! Under the table maybe?
(Posted by: born here die here)
poaching: 11/21/2009
OK Tim, We all want poaching stoped. So make it Illegal to buy them or sell them, UNLESS they are certified a legal kill by Fish and Game departments. That would get the KDWP off there butts and get a deer kill check system also. Like they should have had a million freekin years ago!!!
(Posted by: Chief)
poaching: 11/21/2009
Living in the country, I truely believe the deer population needs thined alot. Kansas needs to open up deer season to year round. We are being over run here in the country!!!
(Posted by: country gal)
Chief: 11/21/2009
Your missing the point!!! The animals belong to everyone, not just the hunters or landowners. We need to keep the population down so anyone who get antler legally has the right to use them as they want. Let not make more socialist rules or mess with the rights of others due to a few that can't follow the law.
(Posted by: Tim)
Bout time: 11/21/2009
Great job to all involved!! throw the book at them!
(Posted by: bow hunter)
Farmers and to many deer!: 11/21/2009
I am glad they got busted, but for the farmer wanting the deer population taken down a notch, where were u when I was going door to door looking for a place to hunt for 2 straight weekends? I agree that it is your land and they do tear up fences and crop but if it is that big of a deal to get rid of them why do I not have a place to bow hunt? And it seems crazy to me that all the walkin area's r grass fields and not creek bottoms. Glad my tax dollars help you all out!!
(Posted by: J.P.)
twiddly Dee twiddly dumb: 11/21/2009
Trophy hunt, some jacka$$'$ just can't play by the rules!
Isn't this meting season?
Hope they confiscate their truck, guns, and big fine, must be liberals, play by their on rules!
(Posted by: X)
Tired of Deer: 11/21/2009
How many realize without deer being shot/killed how many there would be? An overpopulation for sure. One just has to look at the deers killed recently on the interstate. NOT saying poaching is ok, just come on ppl, don't act like deer is such a precious commodity! plus many wild deer have disease,which helps kill them off too.
(Posted by: )
poachers: 11/20/2009
Seems like a pretty simple solution to end the poaching.
Make it illegal to buy or sell antlers.
Am I missing some reason for not doing that?
(Posted by: Chief)
poachers: 11/20/2009
There is a way to stop all the poaching. Make it illegal to sell them or ileegal to buy them. End of story.
Seems to be a pretty simple solution to me.
(Posted by: Chief)
Farmers: 11/20/2009
I'm glad that you feed the deer and hope to hunt the deer during deer season. You should consider that without alittle help from the taxpayer that you can't feed those deer. Land that you receive government payments should at least be walk-in hunting. Count your blessing for getting extra money.
(Posted by: joe)
Agree to a point: 11/20/2009
No problem tracking down and arresting them. Only issue I have is why the plane? With all the budget issues and no money, sounds like a pretty expensive way to track someone down.
Glad they caught them but egads at what price? Evidently the KDWP has more money than everyone else.
(Posted by: Haysite)
Murders: 11/20/2009
Most of these are set up killings like farmer Joe, telling a buddy, I know where a buck beds down for the night, illegal!
Electric chair! Oh, deer don't tier down fences, thy jump- um !
(Posted by: I ain't saying)
Good job: 11/20/2009
I agree the Law enforcement did a good job, but this unknown witness better do his duty. Growing up in western Kansas we had just as much trouble from KANSAS hunters than out of State. Start giving out out of Deer permits at High price like other States do. Remember the land owners own the land, not the deer. Now let get ride of the illegals..lol
(Posted by: Fred)
wrong!!: 11/20/2009
it DOES not get old from a farmers stand point. this is coming from one and many many more that would like to see the deer population taken down a bit. you have NO idea about broken fence etc. !!!! we don't want so many!!!!!!
(Posted by: a farmer)
few points: 11/20/2009
that rack is barely 100 pts. i've shot 120+ pts and i'm not even looking for them.
(Posted by: ty9)
On Guard: 11/20/2009
EVERY YEAR this goes on and the sneaky little poachers come in to this area a couple weeks before rifle season and shoot randomly not knowing or caring if there are folks in their tree stands near by (like the witness to this poaching) or if there are farmsteads just beyond the trees in the background. Amen to what farmer said, we grow these deer up in hopes we might get a shot at them DURING SEASON only to have creeps like these come in and take them illegally... Good job W & P officers and KHP, unfortunately I'm sure there will be more!
(Posted by: I'll be watchin' too)
Something to think about: 11/20/2009
Out of staters again! Makes ya wonder if they are worth the problems they cause. I've seen more out of state hunters this year than locals.
(Posted by: watchin from a distance)
About time: 11/20/2009
I would also like to give a pat on the back to the Kansas Wildlife & Parks and the KHP for catching these two. Poaching gets really old from a farmers standpoint and it happens every year. Glad these guys were caught, last year and the previous years, there were trophy deers poached in NW Ellis county, but the individuals were never caught, and the only thing the farmer would find was the body of the deer and the antlers had been cut off. I hope the KS Wildlife and Parks puts the book to these guys, maybe other poachers will take notice, I doubt it thought all they are after is the trophy rack. Kinda sad when we farmers feed the deer from our crops and then someone comes in and shoots them before we even have a chance.
(Posted by: A farmer)
BUSTED: 11/20/2009
Good job KHP and Wildlife and Parks! I truly hope that once this case goes to court, the prosecutors and judge punish these fellas and not just give them a slap on the wrists like they so often times do...
(Posted by: Tired of poachers!)
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