DFW says six were poaching when bear bit man
Friday, December 23, 2005 6:49 AM PST
By Tom Paulu
Printable version
E-mail this articleLaw enforcement officials have put the chomp on six young men involved in a bear-biting incident last summer.
The men were charged with a variety of hunting-related violations in District Court last week, following an extensive investigation by Department of Fish and Wildlife officers.
Their investigation began June 8 after Adam Lee, 20, of Longview, was treated for four puncture wounds on his left arm at St. John Medical Center. At the time, Lee told wildlife agents that he and two companions were scouting for elk in the upper Abernathy Creek drainage west of Longview. Lee said that he left his companions for a few minutes to relieve himself when a bear attacked.
But wildlife officers said they got several conflicting reports from Lee and the other men at the scene. Officer Tammy Conklin said that Lee eventually told her that he had been baiting bears --- leaving food products that attracts the animals --- which is illegal.
The suspects had left a motion-activated camera that took pictures of bears that came to the scene, Conklin said. The men also were using dogs to hunt, which is also against the law, according to Conklin.
"Eventually we did find the bear and the gun," she said. Conklin and other officers located the carcass of a 350-pound bear that had been shot about one mile from the baiting site.
"There was a big fight between the dog and the bear," said DFW Sgt. Ted Holden. In the process, the bear also bit Lee, he said.
"It was a very large adult male," Holden said. He said bears typically wrap their front legs around victims and bite the head, and Lee was fortunate to get away with only arm wounds. "Luckily this bear didn't latch onto him," Holden said.
Holden said it took about 150 hours of investigation time before the DFW submitted its reports on the cases to the prosecutor's office.
Charges have been filed against Adam Lee; Jason Lee, 19; Kevin Lund, 26; Ty Keele, 25; Brian Barnd-Spjut, 25; and Ian Coyle, 29. All are Longview residents.
The men were charged with hunting for big game in a closed season, hunting with the aid of dogs, hunting with bait, wastage of big game, obstructing a law enforcement officer and providing false information.
Arraignment has been set for Wednesday.
Holden said the men obviously were experienced at illegal bear hunting.
"We call them thrill killers," Holden said. "They're just trophy poachers."
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