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Poaching probe expands after report of foul odor at storage unit

Tuesday, March 4, 2008 6:24 AM PST

By Leslie Slape

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A Kelso man who was arrested Feb. 13 on suspicion of poaching elk in the Toutle Valley was arrested again last week when Kelso police checked out a report of a foul smell emanating from a storage unit.

Kenneth James Farmer, 34, told police Thursday the odor of decay came from elk antlers that he was removing from the unit due to complaints about the smell. Police said Farmer had loaded six branched elk antlers with meat and blood still on them, plus two sets of deer antlers, into the back of a friend's Nissan Pathfinder.

The friend, who was the renter of the storage unit, told police Farmer asked him two weeks ago if he could store the antlers in the unit.

The vehicle also contained two rifles that Farmer said were family heirlooms. Police confirmed that one of the rifles, a black powder muzzleloader, had been a Christmas gift from Farmer's father to Farmer's son. The other rifle, a Remington, was reported stolen in a Cowlitz County burglary in May 2007, but Farmer continued to insist it had been handed down through his family for generations, police said.

Because Farmer, a convicted felon, is not allowed to possess firearms, police seized both weapons.

Police said Farmer later admitted he poached the six elk but claimed he had already been charged with that. He said he took the antlers first and then the Department of Fish and Wildlife arrested him when he came back for the meat.

A Fish and Wildlife official told police that Farmer had been arrested in an investigation into elk poaching, but those elk were completely intact, the report said.

In that case, Farmer has been charged in Cowlitz County District Court with two counts of illegal hunting big game in the second degree, two counts of spotlighting big game in the second degree and one count of use or possession of a loaded firearm.

Thursday, Kelso police booked Farmer into jail in lieu of $20,000 bail on suspicion of possession of a stolen firearm and felon in possession of a firearm. The Department of Fish and Wildlife will investigate possible game violations, police said.

Farmer's criminal history includes a 2003 conviction for drug possession, felony eluding, unlawful possession of a firearm and obstructing an officer.

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Hide Behind wrote on Mar 4, 2008 8:24 AM:

" Lets hope they expand upon the why of so many poached animals and the why a friends P/U was not also confiscated or held for evidence. Commercialization of Washington Game extends way beyond just a guy taking more than one animal and selling parts as even farmers now charge under the table fees for allowing selected hunters access to their lands. Many so called guide services for fishing recieve little oversight other than a cursory now and then examnation and most are not even registered but under the table and do not report fish saying it is customers responsability. A guide boat 6 per. and 1 guy could catch all yet is legal limit for each? The same goes for hunting Guides? That said there are reputable guiding services who do follow laws and they in turn need protection from those who don't.An ethnic group was reported to be selling elk for up to $300 and deer for $100 all gotten from I5 west and sold in Oly/SEA/TAC yet 8 yrs later? Abuses locally of fish stock is nothing compared to what is happening below Bonnieville with whole camps catching and then delivering to ethnic stores restaruants and home use. Many care not species such as carp and less palatable is happening but sturgeon, Walleye, Catfish and steelhead are also fair game. State cutting back on maintenance but no redirection for enforcement.A deer spikes horns worth 25 as medicine for babys upset tummy. "

Shootin wrote on Mar 4, 2008 8:39 AM:

" I think this guy needs one of those forced urine samples! "

Diesel wrote on Mar 4, 2008 8:43 AM:

" This guy isn't a hunter, he's just a killer. It's people like him that give true hunters a bad name. He need to go down hard for a long time. "

Leslie Slape wrote on Mar 4, 2008 8:59 AM:

" Police did not seize the pickup, but they did seize the elk and deer antlers, a spotlight, a big game bag and bullets in addition to the two rifles. "

To Hide behind wrote on Mar 4, 2008 8:59 AM:

" This jerk was not even selling the animals for food. He seemed to be WASTING every ounce of it. To me he seems to be a sick man that just likes to kill....like Diesel says, "he gives true hunters a bad name." "

Lock 'em up wrote on Mar 4, 2008 9:11 AM:

" Why wasn't he also charged with wasting wildlife? And there is an extra fine for poaching bigger bulls. Also, shooting from the highway (if he's spotlighting he had to be.) Go through those regulations again, I'm sure there are other things to charge him with(tagging, transporting violations, no license) Throw the book at him. "

Cheney119 wrote on Mar 4, 2008 9:17 AM:

" These are rocky mountain elk because the local species was eradicated 100 years ago. Elk are herd animals and are easily poached. What does that say about "hunting". "

Huntress wrote on Mar 4, 2008 9:39 AM:

" I am glad this guy is finally getting what he deserves. I get so sick and tired of driving out in the woods anymore, and smelling the odor of a decaying animal, and then seeing it, on the side of the road, with its head cut off. All that meat to go to waste? I dont know how people think they can get away with it, All I know, is if I catch you, I will turn you in. There is a great poaching hotline on the back of your seasonal pamphlet. I encourage all of you to enter that in to your cell phones. "

Huntress wrote on Mar 4, 2008 9:42 AM:

" I also think we need stiffer penalties for this type of stuff. Half of the we hesitate turn things in or report a crime on state land because its all we have left. Most hunters are fearfull to call authorities, because they think the state land gates will be closed on us too. "

Roosevelt wrote on Mar 4, 2008 9:58 AM:

" To Cheney119:
Anything to make people who hunt sound bad, huh? The Roosevelt elk were never "eradicated" around Mt. St. Helens. Although Rocky Mtn. elk were released in W. WA, these elk are a mix of Roosevelt and Rocky Mtn. Source: WDFW St. Helens Herd plan. "

CR Res wrote on Mar 4, 2008 10:00 AM:

" To Cheney119; Where did you get your information? No Elk were eradicated 100 years ago. These elk were planted here along time ago. "

Joining the chorus wrote on Mar 4, 2008 4:07 PM:

" Deisel is right if the alleged poacher is found to be guilty I hope he gets a couple of years in the crow bar motel to contemplate his misdeeds. "

Grow Old Timber wrote on Mar 4, 2008 4:16 PM:

" Cheney119 MUST be thinking of the WOLF.
It was eradicated. Now there are too many elk and they are starving.
Even with all this forage weyerhauser gives them.
In Yellowstone the Aspens along the river started reappearing after decades without.
It was because the big bad Wolf was reintroduced. Who would have guessed?
One of the unconsidered things that shows up, regardless. Now those Elk can not stand around and graze as easy as we made it for them, before.
Poachers suck. Get a life.
"

UW PSE wrote on Mar 4, 2008 6:08 PM:

" Cheney119 obviously has no clue what he's talking about. No elk have ever been "eradicated" in the Northwest, and certainly not as recently as 100 years ago. And if you think hunting is easy, you are sorely mistaken. "

wildgame wrote on Mar 4, 2008 9:11 PM:

" Hide behind your full of crap as you are most of the time .Lets see some figures before you go spouting off at the mouth.
I know a few guides that would like to put a foot in your butt.
The poacher needs to rest at the Cross bar Hilton for some time .
And learn the laws of the land. "

Robin wrote on Mar 4, 2008 9:34 PM:

" *sigh* I am so relieved to hear all your comments thatand I share in your opions. I've lived in Silver lake for nearly 2o yrs and have totaly gone bird brain! the raptures are a sign of what we can do...anyway I have for the past 8 years watched one paticular nest off Sandra I think it replaced the one that fell in a storm in 2000 at the end of Hall & spirit lake hwy.. I could see the nest from my kitchen and belived my kitchen was bird watching heaven...UNTIL i woke Sat morning to find the nest being chain sawed to the ground :o(...*sigh* I am so sad...I love to see the wild life here...it is good and healthy!! yes...I phoned the warden..still waiting..and wrote Patty Murray...please tell me I am not alone in wanting to share our beautifull state with all the creatures? I think hunting is i'm sure fun and more power to you hunters. and I've never turned down (in season) deer/elk meat.
comments or suggestions?

I will miss those two raptures...*frown* "

WOW wrote on Mar 4, 2008 10:14 PM:

" It's a good thing we don't take out the starving people do to over population. "

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