TWIN FALLS, Idaho — A Rupert man will lose his Idaho hunting license for life as part of a plea deal in a poaching case that involved using a helicopter to chase wildlife.
Karl Studer pleaded guilty to one charge of illegally taking a bull moose after an investigation revealed a pattern of illegal hunting behaviors.
"Karl Studer should never be allowed to hunt in the state of Idaho again," prosecutor Jethelyn Harrington said.
HEAR: Rupert man Karl Studer's sentencing after he pleaded guilty to a single felony poaching charge
The investigation began with several reports of a red helicopter flying low and chasing game away from hunters. One hunter told investigators that "the helicopter followed the deer for a mile and a half or so and was about 200 yards off the ground... It was obvious the deer were running because of the helicopter."
Studer, who was a passenger in that helicopter and a driving force in the illegal wildlife harvests of three other men, initially faced seven felony charges related to poaching.
"As far as the facts of this case go, it does not get more serious, for poaching big game animals in the state of Idaho," Harrington said.
The prosecutor argued that the behaviors identified in the investigation should factor into sentencing.
"Karl Studer is an arrogant man who has stolen from Idaho's precious resources in a very inhumane and undignified way. His blatant disregard and lack of respect for other hunters in Idaho is full-scale cheating, breaking rules that everyone else has to follow," Harrington said.
Defense attorney Charles Peterson Jr. told the judge a five-year ban was appropriate and pointed to character statements submitted by friends and associates of Studer.
"Neither have I seen in this case anything in any of the people who know him that would suggest, as the state suggests, that he is greedy and thinks he is above the law," Peterson said.
Judge William Hancock agreed with the prosecutor during a sentencing hearing for the high-profile poaching case, handing down a lifetime suspension of his Idaho hunting license.
"The court is mindful that the sentence set here today will be a sentence that not only has an impact for (Studer), but also has a message for others," Hancock said.
Studer's sentence includes five years of unsupervised probation, 50 hours of community service, and fines and court fees totaling around $180,000.
Prior to sentencing, Studer apologized to the court, the state, and to Fish and Game.
"I'm ashamed of how we ended up here, never my intention. However, I fully accept all responsibility for my actions and accountability around that," Studer said.
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