An illegal hunt in Yellowstone National Park landed three men in federal court after they killed a mountain lion. They were charged with illegally hunting a male mountain lion in the northern part of the park this past December.
It is unlawful to hunt in Yellowstone under the Lacey Act.
Austin Peterson, Trey Juhnke, and Corbin Simmons, from Livingston, Montana, each admitted to shooting the mountain lion and carrying the dead animal back to their vehicle.
Simmons initially falsely stated that the animal was harvested north of the park boundary. As a result, this took away the opportunity for another hunter to have legally harvested a cougar.
Peterson, 20, was ordered to pay $1,700 in restitution as part of his sentence on May 3, 2019. He is also required to serve three years probation and is banned from hunting, fishing, or trapping during that time.
Juhnke, 20, and Simmons, 19, both received similar sentences after all three pleaded guilty to the charges.
“I would like to express a sincere thank you to Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks, law enforcement officers at Yellowstone National Park, the National Park Service Investigative Services Branch, and the US Attorney’s Office – District of Wyoming for being involved in this case,” said Yellowstone National Park Chief Ranger Pete Webster. “Their thorough work spotlighted this egregious act and the consequences incurred for hunting illegally in Yellowstone National Park.”
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