Fishbonker
Life Member
This bill would extend the statute of limitations for simple misdemeanor fishing, hunting and trapping violations from 1 year to within 2 years of discovery. Currently, if I was to poach something today in one year no charges could be brought against me. With the proposed law if I poach something today two years after the DNR figures it out they can press charges.
This bill is a result of a couple of recent cases. One involves a taxidermist who had a building full of rotting capes and heads. The capes and heads had been building up for years. The DNR is still trying to unravel the case but it is believed the taxidermist was taking poached deer, cash up front, and not doing the work. What poacher is going to report him? If the DNR can prove who belongs to which deer they cannot press charges if the crime was committed over 1 year ago.
The other case is the Jefferson County "outfitter" that was buying tags from locals, sometimes for a bouquet of flowers, and selling them to non residents. Again, anything he or his "clients" had done over one year ago is beyond the statute of limitations.
http://coolice.legis.iowa.gov/Cool-...linfo&Service=Billbook&menu=false&hbill=hf291
The bill was assigned to the House Natural Resources Committee. When they assign it to a sub committee I will post their names and email links so you can contact them about this bill.
This bill is a result of a couple of recent cases. One involves a taxidermist who had a building full of rotting capes and heads. The capes and heads had been building up for years. The DNR is still trying to unravel the case but it is believed the taxidermist was taking poached deer, cash up front, and not doing the work. What poacher is going to report him? If the DNR can prove who belongs to which deer they cannot press charges if the crime was committed over 1 year ago.
The other case is the Jefferson County "outfitter" that was buying tags from locals, sometimes for a bouquet of flowers, and selling them to non residents. Again, anything he or his "clients" had done over one year ago is beyond the statute of limitations.
http://coolice.legis.iowa.gov/Cool-...linfo&Service=Billbook&menu=false&hbill=hf291
The bill was assigned to the House Natural Resources Committee. When they assign it to a sub committee I will post their names and email links so you can contact them about this bill.