CODY– In Park County Circuit Court recently, former Cody resident Erik Rautenberg, 29, pleaded guilty to taking a buck mule deer out of season. Rautenberg was ordered to pay $7,540 in fines and restitution and will lose his hunting, fishing, and trapping privileges for three years.
Cody Region Game Warden Travis Crane said a Stop Poaching report first alerted the Wyoming Game and Fish Department to Rautenberg’s illegal activity. “On May 30, I received a Stop Poaching tip regarding a possible poached deer near Sam Berry meadows on the Pahaska Trail west of Cody,” Crane said. “A couple riding horseback in the area said they observed a man shooting a handgun and thought he might be shooting at a buck deer they saw run over a hill. The couple said that after hearing the initial shots, they observed the man sneak up the hill in pursuit of the deer, then heard a series of shots after the man disappeared from view.”
The following day, Crane and Shoshone National Forest law enforcement officer Travis Hayworth rode in to investigate the report. “On the trail, we encountered Rautenberg and another individual walking out to the trailhead, but when stopped and questioned about the incidence, Rautenberg denied shooting a deer,” Crane said.
When Crane arrived at the men’s recently abandoned campsite however, he discovered a large, freshly killed mule deer buck nearby with part of a backstrap removed. When Crane caught up to Rautenberg at the trailhead and questioned him a second time, he admitted to shooting the deer with his Glock pistol, taking a backstrap, and leaving the rest of the deer to waste. Rautenberg was subsequently arrested and taken to the Park County Detention Center.
“This was a case of a big game animal killed simply for the thrill of it and is the worst kind of wildlife violation we investigate,” Crane said. “The anonymous Stop Poaching tip from the public was instrumental in solving the case and sends a message that this type of violation will not be tolerated by the public.”
If you witness a wildlife violation, please call the Stop Poaching Hotline at 877-WGFD-TIP. Tips are most helpful when they include specific information such as the date, time, location, and details about the suspected violation. Include a physical description of the suspected violator, as well as a license plate number and description of any vehicles involved in the incident. You may also report violations at wgfd.wyo.gov. Upon successful prosecution of defendants, tips may result in a cash reward of up to $5,000. Informants may choose to remain anonymous.