Busted! Michigan Poacher Pays Price For Killing Eagles, Wolves
“He was catching the animals because he could and he ‘likes to do it’.”
Is there any better way to start your Saturday than with a nice, hot cup of schadenfreude? The Michigan Department of Natural Resources (MDNR) recently busted 56-year-old Pickford resident Kurt Johnston Duncan for (allegedly) illegally harvesting three bald eagles and 18 wolves. The culmination of a months-long investigation, Duncan’s arraignment Wednesday morning on 125 wildlife misdemeanor charges gives real sportsmen everywhere a reason to grin with grim satisfaction.
Poachers come in a Baskin-Robbins 31-flavor assortment, and Duncan is arguably of the (alleged) worst kind. This isn’t some poor fellow taking a doe out of season because his cupboards are bare and his kids are hungry. Somehow, Duncan even (allegedly) manages to be more disgusting than the poachers who shoot trophy bucks for their antlers and leave the rest to rot and waste. This guy (allegedly) killed critters that are endangered and protected under both Michigan and federal law.
The most disgusting part? His motivation. DNR law enforcement detectives said that Duncan was using the animals for a variety of reasons, including crafts, selling, or disposing of them, and stated that he was catching the animals because he could and “likes to do it.”
Now that we’re all nice and heated from reading that, here’s what’s on tap for the (alleged) poacher, who has pleaded not guilty to all charges. He faces:
- Up to 90 days in jail and $1,000 fine for each wolf.
- Up to 90 days in jail and $1,000 fine for each eagle.
- Restitution of $1,500 per eagle and $500 per wolf.
- Up to 90 days in jail and $500 fine each for the other wildlife crimes.
Frankly, I’m a little surprised that the potential consequences are that mild. But there’s more good news: Conservation officers collected evidence to support the charges and identified additional suspects who are expected to be charged in the near future.
“We had a team of conservation officers that worked well together throughout this investigation,” said DNR Law Enforcement Division Chief Gary Hagler. “Investigations like this require a long-term commitment from everyone involved. I want to thank the prosecutors in this case who worked with our officers. We are happy with the outcome and hope this case sets an example to prevent future natural resource crimes.”
The Chippewa County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office is seeking $30,000 in restitution to the state for the illegally taken animals. Duncan’s cash bond is set at $500. Other conditions of Duncan’s bond include having no contact with co-defendants, no possession of a firearm or dangerous weapon, and no engaging in hunting or fishing.
Anyone witnessing a natural resources crime or having information about such a crime is encouraged to call or text the DNR’s Report All Poaching hotline at 800-292-7800.
Man, I like that thought! A separate charge for each animal taken! Not if, but when convicted, to more years than this puke can probably add up, put his butt into Gen. Pop. and let the other inmates serve up his real punishment!!! ⚒⚔⚰!!!
I’m surprised that the intentional and willful killing if any endangered species isn’t a felony. AND IT SHOULD BE!! I’m also surprised that killing the Symbol if this Nation, a Bald Eagle, isn’t a Felony as well!! AND IT DAMN WELL SHOULD BE!! Hopefully this incarnate will have to hand over every weapon that he owns, and that if he owns any illega weapons, which he probably does, that they are found, because THAT IS A FELONY and he is prosecuted for thise as well. Damn this guy!! He distorts and injures the reputation of every honorable hunter out there!! 🤔🤨😠😡!!
We had someone in Pennsylvania do that to a bald eagle. They put him in jail where he got his ass kicked repeatedly by all walks of life. When he got out of jail and went to the local bar, he got his ass kicked again by his so called friends. Killing a bald eagle , you should never have privileges to hunt or fish ever again, or be aloud to own firearms.. as I am a soldier, I think you should be deported .for killing the national bird and symbol of American freedom. 5 yrs in federal prison at the least
The punishment for killing endangered species should be a whole lot stiffer than what it is. How about say 1 year in prison and a $10,000 fine for the first offence. Then the 2nd offence would be 2 years in prison and a $20,000 fine. If you’re dumb enough to commit a third offense you get 5 years and a $100,000 fine. Of course if you commit the crime like this guy then he will get the 1st, 2nd and 3rd offense punishment all at once and for each additional count you take on another 5 years and another $100,000 fine. Maybe something like that will stop some people from doing this.
Leg irons and hard labor at $1.00 an hour to pay off the fine sound about right to me in this case.
I think one way to stiffen up the penalties is to stop just adding one after another but rather each new fine being a product of the accumulation of the previous fines (fibonacci sequence). something like this.
1st fine $1,000
2nd $1,000 + $1,000 = $2,000 (now @ $3,000 total)
3rd $2,000 + $3,000 = $5,000 (now $8,000 total)
4th $5,000 + $8,000 = $13,000 (now $21,000 total)
5th $13,000 + $21,000 = $ 34,000 (now $55,000 total)
The same could work for jail time
Been following this, as I am from Michigan. The problem is in the law itself, they need to be so severe that no one dares do this. He should be put in prison for life, just for one of these animals. We can only hope that he sees Federal prison for the rest of his life.
The cross bar Hilton will always leave the lights on for people like this piece of sewer scum.
Really? Life in prison for killing a couple of animals? Even if they are endangered species, that’s a ridiculous punishment considering we only give murderers and rapists as little as 2 yrs sometimes.
Feed him to the wolves! Literally!
Let’s hope the judge is smart enough to hand down consecutive 90 day sentences for each count.
Pled not guilty to all charges 5/20.
Duncan was served four search warrants in March. Other species involved in the charges include deer, turkey, bear and bobcat.
Wood chipper at sunrise 🌅
I am disappointed that the fines are not MUCH higher. I’d think $5,000 per critter would be a much bigger deterrent to others. I hope they have confiscation laws that make the offenders lose anything used in commission of the crime. This can include firearms, vehicles, even homes or business’s. People will keep doing these things until you make the penalties get much stiffer. It will never stop everyone, but it would help.
5 years in prison, 250,000 fine. Banned from hunting, fishing. Suspend his 2nd amendment rights for life. Oh and plaster his picture and address everywhere.
if he receives max sentencing it is roughly 30 years in jail and $86,000 in fines. Most wildlife crimes like poaching come with banned hunting and fishing privileges of a year per conviction so that would be 125 years if they are all convictions and run back to back. Also seizure of his firearms and other hunting and trapping implements are part of the process. I am totally fine if they threw the book at him.
FIRST OFF. HUNTERS AND FARMERS ALIKE DO NOT AND DID NOT WANT PROTECTION FOR ALL WOLVES!! THEY ARE A VARMET THAT SERVES NO POSITIVE PURPOSE. MY VOTE IS TO ELEMINATE THE WOLF. AS FOR THE EAGLE BURN THE ASSHOLES HOUSE CDOWN. WOLVES WERE RE-POPULATED AS A P.E.T.A. MOVEMENT THAT SERVES NO POSITIVE OUTCOME. OTHER THEN THE KILLINT OF OUR CATTLE/SHEEP/CHICKENS,AND SO ON.
I find that humankind serves no useful purpose other that to eat our cattle, chickens, sheep and so on… PLUS they screw up the entire earth and all animals that are on it.
The reply by Tony Blain, yes you capitalize a first name, typifies the intelligence and overall personality of the truly ignorant. If Tony believes so strongly in his statement may I recommend he be the first to eliminate his parasitic impact on the earth. I’ll even provide a number of relatively painless ways he can be removed from the pool. Go ahead and lead by example Tony.
What a moron.
Really ?? I’m a hunter and NOT for PETA in anyway,but the wolf was here long before you or me and if you would like to argue with GOD about why he put the wolf on Earth ,have at it ! I’m all for the protection of the wolves as long as they are managed correctly .The problem is with the farmers ,not the wolves. They want to clear the forest and lands and put in a farm to raise domesticated animals in the wolves habitat that God provided,and then complain about how “Their” rights as farmers are endangered ??? They follow the same lines as with their thoughts on the deer damage of their crops. Take responsibility and fence YOUR land to keep Gods creatures out of “Your” property if you don’t want the native animals there. in other words BE RESPONSIBLE for yourself !
Our food comes from the farmers. Without them we don’t have food at the grocery store.
I find many of the comments to this article as repugnant as this man’s alleged crimes. I would love to see this type of poacher do serious jail time, pay steep fines and restitution and lose the right to hunt and fish anywhere in the USA, in perpetuity. Between the state and federal jurisdictions, his crimes should keep him miserable for the rest of his life.
A snare should be tied around his junk and then a wolf should chase him off the roof of some building in the city Square somewhere around halfway down to the ground he will have a constant reminder that he won’t be able to scratch his balls ever again.And we could always say the reason for doing this is because we could.
Sick M/F should be beaten to death
He needs the worst he can get.
What’s interesting is that they allowed him to continue killing until he killed 18 wolves and 3 eagles. How much evidence do they need to convict someone of poaching? When the game department allows more animals to be killed, when they already have evidence of his crimes, then that department is guilty of aiding and abetting. And considering the lax sentencing he is expected to get, something is NOT being divulged!
A very good point. Why is that?
Unfortunately there are to many attorneys out there who would get someone like this off the hook if there isn’t a ton of stuff to convict them on. This should not be a misdemeanor in the first place. Hope he gets the maximum allowed.
What would real justice look like? How about strip him naked, rub him down with raw hamburger, and set him loose in wolf pack territory with his legs shackled with an 18″ chain so he can walk, but only take small steps? Then maybe the wolves will have some sort of retribution. The leftovers can go to the eagles. Is this too harsh?
NO SIR!
make sure to make him run bare foot. Even unshackled? As long as he is given nothing, not even a watch or compass. If left in wolf territory, they would get him. After he serves his about five years in prison. He should NEVER again be able to possess a firearm, or hunt or fish. Maybe suspend one year of his sentence. Then any time he is arrested, he goes straight to prison?
You run the chance of poisoning the wolves and eagles. Providing them genetically damaged meat runs the risk of making the animals sick. In reality, stripping his right to ever touch or be within 100 yds of a firearm or weapon of any type, socially shunning him wherever he goes, making him wear a tracking device for the rest of his life should be a sufficient punishment. He would also not be eligible for unemployment. Let’s see how that works before we spend any money on imprisonment, feeding, and medical care. He doesn’t deserve any of it.
Harvesting animals to feed and clothe your family is the only form of poaching I don’t have a problem with. When the government says you can’t hunt to feed and clothe yourself or your family, then the government goes against the work of God. One can not go against the work of God. This piece of Sheit was doing neither and should pay a heavy penalty.
Penalties associated with violating the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act
Under the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act the first criminal offense is a misdemeanor with maximum penalty of one year in prison and $100,000 fine for an individual ($200,000 for an organization). The second offense becomes a felony with maximum penalty of 2 years in prison and $250,000 fine for individual ($500,000 for an “organization” such as a business). The Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act also provides for maximum civil penalties of $5,000 for each violation.
Yeah, I’m sure this will be considered a felony under federal law. And I’m sure because of the egregious response from the guilty party he’ll get his due. If each eagle is considered a separate offense, it will be a felony.
https://www.fws.gov/midwest/eagle/history/protections.html
These fines must be state only.
There is a federal law called the “Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act” that I’m sure will be applied as well. Not quite as lenient as the state law. I’m sure the perpetrators are in for a surprise.
He is getting off way too easy. They need to find a way to bury this guy!
It is my understanding (and hope) that all parties involved be charged at the State then the Federal level for these crimes. Banned for life from all hunting, fishing and owning/using any kind of firearm is good, too.
Considering this falls under hunting violations why are they not confiscating his vehicle, weapons, and house since ALL were used in the commission of these crimes? Why aren’t we shown a photo of who this dirtbagasshat is? I’m sure he will be able to get off since Michigan is a leftist state and he can simply blame covid19 and Trump!
I figure about $100K fine and 35 Years in prison. I thought there was a fine of $20K for killing a Eagle. If not, it should be. That would add another $60K to his fine. Personally, I would just take the SOB out and harvest his arse.
Make an example of this asshole.. He should be charged the max for EACH offense and not be able to posses a firearm or any archery items for life. I wouldn’t let him own a “Barbie” fishing pole!
500 dollar bond are they serious???? This ASS HOLE should be (for starters!) left in jail for the 1st week of his capture! You don’t get much more UN American that killing Bald Eagles! With todays social media use it for something good like plastering his face and this story everywhere! Ruin his reputation, take away every American privilege! especially his right to even own a weapon… Absolutely distasteful….
I’m surprised fines aren’t a lot higher for federally protected wildlife. They should be. Heavier fines and punishment would possibly discourage that behavior.
If he owns a house, car or truck, take them and sell them to recoup the money he owes for his stupidity and disgrace to all legal hunters and to all of us US Citizens.
I agree with Bill, but the penalty for this should not be a misdemeanor but a felony. People like this should spend time in jail.
Wow im lost for words on the poachers, state and federal end. They all got away with killing (to many animals) & it’s BS ! The whole thing doesn’t fit the crime and and what he has to pay for his time and restitution isn’t enough !!! I hope and pray something is done on all levels of government to step in b4 we lose our wild endangered animals and out of season hunting on other animals.
There is no doubt that what he did is sickening. However, there is no risk of the Bald, Golden, or other eagle species going extinct. The same goes for wolves of almost all varieties. Let’s not freak out with stupid knee jerk reactions that cause more damage than the original offense.
Why the authorities let him kill so many animals before putting a stop to it is a very good question. Just why did they let it go on for so long? If they had sufficient evidence after the first eagle or wolf they should have put the fear of prison time in his head then, not waited for him to kill additional animals with the desire to charge him with additional crimes that add up to a felony. At what point do the fed’s actions equal the crimes of the poacher? There is more than one criminal involved in these cases and I think the authorities have a lot to answer for. This case took so long to prosecute largely because the authorities waited and watched for additional crimes they knew were going to be committed for the sake of a really big headline. That is almost as bad a poaching themselves.
Prosecute the a-hole on every charge to the fullest extent of the law!
FINE AND BOND NOT HIGH ENOUGH HE NEED MORE THEN THOSE FINES
He should be made to be pay the fines by working for the state at $1/hour and be banned , no possession of a firearm or dangerous weapon, and no engaging in hunting or fishing.FOR LIFE!!!!
No, If the State pays him to work for the money to pay his fines that means he is paying nothing because the State is paying his fines. Take everything he owns and make him work anyway, What an ASSHOLE. I hope they catch and prosecute any asshole that had anything to do with him. Including anybodythat purchased any of this stuff!