– CDFW press release
California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) officers arrested a poacher last week in Inyo County for allegedly illegally killing a trophy 3×3 deer in the G-3 zone. Joseph Eugene Bragdon, 37, of Bishop was taken into custody without incident at his workplace after a $15,000 arrest warrant was issued by the Inyo County District Attorney’s Office.
“We are grateful to the Inyo County DA’s Office for recognizing the importance of resource protection and that wildlife poaching is a serious crime,” said Lt. Bill Dailey of CDFW’s Law Enforcement Division. “Ethical hunters prize the G-3 tag for the incredible landscape and quantity of large deer. With only 35 tags issued every year, hunters can apply for years and never draw this zone.”
CDFW wildlife officers received a tip, through the CalTIP hotline, that on Nov. 1 Bragdon took his juvenile son to Division Creek in the trophy G-3 hunting zone and killed a large mule deer buck using a D-7 deer zone tag. With the assistance of the investigating warden’s tracking dog, Sieger, they located a dead deer with only the antlers and part of the edible meat removed. Most of the animal was left to waste.
Poaching a deer, cutting the head off and wasting edible meat is illegal and an egregious violation of ethical hunting standards. Wildlife officers took DNA samples and seized ballistic evidence.
The G-3 deer season runs only from Dec. 6-21. This area is considered a trophy deer hunt when high country mule deer bucks enter the area to escape the high country winter storms.
In November 2012, Bragdon was convicted of two misdemeanor hunting violations in Nevada, including hunting big game in a closed season and hunting big game without a tag. He was fined and had demerit points added to his Nevada hunting license.
Bragdon faces possible charges for several violations of the Fish and Game Code, including taking a deer without a license, tag or permit, failure to fill out tags, waste of game, failure to have a tag in possession and possession of less than an ounce of marijuana. If convicted, Bragdon could face revocation of his hunting license, fines, probation and/or jail time.
CalTIP (Californians Turn In Poachers and Polluters) is a confidential secret witness program that encourages the public to provide CDFW with factual information leading to the arrest of poachers and polluters. Ethical hunters and anglers are the most common contributors to the CalTIP hotline. The toll-free hotline number is (888) 334-2258.
Tracking dog Sieger is a candidate for the next cycle of certification training for CDFW’s exceptional team of Warden K-9s.
Amen!! Local deerr hunter .Yes what u have heard about joe is correct. All of us legit , and law respecting hunters take much a fence to people who do nothing but cheat. Us long time locals we had to hear about such actions . When u think of cheating… Read more »
Wayne…buddy, it would be one helluva boring life if we all thought alike and everyone agreed all the time . We NEED different perspectives just to keep it interesting. Imagine how mundane this thread would be if the likes of you, me, Trouble, Up the creek, Desco, Roy, Mongo, and… Read more »
McMan told me Wayne’s not a quitter
Wayne, a prayer.
“Lord, keep Your arm around my shoulder
and Your hand over my mouth!”
You don’t need to be so vociferous. Stick around, there are FAR bigger *#*holes than you out there.
Wayne, please don’t let the mean comments get you down. There are a lot of people who agree with you and appreciate your willingness to share your opinion. Your courage is commendable.
Ya know,after reading some of the posts here,I’m thinking just maybe Ashlee Alex (Palsrok) might be right in saying how this story of a poacher got side-tracked,and possibly might be me that caused a lot of it…so,for that, and what it’s worth,want to apologize,and not just with this story,but with… Read more »
Confession starts a 8:00am Wayne!
Give me a break. This guy had a license and all the other stuff he needed to legally kill a deer. He shot it across some invisabale line that some one says he crossed. Now people are talking about how he should be locked up and condemned for life. Even… Read more »
One more time, coach “Trouble”, he can play with his kids all he wants but other parents should have a say if they don’t want some dude found to be carrying weed and poaching wildlife to be a mentor/coach of their kids. I looked up to my coaches as a… Read more »
When I started hunting we could get two tags per hunter and hunt anywhere in the state (well, maybe anywhere, never wanted to go south of Kennedy Meadows, did go hunt the famous Modoc herd and Roosevelt Elk by My Shasta- did not get an Elk). Then statewide and also… Read more »
Not to beat a dead deer or bear to death, cause they’re already dead, but killing animals is ethical? Population control? There are so many deer and bears that if we don’t kill them they will take over the planet and what, kill us? Well I better get a gun!… Read more »
MJA- I took up hunting relatively late in life after friends gave me some elk meat. I realized this meat was leaner and thus healthier for me and I know the animal was not fed steroids or a grain diet. I haven’t bought a piece of plastic wrapped mystery meat… Read more »
Joe: I completely agree with the idea you expressed. The problem is that there are way too many people. If everybody hunted their meat, there wouldn’t be any meat left after one season.
Unless they eat the other people that the stupid people would kill — themselves included.
Ken, Yes logistically we all can’t hunt however my point to MJA is those that choose to hunt are not “wrong”.
Ken, I found there’s not enough meat on the vegetarians!
I am very bothered by many things in this story. People like Mr. Bragdon give ethical hunters a bad name! Hunting is an important natural part of our ecosystem and when done ethically, helps control animal populations and feeds many families. I am also terribly saddened that the Bragdon’s children… Read more »
John, I don’t think there is anything wrong with him helping out with his own kids activities. It might do them all some good! Do your kids know about all your past mistakes?
You’ve turned my point around into something irrelevant. There’s a difference between a guy who might have a speeding ticket on his record versus this tool with possible felonies and blatant disregard for ethics and the law. He can certainly and should be spending time with HIS kids, not mine.
Mother in jail, possibly father too. What happens to their son? I have nothing for either parent at this point buy my heart aches for their child who will now suffer from the sins of adults. That is worse than anything either parent did to land them in the criminal… Read more »
Relax folks
Mom is in for 90 days. Dad will probably lose his license to hunt and some steep fines. It’s not the end of the world!
There are at least two juvenile boys involved. I hope they grow up to see the pitfalls of breaking the law and being unethical. On another note, the dad is out and about in the community. I just saw him helping as an assistant coach at one of his son’s… Read more »
Don’t sweat it Joel. Wayne doesn’t need facts…. Mr. National Enquirer strikes again…
Across the line Wayne!
Are you trying for a conviction for slander, defamation, or just fraud?
Russ Monroe….When I found out what happened here,I was able to get some info on this incident from people LIVING on Alabama Drive,not the person that initially told me about it.
NO Wayne!!! You collected rumors and published them as fact! Your rumors are just that; unsubstantiated BS! If you actually had investigated: you would have found that there are dozens of domestic animals within a hundred yard radius of the spot where the bear was dropped. Any, or all of… Read more »
Rumors discussed in an internet forum? Say it isn’t so!
Good one Charles!!! LOL
Mr.Whitney….Then you got a lot of liars for neighbors…and I ain’t an anti-hunter…Last time I went HUNTING included a 6 mile walk,with no success…but how HUNTING should be,a give-and-take….not just a kill and take….sometimes that tag just doesn’t get filled and sent off when you HUNT in the forest….the way… Read more »
To the sadly misinformed person who commented on the killing of the black bear in the Alabama Hills. Get your facts straight before you start blubbering about things. It’s very obvious you are an anti-hunter, but I give you that right and also tell you that people have the right… Read more »
Relax @ickity, karma hopefully does catch up with “some of us”…Have a great night.
Again-this town is toxic. I too was born and raised here, my name has not been in the paper either, but that does not mean that I need to throw salt on an open wound. Small minds think alike. Enjoy your bashing, karma will catch up with you some day.
Up to 57 thumbs down, a new record! Had no idea how much people liked killing deer. And I am sure these love to kill deer people still kill trees for Jesus. Jesus! So far to go… =
MJA…..It’s not that people like killing deer….I think it’s more HOW you said it…kinda like what happened in Lone Pine recently….LOTS of people in town and ones living in the Alabama Hills are up in arms about the “local black bear” that’s been walking down Alabama Drive late night for… Read more »
Get a dictionary. Hunting and poaching are different things. one is good and provides food and can be used to thin oversized animal populations and is even controlled by the state government and the other is poaching. poaching bad. Now to you, ignorant lobotomite, if you are going to accuse… Read more »
Grant Whitney….Thing is,I do know some of “your neighbors”…and as far as “asking face to face”,that’s something we can do,as long as the bear comes back to life and learns how to talk.Your saying you don’t know me,and yet you described my truck to a tee…and yes,I do eat at… Read more »
My point exactly, internet speculation about someone you don’t know can be stupid and wrong hm? Funny too a CONVERSATION is when a man talks face to face with someone not hides over the internet so did a conversation even start lobotomite? Next time try the real conversation approach before… Read more »
Really? There’s really someone out there trying to justify actions by this criminal family? First of all, she’s in jail for 6 months and not 8 years because she plead guilty avoiding a trial which usually lessens the punishment a jury conviction would produce. Secondly you are worried about their… Read more »
AMEN @seriously!
@Ickity, I hate to disagree with you, but I really don’t think it’s “this area”, I think everywhere you go, if you break the law, it’s put out there….it’s news. If they don’t want to have their “family ripped apart” don’t do something illegal. Especially with your kid with you…… Read more »
People in this area love to kick people when they are down. I agree if he did as it was presented he needs to pay the price, but seriously, leave the kids out of this. As for his wife, I recommend that you understand what truly happened and why she… Read more »
If I did what they have done I would deserve what they are getting. They drug there kids in to this not everyone eles. Everyone feels bad for those kids.
Huntinng , Poaching, War, it’s all killing !
His second offense in for poaching. Life time ban fir hunting is what he deserves.
H, I half agree with you, but I’m pretty sure he is already paying a heavy price for what he did. Life is a long time. Hell their talking about lettings that worm that killed Lennon out. Plus this artical does state he is a father.
Am I the only one that thinks it’s wrong to charge a guy with hunting without a license , when they state he had a license? Why not just charge him with pissing every one off?
The California Department of fish and Wildlife allow people to apply for a tag to kill a deer, yet people are not allowed to kill a deer? Why do they allow people to kill deer anyway? Why do people kill? Are there to many deer? Are the deer destroying the… Read more »
Deer are pretty tasty.
MJA, Minds are like Parachutes they only work when open. Go try some Venison, it’s really good… It’s way better for you than beef and way more organic than the crap beef you get the grocery store. Also your advocating violence on humans really sad…….. Your a war monger in… Read more »
Sure is funny how you can’t understand how some one can kill a deer but you probably eat meat that is wraped at the market it was alive at one point. Some people hunt for the horns like Joe did and waste the deer so he can go to his… Read more »
Hi MJ, I’m not a hunter, I blame Walt Disney for that! I think I saw Bambi before I ever saw a live deer. But I understand the need to have managed hunting of certain species. Because we limit the predator population, and because humans throw of the ecosystem just… Read more »
This repeat offender obviously has no respect for the rule of law. Perhaps a nice long vacation at the Grey Bar Motel is in order.
Rule of law oh that thing Obama pays no mind too
It’s President Obama’s fault this deer was poached !!….and his fault when he walks away with little more than a slap on the wrist !
Really Mark?
Mark ,didn’t Chaney almost blow his buddies head off? Im sure he was licensed properly for that.
I put in for that tag for 25 years and never dew it. This guy not only poached it in g3 he took his son to show him how to poach. From what I have heard this guy has been doing this for years I’m so glad they finally caught… Read more »
SCUMBAG.
I’m confused, this article says he was hunting with a license for another area, but shot this deer in another. But he is charged with having no license at all . Doesn’t sound correct to me?
If you don’t have the correct tag for the area you’re hunting in you are poaching.
Trouble, you need to read more carefully, the article says “taking a deer without license, tag, or permit”.
Wow, i’m getting shot down for asking a question. Oh well!
Now let’s see how the court system is gonna handle this one….a slap on the wrist,like it seems to happen most of the time when it comes to poaching…..or real punishment this time around.
Jail-time…jail-time…JAIL-TIME ! Plus, a life-time ban on hunting, ANYWHERE ! Not to mention involving his juvenile son…and having weed on him ,while HUNTING ? what a TOOL !
Does Joseph get to share a cell with his wife Rebecca who is doing time in the Inyo County Jail for embezzlement from the Fairgrounds? Inyo County two for one deal?
Great job by DFG and the pooch.
All the fines and then some should be thrown at this piece of crap not to mention I believe they should take his rifles from him as well. Wasting an animal like that gives hunters a bad name. With all the fraud and poaching Rebecca (Re:The Fairgrounds) and Joe have… Read more »