LOGAN, Utah (AP) - Two men have pleaded guilty to misdemeanor charges in the poaching death a beloved buck that became a sort of mascot in northern Utah.
The Logan Herald Journal reports (https://bit.ly/1EoR7Ws) 36-year-old Shelby D. Rhodes of Garland and 28-year-old Logan resident Steven Spillett pleaded guilty Monday to destruction of protected wildlife and interference with a public servant.
Wildlife officials say the buck had a large, 9-by-8 point rack and was named Bart. Some residents in the town of Hyde Park said they considered him a pet.
He was found dead in the fall of 2013, and officials said photos that later surfaced on a hunting website led them to Rhodes and Spillett.
Prosecutors say the men weren’t charged with felonies because they eventually came forward. A defense attorney didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
___
Information from: The Herald Journal, https://www.hjnews.com
Sign up for Daily Newsletters
Copyright © 2021 The Washington Times, LLC.