MT: Denied a Jury Trial, Man found Guilty of "Illegal" Grizzly Killings with a .22

Gun Watch ^ | 8 April, 2015 | Dean Weingarten

[Hatteras]

"Many people do not realize how deadly a .22 is. Many head of big game has been killed with the .22 long rifle cartridge. It is a favorite of both subsistence hunters and poachers, who are often the same person. But the "bullet proof" or at least "bullet resistant" capabilities of bears has been hyped to the thousand yard line and beyond. The shooter, Wallen, said that he shot to scare the bears away. At least one of the bears was hit in the hind quarter. I wonder if he thought that the .22 would not cause them serious damage."

Seriously, did this guy write the article for his high school newspaper?

[Flick Lives]

I really wish someone would explain this case. Like you, I thought that a trial by jury was always citizen's right.

I might have thought that was once a right. However, today, what constitutional protections are really honored? We routinely read about the government executing warrantless searches, SWAT raids, widespread eavesdropping on citizens, seizing private land to give to favored developers, using the IRS as a political weapon, students being found guilty of rape without trial, defense, or the ability to confront their accuser. Why should we expect the government to honor something so quaint as a trial by a jury of our peers?

[verga]

Missed that line about the weight, I just kept focusing on the word “Grizzly”

[Cboldt]

-- ... they can also pile as many "six month charges" into the trial as they want, correct? --

Yep, that's correct. Each is considered a "petty offense," so no jury trial even though there is a criminal charge.

[marktwain]

“Doesn’t sound credible to me either. Sounds like he just decided to kill himself some bears.”

Possible, I suppose. And he decided to do it when those bears just happened to be on his property killing his chickens.

And he used a .22, because we all know that a .22 is proper “medicine” for killing bears.

Could be.

[Paladin2]

Thanks for the link.

[DaveA37]

“Shoot, shovel and shut up.”.......

My guess is he had a neighbor who was a PETA fan. Most likely the DNR had been watching and someone dropped a dime on this guy for doing the deed.

[defconw]

Yes. He will at least get another trial. 150 pound bears? I don't know? Chickens? Are they considered livestock? Grizzlies? I think have been delisted? Too many unanswered questions.

[Haiku Guy]

Shoot, shovel and shut up.

If that is the plan, you probably want to use something bigger than a .22LR. To apply the S/S/SU Protocol, you want the animal to drop right on your property, instead of wandering away to die days later.

[Joe Boucher]

Verga,
A few years back i was in Priest Lake, Idaho.
Talked to a bow hunter who would go ater grizzley bear in season with his compound bow.
I said, ok, sooo you carry a .50 cal Desert Eagle on your side?
He said no.
No firearms allowed if you are in bow season for the 10 foot monsters.
He had gotten them a few times.
I figured him a serious bad ass.

[Red Badger]

Doesn’t the Constitution guarantee a trial by jury?........

[onedoug]

The Constitution. Silly me.

[Bulwyf]

Old Indian lady back in the day shot a monster grizzly with a single shot . 22. She got it in the eye from what I read.

Myself, I will trust God and my 45-70.

[SolidRedState]

[Pontiac]

Myself, I will trust God and my 45-70.

Between the two you have a chance if you can get a shot off before it gets too close.

[ProtectOurFreedom]

Methinks the rube author confuses .22 with .223. After all, what can an additional three-thousandths of an inch possibly do? Easier to type .22 and more widely understood.

[Bulwyf]

I’ve been nose to nose one time up past the tree line in the north cascades. She was big, with a cub, which I didn’t realize til later when I saw the tracks.

I had put my head out the tent to see what the weather was doing so I knew how to dress in the morning. She was right there in a flash. I pulled my head back in the tent and waited 45 mins for her to go away. She shouldered me through the tent wall once. I told another guy in the tent that if he didn’t believe in Jesus, he may want to start.

[Pontiac]

After all, what can an additional three-thousandths of an inch possibly do?

Three thousandths of an inch, 30 grains and 2000 fps make a world of difference.

[Pontiac]

That must have been 45 adrenaline soaked minutes.

[antidisestablishment]

Looks like he missed the Don't Talk to the Police Video. It's simple: never, ever, under any circumstance, talk to police, unless your are reporting a crime and be careful even then.