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heartlvrs
07-17-2004, 06:02 PM
Probe says hunters paid $20K to kill doped deer


Mississippian, colleague face federal charges

The Associated Press

FORT WAYNE, Ind. — Unlicensed hunters were allowed to use illegal weapons while paying up to $20,000 to kill drugged deer at Indiana's largest hunting preserve, a federal grand jury said.

A federal indictment released Thursday charged Russell G. Bellar, 49, of Peru, Ind., and Hinds Tom Jones, 36, of Edwards, Miss., with 38 felonies. Each violation can result in a fine of $250,000, five years in prison or both.

The charges say 51 illegal deer hunts were allowed since January 2001 at Bellar's Place, a 1,500-acre fenced preserve near Peru, about 55 miles southwest of Fort Wayne. Bellar owns the operation, and Jones is his property manager.
The indictment said that clients, many from out of state, were unlicensed, used illegal weapons and hunted with the aid of bait. It also said clients were often allowed to choose specific deer, paying as much as $20,000 to kill the animals in an enclosed area.

The deer were often drugged, and their antlers measured before being placed into small pens where they were killed, according to the indictment. After the deer were killed, the antlers, hides and drug-contaminated meat were illegally transported, often across state boundaries.

"The case is very important as a matter of law and of ethical treatment of wildlife," said Lt. Col. Jeff Wells, executive officer for the Indiana Department of Natural Resources law enforcement division. "This was not hunting. It's just wrong."

Bellar said Thursday that although he has not seen the charges against him, he's done nothing wrong.

"I'm not a dumb man," he told The Journal Gazette. "I'm not out here intentionally trying to break the law.

"I mean, to have 38 felonies against you? My God, I may never get to vote again. Maybe that's what they want. I feel right. Honest to God, I feel right about what I've done here. I don't want to act like a criminal. I'm not a criminal. I pay my taxes and do a lot for the community. This is ridiculous what they're trying to pull."

No number was listed for Jones in Peru or Mississippi.

Joseph S. Van Bokkelen, U.S. attorney for the northern district of Indiana, said Bellar and Jones illegally sold and transported wildlife across state boundaries and lied to federal agents.

Bellar's Place is state-licensed to operate as a game-breeding facility. Deer are kept in captivity and can be bought or sold for breeding.

The license does not allow the sale of deer for hunting.

It is illegal in Indiana to sell a specific deer for hunting.
http://www.clarionledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20040717/NEWS01/407170354/1002

justme23
07-17-2004, 07:38 PM
This is just sad... I really don't like hunting unless it's for food... but even if you do it for sport... where is the sport in this? Those poor deer. :(

gonnascream
07-17-2004, 07:42 PM
are you that crappy of a shot that you got to hit a drugged up deer ???
thats like mowing down the girl scout troop for free cookies, don't make no sense.

kriskay
07-17-2004, 08:29 PM
Why would you pay 20,000 dollars to shoot a drugged up deer??? There is no sport in it, and the meat isn't worth more than 100 or so dollars. And if they are drugged, they may not even be able to use it.

Smile
07-17-2004, 09:08 PM
This is just sick. I hope they throw the book at them. I'd like to see them go after the so called hunters (murderers) as well.

I can't believe Bellar's attitude. I am sure if they made it legal for hunters to drug and kill him and mount his head on the wall as a trophy, he would change his tune fast.

I never could understand calling the killing of animals a sport.

But I am weird. I didn't understand why my parent's didn't allow me to go to a bullfight when we were in Mexico until I got old enough to understand that the purpose of bullfights was to wear down the bull so they could kill them at the end. While I hate for any living thing to get hurt or feel pain, when the bullfighter gets hurt I don't feel sorry for him as he chose to be there. The bull did not.

But the article raises some questions in my mind. I guess I am showing my ignorance here. They call the place a game breeding facility. I was under the impression that hunting was allowed to keep the population down so animal's didn't starve to death. Down here the deer breed just fine in the wild. Don't they do the same in Indiana? And what does Indiana do with the animals that they allow to be breed in these facilities? What do they think is going to happen to them?

DAVESBABYDOLL
07-18-2004, 06:20 AM
"placed into small pens where they were killed" ?? For $20,000, what kind of hunting is that?

*shakes head

sad :(

tsquared
07-19-2004, 05:38 AM
Not much of a sport paying $20,000 to shoot a drugged deer in a small enclosed pen. People like these need to be put away for good.

queenangie
07-19-2004, 06:53 AM
I agree w/ the above posters - hunting for food is fine.

Drugging animals to shoot them in pens is definitely wrong.
Hope they get the book thrown at them in the courts.

Shann
07-19-2004, 04:22 PM
this is so sad! I cannot believe that guy's attitude! I agree with Smile.. they should drug him up, put him in a cage and pretend to shoot at him just so he can see what it feels like and then see if he feels like there's nothing wrong w/ it!