– 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.
Tracking dog Sieger
“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.
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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 and multiple ways of fraud . Joe’s and his sisters last names come to mind along with a cabin owner near lida… In such a small town wow I feel bad for the kids.
Oh ya deer meat is yummy !!! And all u sheeple should try it .
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 MANY others , were all identical . We have ALL put our proverbial “feet in our mouths” at one time or another, and at other times, we’ve all reaped the rewards of seeing that high number next to the “thumbs up”. You’re old school, Wayne, and I for one,enjoy your train of thought (even if you are a bit long-winded sometimes) {chuckling}. Keep it up, pal.
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 others I have done in the past too…maybe one of the things people warned me about when I first got a computer and used it for anything but fun stuff,communicating,and in my case helping out with fantasy sports I get into…not for opinions or things I might hear about and get upset about and start posting about…and like I say,not just with this poaching story,but others I’ve done it with on this site too…and also,one thing to voice an opinion on something,maybe get some “dislikes” for it,but when it gets to the point of losing a person I considered to be a friend here in my town.well,that’s not so good.One of my New Year’s resolutions was going to be less time on the computer,and more time doing things outside,whether it be working or fun things to do here in this area or whatever..and that’s what I’m going to do,starting a couple of weeks early…and if it’s talking opinions on the computer,it will now be with friends I’ve had for MANY years and those that know me…or a best friend I had many years ago that I just recently got in touch with after 40 years,like I did with him today and in fact talked about what all happened here.I even told him time for me to learn to keep my mouth shut to strangers about anything I might have a strong opinion on,whether it’s bears or ORV’ers or medical marijuana or Mammoth Lakes or anything else that happens to come up here on this site….my opinions or views add nothing..isn’t going to change anything or how people might feel or think,just like someone else’s opinions that might disagree with me isn’t going to change how I feel and think about anything either.When I do go to other sites I get on,one talking about “growing up in the Antelope Valley”,it’s all fun things to discuss,and when someone does “rain on the parade” with an angry opinionated post about something, people don’t like it…and in many cases,I realize that is what I have done and been doing more than not with things I’ve posted on this Sierra Wave site for quite a while now….so sorry for that to all…not any one individual or any one story.And you know what,I’m not even going to check this post out to see what anyone else has to say about what I said here….and nothing to talk about with anyone that might know me and mention it either here in my town,cause I’m saying it right now,will have nothing to say to them and will walk away.So,again,sorry for raining on the Sierra Wave parade.Things I read about or hear about,if I want to state my point and opinion on them,from here on out will either be with people I know and consider to be friends,or I’ll do it in front of a mirror.Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all in the Owens Valley and beyond….Wayne Deja.
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 worse ,some thing he should be ban from helping his kid play street hockey. One more time, give me a break!
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 kid.
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 all along the Sierra front from Techacipi to Reno and Susanville, in the late 1970s, more access roads, housing developments (especially in winter range), and hunting pressure all combined. Statewide and in western Nevada places where deer moved after the first snows (locally: Onion Valley, Kennedy Meadows, Upper Buttermilk, Sweetwater Mtns) saw buck to doe ratios drop. That led DFG to develop zones and a lottery for tags. Now, with 38 million people in the state, the zone and lottery system keeps hunters spread out and prevents buck overkill in those migration areas. Like it or not, Trouble, these “invisible” lines are important and here to stay.
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! Now I know there are 7 billion people on this planet currently burning it up, and surely you must admit we are the ones doing the damage and are slightly out of control. So how many deer are there and what negative impacts are they guilty of? Are they worse than us? Are you sure they need killing? Why do we have to kill deer at all? And if it’s about food, well surely you know that Americans have a bit of an obesity issue as well, right? So what’s good about killing deer? Do tell, =
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 from the grocery store in quite some time. The deer, antelope, elk, wild hogs I shoot had a life outside of feedlots, factory farms or cages. Elk and deer populations are managed and thus their populations are stable and even increasing in several areas (Nevada as an example). My kids have accompanied me on hunting trips to watch me take an animals life and all the detail involved from the time of harvest to the table. They know where the burger they’re eating came from and the work involved etc. Humans have hunted since they came down from trees and stood upright. Why all of a sudden is it wrong to do so? Because we can go to a store and buy it instead? Because in your opinion we all should be vegetarians? Do tell, =
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 clearly lack in the role model department and also get to have their family drug through the mud at every moment. I hope those kids can learn and grow past their parents mistakes.
As for Mr. Whitney and his son, I have known them for over 15 years and have never known either of them to be less than honest, ethical, moral upstanding men. I wasn’t there when this incident happened, but I find it hard to believe that Joel or his son would do anything less than act with complete integrity. How’d we even get to discussing them on a post about an absolutely ruthless and wasteful fire arm owner? They do not deserve to be compared in any form or fashion!
As for Joe, I hope the judge throws the book at him!!!
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 justice system. Just sad, sad, sad.
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 hockey games which will likely rub some people the wrong way having someone with his record in a role model capacity.
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 those animal may have may have cut loose howling as soon as the gun was fired. You would have also found that there were two eye witnesses. Neither of their accounts match the fiction that you published as fact. You would have also found out that the 1″ magnum slug went through the canter of the bear’s brain and out the back of it’s scull, no doubt killing the animal instantly.
In my estimation; You are not qualified as an investigative reporter, and you have just proven that to us all, yet again! I think that this time you you crossed a legal line that could result in legal action that you fully deserve to loose.
My advice is; get an education! or get advice from legal council! or better yet; shut up!
At least label everything you write as the fiction it usually is.
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 it should be..for some….but since the bears can’t tell the story.I’ll give you the benifit of the doubt about the vicious attack this bear launched on you,your son and property….and really hope it was dead before it hit the ground and ignore the stories I and others are hearing about the cries and whaling many were apparently hearing after the event.
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 to hunt. For your information the bear tag was purchased long before the bear ever showed up on the property. Hunting for bear out in the forest was attempted many times with no success. This bear charged me on my property after I attempted to scare it away by yelling at it to get. It only stopped and turned away a few feet from me because it stepped on my canoe and the canoe flipped over and startled it. A few nights later it came back and began tearing through the trash and smashing the fence. My son and I went out to try again to scare it off. It charged us again and this time it did not stop. My son let it get about 10 feet and then shot it in the head with a very powerful caliber. It was not a low power caliber as you wrongfully accused him of. It was in fact one of the most powerful rounds you could use on a bear.( 12 gauge rifled slug 3″ magnum) The bear did not suffer one single second. It was dead before it hit the ground. I was right there. I witnessed the entire thing. Get your facts straight and don’t write about things that you don’t know about!!!!!
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 years…getting into trash,but little else….everyone just put up with it,with a few even giving it a name….Well,no more….One of the “fine”residents on Alabama Drive decided to get himself a bear tag,and allegedly waited for him to come in his yard….and when he did,he killed it…from what I’m hearing,to “defend himself from an attack”…and not only killing it,but also shooting it with a low-power firearm that didn’t kill it right away,with neighbors claiming to hear the bear whaleing in pain for quite a while and heard from quite a ways away,untill it finally died….Let’s hope this “hunter” took some good photos of his successful “hunt”…done in his front yard…with maybe a photo of the firearm leaning against the bear,after it finally died…and a big manly smile on his face…..not the bear’s face…the “hunter’s” face..I doubt the bear was smiling….
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 people of bad things maybe you should ask the person you are accusing face to face and with facts. see a fact is something known to be true, documented and witnessed let’s say, before you spew lies. I know that you don’t have a clue as to what happened with the bear you mentioned because two people were there and I can say for a fact that you weren’t one. Hey I don’t even know you and you don’t know my neighbors. huh I guess you are just too cowardly to ask a man or woman face to face about something before you lie about them while hiding behind the mask of the internet. You might noticed how I used the word “fact” correctly earlier. See you around. Oh one more thing, don’t you have all those stickers on your truck about preserving the environment but eat and Mc D’s and occasionaly crush brush with said truck? Yikes what a Hyp_o_twit.
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 McDonalds now and then….but never drive off-road and off-trail and “crush brush”…so which one is it ?….do you know me or not ?…I hope I’m not taking the “see you around” comment as some type of threat.If so,might be a good idea to end this right now….I said what I had to say….got nothing to “ask” you about,and think you got nothing to say about this incident that I want to hear much about either…end of conversation….
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 you regurgitate some stupid false fantasy and slander people you don’t know. Maybe one day we can converse otherwise keeps your forked tongue between your teeth.
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 kids? Really? Maybe they shouldn’t have selfishly put their kids in this position in the first place by being sneaky thieves and to take a child along to commit a crime and teach them to leave the animal to waste- wow parents of the year I say! If they were my family member or friend I would be outraged at the situation and would also hold them responsible instead of making excuses, and frankly if you weren’t related or a friend I bet you wouldn’t be so quick to defend these disgusting actions. I hope he looses his hunting privileges and guns indefinately and if it was me I’d be so ashamed and embarrassed at my actions I would move outta here but then again people like this have no concience or they wouldn’t do this crap in the first place.
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…
I was born and raised here, my name has NEVER been in the paper. Make good choices people, that’s all I’m saying. And all my prayers are with the kids at this time.
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 is in jail. 6 months versus the possibility of 8 years. Say all you want. I hope it is your name in the papers someday having your entire family ripped apart. Uncivilized toads.
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 planet? Why would anyone want to kill a deer? And if it is for food, I guess I am so fortunate that I have never needed or wanted to kill and eat a deer. Are people that hungry in Inyo county? And what does a trophy 3×3 mean? Are people killing deer for there horns? Is that like rhino killing or the horrible shark fin thing? I think hunters should get tags to hunt hunters if they want to kill something and leave the deer alone. But then that is what wars are for right, to kill other men? So then join the Army, Go Marines, and leave the innocent deer alone, Just me, =
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 disguise you naught person you.
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 friends and say look at my deer I’m.a good hunter in reality he is a piece of S. Because you don’t want to hunt you are frustrated enough to tell people to kill each other you need help.
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 by our existence, we do need to meddle in the control of certain species. The over population of a deer herd would not be pretty.
Also, one could argue that the deer the hunters are eating (and they damn well better be if they’re killing it), are living a much better life than the cow (assuming you eat meat) that one buys at the store. And certainly given the american food supply, the deer is much more healthy for you to eat.
Heck, you could argue that if you really cared about deer, you’d get rid of people! (not a bad idea in general, but I think we’re here to stay, at least till we destroy the world)
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 him. I hope his pore kids don’t fallow in his or his wife’s foot steeps. Good job DFW and who ever called cal tip.
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 done in the past couple of years are despicable. What sorry excuses they are for parents to their boys.