Bowman outfitter faces more hunting violations
By JAMES MacPHERSON Associated Press Writer
The Associated Press - Thursday, January 31, 2008
BISMARCK, N.D.
Bowman County residents know Warren Anderson lost his hunting
privileges for breaking the law, so when he's seen afield, game
wardens get a call.
Anderson, 63, of Bowman, was ordered two years ago to pay $60,000
and forfeit his hunting privileges, for killing eagles and other
federal wildlife violations. He now has been charged in state court
with other hunting-related crimes, including possession of a weapon
by a convicted felon.
Art Cox, a Bowman-based game warden with the state Game and Fish
Department, said tips from hunters and other residents in the county
led to the recent charges.
"He's well-known in the community," Cox said.
Anderson is accused of hunting and assisting hunters while his
hunting and outfitting privileges were suspended; harassing and
assaulting other hunters and driving a vehicle in a state wildlife
area that is off-limits to vehicles.
"He has not stopped," Bowman County State's Attorney Nici Meyer
Clarkson said. "He is not following through with his suspension of
hunting privileges."
The state charges against Anderson are misdemeanors, and a court
hearing for him has been set for Feb. 14, she said.
Anderson did not immediately return telephone calls on Thursday.
His attorney, Ralph Vinje, of Bismarck, was in Puerto Rico and could
not be reached for comment, Vinje's secretary said.
In 2006, Anderson who ran the Stage Creek Hunting and Guide
Service, pleaded guilty to charges of killing federally protected
raptors, taking deer out of season and without a proper license, and
helping hunters transport an illegal amount of pheasants out of
state, prosecutors said.
He also guided hunters on private land, spotlighted cottontail
rabbits, and participated in shooting shotguns from a moving vehicle
at raptors, pheasants and deer, prosecutors said.
Anderson was ordered to pay $60,000 in fines and restitution and
was ordered to forfeit hunting and outfitting privileges and hunting
equipment, including five guns.
Authorities said at that time it was the largest total in fines
and restitution assessed for wildlife-related crimes in North
Dakota.
Anderson was sentenced in federal court to two years of
supervised probation, including a period of home confinement. He was
prohibited from hunting worldwide for two years and in North Dakota
for six years, and was barred from possessing firearms for the rest
of his life.
The recent charges stemmed from incidents from March 2006 to
November 2007. Cox said two of the charges happened on the opening
days of the deer season last year, when Anderson was spotted hunting
and assisting other hunters, both in violation of his federal
sentence.
Anderson has a farm next to a state wildlife area that is open to
public hunting, Cox said. Anderson allegedly harassed hunters who
were using the public hunting grounds, and in one instance,
allegedly punched a hunter who had gone on Anderson's property to
retrieve his bird dog, Cox said.
