Bears, Eagles, and Raccoons Enjoy Poached Fish

December 11, 2019

Three bears, a handful of raccoons, and a bald eagle devoured evidence trout Tuesday as they brought a poaching case full circle.

On April 28, 2019, wildlife officers investigated a CalTIP from a concerned fisherman regarding a suspected over-limit of trout near Antelope Lake in remote eastern Plumas County (see May 2 CDFW Facebook post). A man, later identified as Yaroslav Pugach, 48, from Sacramento County had been fishing the trout opening weekend near Antelope Lake. The reporting party described seeing Pugach catch and retain more than the legal limit of five trout. He provided wildlife officers with a detailed vehicle description and a partial license plate number. Two wildlife officers caught up with Pugach and discovered a total of 54 trout -- many times over the daily bag limit of five trout per day and 10 in possession, and cited him accordingly. Plumas County District Attorney David Hollister took a personal interest in the case and his office prosecuted, which ultimately ended in a conviction. Pugach was ordered to pay nearly $5,000 in fines and serve two years probation. Part of his probation terms include no fishing for two years. The seized evidence in the form of 54 trout were ordered destroyed by the court.

Lt. Kyle Kroll, who supervises the wildlife officers who made the case, came up with an idea of the best way possible to destroy 54 evidence trout. He contacted Lake Tahoe Wildlife Care, Inc. and asked if it had any hungry bears. The facility often partners with CDFW in accepting and rehabilitating injured or orphaned wildlife. It is one of the few facilities that is permitted to rehabilitate bears, ultimately preparing them for re-release back into the wild in the spring. LTWC responded yes -- it had bears! By virtue of the fact that bears are always hungry, especially right before hibernation, they would make great use of the 54 trout. So yesterday, Lt. Kroll drove the forfeited evidence trout to LTWC to provide the bears and other rehabbing wildlife a special meal.

Well, I guess it is good they didnt feed the poacher to the bears.