Greybull Game Warden Bill Robertson said the vast majority of trappers act both ethically and legally, but this was a rare instance where a Cody area man did not.
“Licensed trappers are obligated to follow certain laws, including tagging traps with a name and address, reporting non-target captures, and checking trap lines within a certain timeframe,” Robertson said. “This investigation found a number of unreported, non-target captures associated with snares and an indifferent manner in which snares were set and checked. This suggested a careless attitude towards the taking of wildlife using snares. Game and Fish takes these violations seriously and actively seeks to stop those who do not act in a lawful manner.”
In Bighorn County court on Oct. 14, Ron Lineberger of Cody was found guilty on multiple counts relating to untagged snares, failure to check snares within the time frame prescribed by regulation, failure to report non-target captures and was ordered to pay $7,299. He will lose his trapping and snaring privileges for 27 years.