Texas: Authorities trying to determine what attacked a horse in Port Arthur; claw marks look like cougar attack

TEXAS -- Jefferson County deputies and Texas game wardens are trying to determine what attacked a horse in Port Arthur.

The horse’s owner, a former Port Arthur city councilman, says his horse Dakota was attacked late last night or early this morning.

The horse has several fresh scratches and a large wound on its rear end.

A Jefferson County wildlife deputy says it's possible that a mountain lion attacked the horse.

The wildlife deputy checked the property and couldn't find anything else that would explain the horse’s injuries.

The deputy says he’s received reports of large cats in that area.

The owner has a veterinarian coming to check out the horse.

(KDFM - July 10, 2017)

Canada: Cougar shot and killed then dumped near Bragg Creek

CANADA -- A cougar was killed and its carcass dumped off McLean Creek Road and wildlife officers are asking for the public’s help to find those responsible.

The female cougar had been shot and its body left to rot, which carries a fine of up to $50,000 or up to one year in prison. The dead animal was discovered Feb. 15 by a person walking his dog near the 2-km marker on the road southwest of Bragg Creek. Fish and Wildlife officials believe it was killed out of season.

“A person can kill a cougar on their private land but this is nowhere near private land,” said Cochrane wildlife officer Mark Hoskin.

Cougars can be legally hunted by those with a licence during fall and winter seasons, between Nov. 1 and Feb. 28, but only if the quota for the wildlife management area is open. Hoskin said it was not at the time they believe this cougar was killed.

He declined to say what type of firearm was used to shoot the animal.

Some of the other charges that could be laid in relation to the case are hunting during a closed season, hunting without a licence, allowing the skin of a cougar to be abandoned and illegal possession of wildlife.

Anyone with information about the incident is asked to contact the Report A Poacher line at 1-800-642-3800.

(Calgary Herald - March 4, 2016)

South Dakota - Trigger happy hunter shoots and kills baby mountain lion; gets cited

SOUTH DAKOTA -- Law enforcement and the South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks are investigating the harvest of a mountain lion kitten.

According to Regional Supervisor Mike Kintigh, an animal was brought in by an unidentified hunter on Feb. 5.

The 14-pound mountain lion kitten shot in Lawrence County was determined to be an approximately three month old mountain lion based on the size and spotted markings.

It is illegal to harvest KILL any mountain lion still visibly displaying spots.

Kintigh says this is the smallest cat brought in this season, and reminds hunters to be very wary about determining the age of a cat before pulling the trigger.

"Given the right conditions, it would be very difficult to see that they were in fact spotted at, you know, a distance of 100 yards when they might be hunting. We take all of that into account when we investigate these cases", said Kintigh.

Uh, yeah. If you don't know what you're shooting at, how do you know it's not a person? A cat? A dog? A horse? A child?

The hunter was cited for a class one misdemeanor improper tagging, which carries a penalty of fines to $1,000, one year in jail and loss of hunting privileges for a year; and could face additional charges once the investigation is complete.

(Kotatv - Feb 12, 2016)

Mountain lion cub rescued from Montaña de Oro beach

CALIFORNIA -- A tired and thin female mountain lion cub was plucked from a beach in Montaña de Oro State Park on Monday afternoon by state and local officials.

The 6-month-old, 25-pound mountain lion was reported to State Parks on Sunday afternoon by someone who said they saw her in the water near a cove, said Jared Strouss, a warden with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.

Strouss spotted the mountain lion about 4 p.m. Sunday, sitting on some rocks about a mile south of Islay Creek and a half mile north of the Point Buchon Trail.

 

“I don’t know if she fell in, but when I saw her she was sunning herself, and I wanted to give her time to get back up and into the wild on her own,” he said. “Sometimes it’s better to back off, and they (the animals) will find their way out, but it didn’t work that way this time.”

After some discussion and in consultation with Fish and Wildlife biologist Bob Stafford, officials decided to rescue the mountain lion about 1 p.m. Monday, Strouss said.

On Monday, the animal was seen on the beach, occasionally moving around on the sand, he said.
“She should have been able to get up,” Strouss said. “Lions climb very well.”

Stafford and a Cal Fire firefighter initially intended to tranquilize the mountain lion, but didn’t need to, Strouss said. The animal was lifted from the cove and evaluated.

“She’s a little tired from where she was at, but she was in pretty good shape,” he said. “We gave her some fluids and antibiotics, and she is on her way to a wildlife lab in Sacramento.”

The mountain lion may stay there a month or more and will eventually be released back in Montaña de Oro, he said.

“I think they wanted her to have a bit more fat on her bones,” he said. “She was pretty feisty by the time we got her some fluids.”

(The San Luis Obispo Tribune - Feb 2, 2015)

Hounds hunt Deer Lake cougar following horse attack

WASHINGTON -- Houndsmen spent Friday trying to hunt down a cougar near Deer Lake that attacked a horse. The cougar was also spotted near a summer camp the week before.
 
 The 14-day hunt began on Wednesday in the forest near Camp Gifford. Authorities notified the two houndsmen on Tuesday about the attack. By Wednesday morning, the men, six hounds and 15-year-old Chaz Ridler were on the trail of the cougar.

 

Ridler’s family owned the horse that was attacked by the cougar. The horse was eventually put down because of its injuries.
 
“I just don't want it to kill any more animals or get a child, you know,” said Ridler. “There's a camp right there full of children. Better a horse than a human, but it still sucks. It was my horse.”

 

Friday’s heat made it dangerous for the bloodhounds and the  houndsmen.  The heat also made their jobs harder.

“We picked up enough scent. I think with a little more moisture on the ground we would’ve had him caught. The dogs, without the moisture on the ground they can’t,” said Ridler.

 

 The hunters have not seen the cat yet but they know the scent belongs to the one they are looking for.
“Cougs are territorial so it’s likely if it’s a tom, which it probably is looking at the horse, it’s probably the only cat in this area,” said Ridler.

 Three days into the cougar hunt and still no sign of the big cat. The houndsmen still have 11 days to go.

(KREM - Aug 2, 2014)

Earlier:

• Horse dies after being attacked by cougar

Horse dies after being attacked by cougar

WASHINGTON -- A horse had to be put-down after a cougar attack Tuesday night in Stevens County. The attacked happened Sunday less than a half mile away from Camp Gifford which houses more than 150 kids for the summer.

Fish and Wildlife leaders said the attack happened in a rural area surrounded by thousands of acres of open land that is home to cougars and other animals.

 

 

 Authorities said it is uncommon for a cougar to attack a horse.

The hot weather could have brought the cougar down from the mountains, where water is drying up according to the Department of Fish and Wildlife. Authorities called in a houndsman and six bloodhounds to search for the mountain lion.  Fish and Wildfire officials said they will search for 14 days, but said the hot temperatures and dry conditions will make it difficult for dogs to track the animal.

The cougar will be put down if it is found according to Fish and Wildlife.

It was actually counselors at Camp Gifford who first alerted Fish and Wildlife officials about the cougar. The animal was spotted about ten feet from a child just days before horse attack according to camp leaders.

“There was a kid looking at a raspberry bush, trying to pick a raspberry, when the counselor saw the cougar resting in the trees,” said Chris Adams with the camp. “He immediately went to the child,  but himself between the cougar and the kid. And then it got up and walked away.”

Camp Gifford leaders said they are keeping kids closer following the attack.  They immediately closed their wilderness camp.  All kids are now limited to activities in the main camping area.

(KREM - Aug 1, 2014)

Now Hiring: Person who likes to kill animals, but will pretend they like animals and want to save them

ILLINOIS -- A male cougar found lounging near an Illinois farmhouse was shot dead Wednesday by a conservation officer whose duty it is to protect wildlife.

The officer made a snap decision to kill the big cat after deciding it posed a safety threat to people living in the farmhouse about 130 miles west of Chicago, an assertion contested by a mammal expert at Chicago’s Field Museum.

‘I can’t figure out why this animal had to be shot,’ Bruce Patterson told the Chicago Tribune.

The Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) is now scrambling to explain why the officer put down an animal that may not have posed a threat to humans.

Other options include leaving the 100 pound, six-foot animal alone or even tranquilizing it to allow IDNR officers to relocate it, a spokesperson for the agency told the paper.

The officer did not tranquilize the animal because IDNR cops are not properly trained or equipped, a veterinarian would have had to be called. This was not an option because of the safety risk posed, the agency argued.

‘Public safety is what we’ll make the decision on every time,’ the spokesperson added.

The cougar frightened the home’s residents after it was found hiding in a concrete tunnel under a corn crib – a large building similar to a silo that stores corn.

That the large animal was found there is evidence it was not a threat, it was looking for shelter, Mr Patterson explained before suggesting the animal could have simply been left to its own devices.

‘It’s possible to manage wildlife while still keeping it around,’ the scientist said.

Authorities were called after locals spotted the beast running through a corn field towards the farmhouse, according to the IDNR.

The animal wasn’t in the open when it was killed, the normally nocturnal animal was hiding under the corn crib. The farmer asked the officer to kill it, according to the agency.

Another official fired multiple additional shots into the animal ‘to make sure’ it died, he told the Sauk Valley Gazette.

‘It was an unfortunate thing,’ soil and water conservation district official David Harrison said after taking the lethal shots.

‘It’s unusual for an animal like that to be around humans,’ he added. ‘They are fairly shy, I don’t know what it was doing in a cornfield.’

(Daily Mail - Nov 22, 2013)

Animal sanctuary worker mauled to death by mountain lion after mistakenly entering its enclosure

OREGON -- The new mother mauled to death yesterday while working at a big cat animal shelter, may have violated safety procedures according to a statement released by the organization.

Renee Radziwon-Chapman, 36, was already dead when emergency responders arrived at WildCat Haven in Sherwood, Oregon Saturday night on reports that an employee was gravely injured. She was the sanctuary's animal care technician and also a new mother.

Few details have been released on the attack so far, but it appears that Radziwon-Chapman was breaking the facility's safety rules when she was attacked.

A statement released by the organization refers to their safety handbook which requires staff members to work in pairs when going into animal enclosures. Once big cats are safely in 'lockout areas' one team member can go into the enclosure.

'At this time it is believed that Radziwon-Chapman was alone at the sanctuary and alone in the enclosure with cats, who had not been shifted into the lockout area,' the statement said, adding that an investigation is ongoing.

 

While it was initially reported that several cats were loose within the sanctuary, the organization denied that saying that no cats escaped from their enclosures, which are surrounded by 14-foot tall walls.

'The enclosures exceed what is required by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which inspects the facility yearly,' they said.

The cougar responsible for Radziwon-Chapman's death was locked up after the attack.

'Right now, out thoughts and prayers are with the family of our dear colleague and friend who we have so sadly lost. We are devastated by this loss,' the statement said.

Radziwon-Chapman's husband, Aaron Chapman, had also volunteered at the facility in the past and the two recently had a baby girl.

WildCat Haven was started in 2001 by Cheryl and Michael Tuller who rescued one bobcat but their sanctuary has now grown to shelter 67 Cats. For the past eight years, Radziwon-Chapman has served as the head keeper at the facility and is also a certified tech.

As the sanctuary's first employee, Radziwon-Chapman has spoken to the media on behalf of the facility before.

In 2011, she gave KATU a tour of the facility for a story about people who keep big cats as exotic pets.

From the 2011 interview

'I don't think people realize how many cats are in captivity in back yards,' Radziwon-Chapman said in 2011.

Some of the cats living at the sanctuary come from families who adopted them at a young age and then got overwhelmed with them once they grew into full-size cats.

Radziwon-Chapman's death came as a shock to WildCat Haven board member Jim Caliva.

'Her relationship with the cats was amazing,' he said. 'She knew exactly what she was going, but apparently there was a mistake. I don't know what it could be.'

Its website describes the facility as a 'last hope' for more than 60 wildcats that have been abandoned or abused, including bobcats, cougars, lynx and tigers.

Last summer, the sanctuary announced plans to move from its 8-acre facility in Sherwood to an 82-acre site near Silverton and launched a fundraising effort. The Tullers did not set a timetable for the move, the Oregonian reported.

The facility is not open to the public, but does provide on-site tours to donors.

(Daily Mail - Nov 10, 2013)

Exotic animal seized in Kansas

KANSAS -- Nearly one dozen exotic animals were removed from a property Sunday after authorities discovered that the animals had been abandoned without access to food or clean water.

Baker, 54, the caregiver of the animals was cited with 10 animal cruelty charges and permit violations. Baker was also taken into custody for disorderly conduct and drug related charges. The Atchison County Sheriff’s Office deputies started investigating Baker back in March of this year.

Authorities seized one tiger, two mountain lions, three bobcats, two lynx, one serval and two skunks from Baker’s property.

 

Although the animals weren’t malnourished, Sheriff Jack Laurie stated, they were filthy, covered in mud, muck and everything else.” “The feces hadn’t been cleaned out in a long time.”

“The land also was covered with deer, cow carcasses, and trash,” Laurie continued.

 

According to a release some of the 10 citations given to Baker included, failure to comply with United State Department of Agriculture and city ordinances relating to enclosures and exotic animal licensure and failure to possess wildlife, fur harvester and game breeder permits.

Baker is cooperating with authorities and has released all the animals from the site to rescue organizations.

 

The sheriff’s office with the help of the Humane Society of the United States has located the animals to sanctuaries outside the area. The Kansas City Zoo and Big Cat Rescue have also assisted in the seizure.

“The case highlights the need for Kansas to develop stronger laws to ensure dangerous wild animals are kept at accredited zoos and sanctuaries,” stated Midge Grinstead, the Kansas state director for the
Humane Society.

(Examiner - May 8, 2013)

12/21/12: Report: Half Moon Bay mountain lion cubs were size of house cats

CALIFORNIA -- A necropsy report released late Friday showed two mountain cubs shot to death by California Department of Fish and Game wardens Dec. 1 were much younger and smaller than the agency had previously stated, and Director Charlton Bonham acknowledged the agency needs to do better.

The report, conducted by Fish and Game, found the cubs were about 4 months old and weighed 13-14 pounds, the size of a house cat.

Their stomachs were empty and they were in poor condition when they were gunned down while huddling under a porch on the outskirts of downtown Half Moon Bay.

[What was it like for the second little cub, starving, weak and cold, waiting its turn to be shot? Maybe it tried to run and he shot its little body full of holes? We don't know how this whole pathetic thing played out other than officials saying it was an "unfortunate incident". What an embarassment.]

In defending itself against criticism after the shooting that it should have tranquilized the animals, the department initially described them as about twice as big -- 9 months in age and 25-30 pounds. Officials referred to the cubs at the time as "sub-adults" who had likely been preying on local pets.

"I now realize these animals were smaller than assumed. I regret this unfortunate incident in Half Moon Bay for all involved," Bonham said in a statement. "The department intends to learn from this experience. We take the safety of the public and the welfare of California's wildlife with the utmost seriousness."

Tim Dunbar, executive director of the California-based Mountain Lion Foundation, is one of several experts who had expressed skepticism about Fish and Game's initial reports on the shooting. The foundation is now working with the agency and Assemblyman Jerry Hill, D-San Mateo, to formulate legislation that aims to prevent such incidents in the future.

"This just reinforces our opinion that the actions taken in this situation were incorrect," Dunbar said. "And we're hoping that this will help bring some fundamental changes to the department in how it responds to public safety incidents involving mountain lions."

The legislation would likely put in place protocols to require wardens to give greater consideration to tranquilizing or trapping cougars. Hill said Friday that, if talks go well, he will have an announcement in the next few weeks. Under Proposition 117, which banned mountain lion hunting in 1990, such a change to the law would require a four-fifths vote of the state Legislature.

Bonham said Friday that an internal review was under way before the shooting and will likely wrap up in January.

"Prior to the incident at Half Moon Bay, I directed the department's leadership team to evaluate our guidelines on how we respond to interactions with mountain lions and bears and determine how we can do better," Bonham said.

The necropsy did not note anything abnormal about the cats, other than that they appeared to be starving, with little to no fat deposits. One of the cubs, which wildlife experts presume were orphaned siblings, had congestion in its lungs.

(mercurynews.com - Dec 21, 2012)

Earlier:

• Citing safety, state officials kill young mountain lions
• HMB residents outraged over cougar shootings

HMB residents outraged over baby cougar shootings

CALIFORNIA -- Several Half Moon Bay families who witnessed two [baby] mountain lions wandering through their neighborhood are appalled that the animals were later shot and killed by state Fish and Game officials.

Nearby residents have joined a groundswell of critics who believe state wardens acted hastily and should have sought alternatives before using lethal force on the lions.

“These cubs weren’t a threat really, they were more scared of us than we were of them,” said Moss Beach resident Brandon Barsuglia, 20. “It was unnecessary to be so trigger happy.”

Barsuglia was one of the first people to spot the two cougars late in the day on Friday near the end of Correas Street in Half Moon Bay. The two lions, estimated to be no more than 10 months old, were evidently separated from their mother and had wandered to the neighborhood from the open space east of Arroyo Leon.

Hanging out that day at a friend’s home, Barsuglia says one of the lions hopped into the backyard while the other stayed on the street.

"On Saturday morning, when a sheriff's deputy came by, the lions were

cuddled together against a sliding-glass door, taking shelter from the rain"

By that point, bystanders had already alerted authorities. When San Mateo County Sheriff’s deputies arrived, they were prepared to take measures to prevent a public threat.

But witnesses say no danger ever materialized. At one point, Barsuglia, his friend and a Sheriff’s deputy cornered one of the young lions against a fence and watched its behavior. He estimated they were standing about three feet from the cougar for more than an hour.

“The lion was cool as could be, and it was moving real cautiously,” he said.

About six neighbors and deputies followed the other mountain lion out on Correas.

Sheriff’s deputies were advised by Fish and Game officials to give the mountain lions a clear path back into the wilderness. Residents along Correas say state wardens declined that day to come out to the incident.

The lions apparently hid from the rain for the night underneath a porch at the end of San Benito Street. On Saturday, the lions stayed in the neighborhood. The Sheriff’s Office was called out again, and this time two Fish and Game wardens also responded.

Around 6 p.m., residents asked to stay in their homes heard the sound of shots being fired, but they were under the impression that the cougars were tranquilized and being relocated. Three days later, they learned the animals were actually killed.

In the aftermath of the shooting, the Fish and Game handling of the situation has faced growing scrutiny from media organizations and conservationists. On Tuesday evening, Half Moon Bay Councilman John Muller emphasized during a public meeting that the city had nothing to do with the decision to put down the lions. By Thursday evening, the state agency appointed a new press spokesperson for the third time to handle inquiries about the cougar shooting.

Fish and Game officials explained that several factors went into the call to put down the cougars, but their main priority was protecting public safety. The animals demonstrated they were habituated to being in contact with humans, indicating they could return and present a threat, particularly to young children, said Fish and Game spokesman Mark Michilizzi.

"Let's face it, these are cubs. They're easily capturable," said Jay Holcomb, former head of the International Wildlife Rehabilitation Council and current director of International Bird Rescue. "You can go to the store and buy some chicken and they'll be on it in a second. It's a no-brainer."

“This situation was thought out carefully,” he said. “A cat at that age is capable of killing game, that’s the age they’re learning to hunt. They’re a lot stronger than what you think.”

Fish and Game officials last estimated the cougars were 10 months old and weighed between 25 to 30 pounds.

[Check out the newer article - says the baby mountain lions weighed 13-pounds. That's about the size of a fat housecat.]

Fish and Game officials say their wardens considered using tranquilizer guns, but the animals could have gone berserk for the period before the sedative took effect.

Even if the animals were subdued without harm, Michilizzi said they lacked an appropriate place to release the animals. There are many wild animal rehabilitation facilities throughout the state, he explained, but none are permitted to house mountain lions. Some zoos in the state have been known to house mountain lions, but those animals in captivity would have trouble being released back into the wild.

A predator at the top of the food chain, mountain lions generally seek to avoid contact with humans, and actual attacks are rare. The last fatal mauling in California occurred in 2004 in Orange County.

(Half Moon Bay Review - Dec 7, 2012)

Earlier:

• Citing safety, state officials kill young mountain lions

Citing safety, state officials kill young mountain lions

CALIFORNIA -- Wardens with the California Department of Fish and Game shot and killed two juvenile mountain lions on Saturday. The animals had wandered into a Half Moon Bay neighborhood just a block from downtown.

Fish and Game officials explained that killing the animals a necessary because they posed a danger to residents in the area. The cougars were estimated to weigh about 25 to 30 pounds.



Janice Mackey

“We always err on the side of public safety,” said Janice Mackey, a Fish and Game spokeswoman. “With a cat at that size and age in a residential area, it was a public safety concern. Period.”

Neighbors first observed the two cougars on Friday, hiding in the bushes near the end of Correas Street. Mark Andermahr noticed one of the lions hiding underneath his garage, and he observed they were scared of him and especially the barking dogs in the neighborhood. The lions scattered when he approached to snap to photo.

“I kept my cat in the house,” he said. “They didn’t act aggressive … but I wasn’t going to put food in my hand and offer it to them.”

San Mateo County Sheriff’s deputies initially reported the lions were only cubs and about two months old. Fish and Game officials described the animals as older, about 10 months old, around the age when the young animals leave their mother to set out on their own. There was no sign of their mother anywhere in the area.

Sheriff’s deputies and wardens from California Fish and Game patrolled the area on Friday night. The team tried to leave an open corridor to allow the animals to escape back into the wilderness.

But on Saturday morning, neighbors on the same block reported the lions had returned to hiding near their homes. Fish and Game officials interpreted that as a sign the lions could be habituated to being near humans.

Mackey said the wardens had no opportunity to tranquilize the animals. The animals could have run off and posed a danger before the sedative took effect, she said.

Alternatively, [according to Mackey] the wardens couldn’t approach to use a “poke stick” tranquilizer spear to pacify the animals.

By Saturday evening, wardens reportedly decided they had no choice but to kill the cougars. Both animals were shot with an unspecified firearm.

[Hmm, how about putting some tranquilizers in some meat and throwing it to them under the house? If you don't scare them, they're not going to go anywhere. Anyone bother to bring a humane trap out to them?

Sounds like these wardens were trigger-happy and tired of dealing with these cubs and figured the sooner they killed them, the sooner they could go home.]

News that the animals were [killed] came a surprise to neighbors in the area. Many initially believed the animals were tranquilized and removed from the area.

“It’s too bad they had to do that,” Andermahr said. “I wouldn’t want them hanging out here, but I wish they could have taken them somewhere else.”

Fish and Game officials are in the process of performing a necropsy of the cougars to determine more about their activities.

(Half Moon Bay Review - Dec 6, 2012)

Florida: Repeat game laws violator Todd Benfield, 45, admits to killing endangered Florida panther and trying to hide his federal crime

FLORIDA -- From atop his tree stand, Todd "Scuttlebutt" Benfield [nice name - not] (aka Todd Benfield, Todd Alan Benfield) (Birthdate: 04/10/1971) could see the tawny fur of a Florida panther prowling through the underbrush. Benfield, a bow hunter looking for deer, knew that panthers eat deer.

So [apparently without caring that the Florida panther is designated "Endangered" and protected by law] he aimed an arrow at the endangered animal and let fly.

"I shot the Florida panther," Benfield, 45, of Naples, admitted in a written statement this week, "because I thought the Florida panther was competing and interfering with my hunting."

As if there aren't TONS of deer available to kill for pleasure. All you have to do is look at the sides of the road in early winter to see all the carcasses that have been hit and killed by cars. TODD BENFIELD GETS PLEASURE FROM KILLING ANIMALS AND WANTED TO KILL THIS ENDANGERED ANIMAL AS WELL.

Benfield came back to the site the next day "with a buddy" and dragged the carcass 50 feet into the woods, trying to hide his crime.

This POS "buddy" of Benfield's should've been charged with facilitating a crime. How is it any different than hiding the body of a human being? This moron knew he killed a federally protected animal and CHOSE to help him hide the crime. Hmm, maybe it was his wife or sons who helped him? If so, they may have said, plead guilty and we won't charge them as well...

The day after that, Benfield removed his tree stand.

The same day, a Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officer found the dead panther in thick vegetation off Woodland Grade near the Ave Maria development in Collier County. The officer determined that the dead panther had been dragged about 50 yards, according to the plea.

Less than a week after he shot the panther, Benfield was interviewed by investigators from the Fish and Wildlife Service and the Conservation Commission and lied about having anything to do with the killing, according to Benfield's statement.

Other agencies involved in the investigation were the Collier County Sheriff's Office, the Miami-Dade Crime Laboratory, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the National Fish and Wildlife Forensic Laboratory in Ashland, Ore.

But after a three-year investigation into the 2009 death of the panther, Benfield pleaded guilty Friday in federal court in Fort Myers.

"I was wrong to have shot and killed a Florida panther," he wrote in his signed apology, included with his plea agreement. "Killing the Florida panther was not a solution and I am sorry for what I did."

Without an eyewitness coming forward in the Benfield case, investigators from a half-dozen agencies faced a lengthy job of piecing together forensic evidence from Benfield's house and vehicle, including collecting DNA evidence from Benfield and from the dead panther, said Andrew Aloise, special agent in charge for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

"The message is that no matter how long it takes us, we'll put the resources and the effort into prosecuting and getting the person responsible," Aloise said.

Benfield is only the third person since the Endangered Species Act passed in 1973 to ever be successfully prosecuted for killing the state animal, which has been classified as endangered for 50 years.

According to his plea agreement, he faces 30 days behind bars, three years of probation, a $5,000 fine and a requirement he donate $5,000 to a wildlife-related charity, plus 200 hours of community service. He also cannot hunt in Florida or any other state for three years. He had to forfeit his bow, arrows and tree stand and make a public apology. No sentencing date has been set yet.

An environmental group founded by hunters has called for a stiffer penalty, including lifetime revocation of Benfield's hunting license and a $100,000 fine.

"I'm glad he got what he got and I wish he'd gotten more," Florida Wildlife Federation President Manley Fuller said.

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service officials, who led the investigation, did not respond to repeated requests for details on how they caught Benfield. However, his written apology offers some clues.

Why should they tell all the other criminals how they caught this POS Benfield?

On Oct. 8, 2009, he was deer-hunting in a rural area of Golden Gate Estates, a failed development in Collier County, with a Matthews Solocam Switchback XT bow when he shot the panther with a three-bladed Muzzy Broadhead arrow.

Although he moved the body the next day, a Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission employee discovered the carcass on Oct. 10 — the day Benfield dismantled his tree stand.

On Oct. 12, a federal investigator questioned Benfield about the death of the panther, now officially identified as Uncollared Florida Panther 128.

"During the interview, I lied about having anything to do with the killing of the Florida panther," Benfield wrote. However, state and federal investigators returned with a search warrant for his house and car "where they collected evidence of my crime."

Then, on Nov. 30, 2009, "a federal search warrant was served on my person for my DNA," Benfield wrote. What happened between then and Friday, however, is not mentioned in his statement.

This is not Benfield's first violation of game laws. Collier County court records show he has been fined twice for violating state hunting rules. He has also been previously arrested for carrying a concealed weapon.

Benfield's wife, Tonja, reached at the couple's home, said her husband could not comment on the case, and his attorney, Donald Day, did not return a reporter's phone call.

Panthers, which once roamed the entire Southeast, are now largely confined to the swamps, pastures and forests of Florida's southern tip. Although the population had dwindled to about 30 a few decades ago, about 100 now prowl what's left of the wilderness in South Florida.

Benfield's crime is only the most violent example of a decades-long conflict between the causes of hunting and panther conservation. In his apology, Benfield wrote that one reason he's sorry for what he did is because of "the negative publicity that it may have brought to hunting."

In this photo posted Jan. 13 on his wife’s Facebook
account, Todd Benfield, 45, poses with a dead deer
believing it required talent to use a high-powered
weapon to kill an animal that wandered by.

He's right about that, said Laurie Macdonald of Defenders of Wildlife. "This gives hunting a bad name," she said. Even though the panthers are hunting deer like the hunters, she said, "You don't whack a competitor. We should all work together to make sure the deer population is healthy enough for both."

The first, and most famous, Floridian to ever be charged with killing a panther was James Billie, then chief of the Seminole tribe. Billie shot and skinned a panther in 1983, saying he did it as part of a "religious ritual". He was acquitted by a jury after his attorney raised questions about genetics and whether the panther was really a panther.

Well, what else could it have been? A house cat???

The second man hauled into court was a deer hunter named Elmer Booker who in 1985 said he shot a panther because he "feared it might" climb his tree stand and kill him. Although he pleaded guilty, the POS judge, an avid hunter, refused to put him in jail and instead sentenced him to probation.

Last year, a Georgia deer hunter pleaded guilty to killing a panther that had roamed so far from South Florida that it had crossed the state line in 2008. That deer hunter was sentenced to two years of probation, during which he could not hunt anywhere, and fined $2,000.

If you think he didn't continue killing animals because a judge TOLD HIM NOT TO, I have some real estate in Manhattan I'd like to sell you.

There are at least three other panther deaths since 2009 that remain under investigation.

(Tampa Bay Times - May 18, 2012)