December 22, 2016
From DailyInterlake.com
On Oct. 28, Jeff Fleming was convicted by Thompson Falls Justice of the Peace Donald M. Strine of illegally killing two bighorn sheep during a hunting trip in the Knowles Creek area. He was fined more than $32,000.
On Oct. 28, Fleming shot a trophy ram, who fell into a depression where he couldn’t see it. He reloaded, peered back through his scope and saw what appeared to be the same animal. “I’m sure he’s wounded, so I shoot him again. When I walked up the hill, I can’t tell you how shocked I was to see three bighorn sheep lying there.”
The second bullet had passed through the second ram and struck an ewe standing in the brush behind it, killing it with a shot to the throat.
Borden then called the game warden, who charged him with killing the ram.
Fleming pleaded guilty to the offenses. As restitution to the state, he must pay $30,000 for the second ram and $2,000 for the ewe, in addition to a $735 fine for hunting over the limit. He also lost his hunting, trapping and fishing privileges for 30 months.