Alaska wildlife troopers responded to a call from a concerned citizen in reference to three males who harvested an out-of-season links. After arriving on scene, a group of three trail runners showed officers photographs of three males getting a links in front of a silver SUV. The SUV was later located and officers [music] observed signs of blood stains inside the vehicle along with what appeared to be links fur in the area. Officers began a thorough search of the area including 1.5 miles out on [music] an ATV but eventually gave up the search for the links carcass. Upon returning to their vehicle, they discovered a note from one of the trail runners stating the links carcass was located along the side of the creek. >> I think they got wet. >> What's that? >> Said my boots did get wet. >> Yeah, they did. >> Look at that flying links. >> Yeah. Yeah, you can see that paws are retractable. >> Yeah. You want me to get photos with your phone for you? >> Uh no, you can just send it to my phone. You got Yeah, I'll see. 9234 >> Oh, I don't have that double check it for me then. >> No. Get it. bag or something you want me to grab and put it in? >> You got a bag I don't have a bag. >> I probably have a bio hazard bag. Excuse me. >> With an approved search warrant officers began their search of the SUV. >> For the search? Well, let's start with that. I love that blood here. Excuse me. There's blood over here in the carpet, too. In a bag. More on the carpet. Sorry about that. Light is too bright. Do you want to get a picture of this? Just for The honor is yours. >> It's a game bag with blood on it. With hair on it. >> [clears throat] >> Oh, boy. >> On ice. >> On ice. Yeah, buddy. >> Oh, man. >> Hey, look at that. Already got bugs? >> Yeah, it's >> That's gross. >> They uh Don't know how to skin these things out. You see that? Kind of like that rug kind of tuck technique when most people that catch links do like a soft method. They kind of just strip it down. >> Use the cooler and search the contents. The car key is here. >> Uh purchaser. Search jeans. Uh should I take the 22 round or just leave it? >> Um >> Did Did you see anywhere on here where it was where the uh where it was shot? >> It was shot for the >> for the torso. But it looks like a little bit bigger than a .22. >> Yeah. I would just photograph it. >> Photograph it? >> Yeah. >> Yeah, I photograph it then. >> Yeah. No, I mean the only other thing of evidentiary value here would just be if you really wanted to take all the cans and swab them for the DNA, but if the people that haven't ever been in the system before, then that DNA is not going to show up anyway. >> Yeah, I don't think it's worth it. >> And I think you're probably Um You got enough to go off of here. When we go try something on our return, or we can just leave it right there in the car. And you can leave a note that says, "Please call me." >> I'm going to write, "Stop and like call me about the wings." Is that too [laughter] blunt? >> No, it's great. They'll be so surprised. It'll be wonderful. >> All right. >> The next day, the officer returned to the area and waited for the three males to return from their hunt. >> my tags. He lost his tags. I don't have tags. >> Okay. Uh I mind I see your tags, huh? >> Yeah. >> I see you guys have guns on you. >> Yeah. >> How old are you guys? >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> I'm 18. >> Um I'm 19. >> 19, okay. Why do you have a handgun on you? Don't touch it. >> Um >> Do you know the legal requirements for a year old to have a handgun or if they can have one? >> You have to have a paper from your dad, right? That says that you can >> Uh 21. >> 21, I see. >> It's uh you be 21. >> Okay. So >> So I was told by another trooper uh we got stopped one time with his handgun in the glove box. I he said that it was his his his handgun and we told him where we were at. We were up in the Skillet area. We were just hiking around. And uh we were just using it for bear protection and uh the trooper said yeah as long as you got a as long as you got a paper from your daddy said it's totally locked. >> Okay. >> So I don't know I don't >> Do you have a paper from your dad? >> I do yeah. >> Well >> Here's my license. Let me see if I can pull out my >> Let me get your tags real fast. You guys get anything? >> No we didn't. We were We were just We were mainly just camping. I just had tags along just in case. >> Okay. Uh is there one in the chamber right now? >> I think so yeah. >> Okay. Well I'm going to just take that off you real fast. So Are there any more handguns right now? >> I currently have one. >> Okay. Well I don't like handguns on people so I'm just going to hold on to them. And you'll get them back. Hey you're not in trouble. >> All right. >> Okay. So Is there one in Okay. Okay. Don't touch the rifles. Just Grab me Grab me your paperwork. >> I got paperwork from my dad. >> Yeah I want to take a look at it. So Now you guys just take stand over here. I'm going to have my back to you and I Just good practice that I keep people away from their guns you know. >> Yep for sure. >> So Yeah. >> How old are you buddy? >> I'm 24. >> You guys all have your IDs or driver's licenses. Whose vehicle is that? >> Uh it's my bosses. >> Your bosses, okay. You just give me a Okay. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. You wrote this for you 2 years ago? Yeah. Dated 9 10 22. >> All right. >> What kind of bears are you guys hunting for? >> I was hunting black. >> Black bears? You you you're hunting black bears? Trenton, did you give me a locking tag? >> Um >> The metal thing? I thought I saw something. You want to grab that for me? Thank you. How long were you guys back there for? >> Uh we were going to stay back there uh today, yeah, at night. Then it started storming, so we decided to come back. We were We were hiking last evening. >> Is that 3 and 1/2 miles straight back? I think. >> I don't know if that's that. I don't know. My phone was dead, so >> Trent, can I get your your uh hunter education card? You got one out of Alaska or Oregon? >> Uh I don't know if I do. >> Okay. How long have you lived in Alaska for? >> Uh about 6 months. 7 months. >> We moved in August of last year. >> Uh August of Okay. >> Do I need to get one? Do I need Do I have to have one to hunt? >> Yeah, when you uh anyone born after '86, 1986, you have to have a hunter education. >> I've got >> Do you have one? >> I have to have one, too? >> What makes you special that you don't have to have one? >> That's true. I didn't think about >> I'm born in '91. I have to have a I got one in my pocket right now. It's from Washington state though, but Alaska accepts it. So. Do you have a 2025 because Yeah. Yeah. Just bought it. Okay. When did you buy your license? >> Uh 14th of July. >> When? >> Uh it was last year. >> Would it be September 17th 2024? Yeah. You're the Alaska resident here that should be the most experienced out of the group. >> Yeah. >> You let your buddy come here hunting for black bear without a valid license? >> Um I guess I >> Buddies have look out for buddies. Buddies check buddies. Remember that. It expires the first of the year. Last So, your aug- your tag you bought in August is as of January 1st, 2025, you have to get a new one. So. Yeah. >> What does that >> Same with your your locking tag. So, your black bear tag's good, but your locking tag's not. It expires last day of December. So, then you have to buy $450 again for your locking tag. So. So, you guys all have a bear with you? Do you guys have any kind of critters with you? Okay. Okay. Why do you think I'm sitting here waiting for you guys? >> Not exactly sure. >> Okay. Did you shoot anything in the last 24 hours? >> So, we did shoot uh on our way up here yesterday. Um we uh saw a lynx cross road. >> What mile marker? >> Couldn't tell you. >> Vaguely. >> I honestly couldn't tell you. >> Were you at the Y? >> It was about Watson Lake probably. Maybe. >> Wasn't it at Watson Lake? >> It was on that It was It was in that section. So, it ran from the refuge? >> Okay. >> We believe super long stretches. >> Yeah. >> Where our friend goes up that hill. It was like right before that right in the corner. >> On the left side of the road. >> Left side of the road? Okay. Okay. >> When you're coming this way. >> So, play by play what happened. >> Uh it ran across the road. >> Mhm. >> Um everyone in our car was like, "Drive your guns. Drive your guns. Drive your guns." you know, and uh I uh I unbuckled my seatbelt and I turned around. Um Hugh pulled over. Hugh's driving. Uh Hugh's shotgun. And I We pulled over to the side of the road and I got my gun out. And uh he The lynx ran across the road and I don't know. It was probably 100 ft maybe 100 ft into the trees. >> Okay. >> Ended up relocating him. And uh I shot him. >> You shot him? >> I shot him. >> Okay. Where were you standing? >> Um I was standing >> probably like 10 10 ft in the trees. >> Probably just I don't know. Just just across the road a little bit from him. I don't know exactly where I was standing. >> Okay. >> 20 20 15 ft 15 20 ft >> Have you looked at the hunting regs? >> So, I have looked at the hunting hunting regs a little bit. Um I have not looked at the 2025 regs. We've looked at them for black. We don't have them. >> Okay. Uh so, you didn't look at the hunting regs before you shot an animal that you were >> I I have I have I have not looked at the hunting regs. >> Okay. Well, >> season for links is only open January 1st through February 15th. >> Okay. >> So, you shooting that is a big deal. >> Okay. >> So, I'll tell you I'll be straight with you guys. >> All right. >> Last night yesterday after around 6:00 I got a report from an old-timer saying three young younger guys was skinning out a links in front of the vehicle. >> Okay. >> Them and a different group took a photo of you guys. >> Okay. >> So, mostly of you because the blue. Um so, I came here. I went about 2 mi up the trail with my ATV, couldn't go any farther, decided to come back here and just kind of wait for you. >> Okay. >> Applied for a search warrant. >> Okay. >> For your vehicle. >> Okay. >> For the vehicle. It doesn't matter if it's your vehicle your vehicle, it's just the vehicle because there's all blood in front of the vehicle, >> Yep. >> fur in front of the vehicle. I could look through the window and see blood on the blue cooler. >> Yep. >> So, is that where you guys put it? >> Yeah, yeah, it's in the cooler. Yeah, it's in the cooler. >> Okay, yep. So, I got the warrant. It's sitting in your vehicle right now. I recommend you guys don't leave vehicles unlocked and the keys underneath the floorboard. >> Okay. >> Um so, applied for a warrant, got it approved. I have the links. >> Okay. >> So, the warrant's inside your inside the vehicle. >> If you have any questions or that, uh but you are in trouble >> Okay. >> for doing that. Uh >> Okay. >> You guys have all sorts of issues right now for being young hunters. Uh you you don't have a valid hunting license. You have you don't have a locking tag valid for 2025. You only have 6 months of residency. You need 12 consecutive months been living here. Uh you don't have a hunter education. You um Uh you don't have a hunter education and you shot the lynx in closed season. You're in unlawful possession of it as well. You I I'm not going to deal with the handgun thing because I'm not too brushed up on it, but do you shoot with it? Do you practice with it? >> Yeah, I do some. >> How much is some? >> Um I do a few magazines a month probably. >> It's called a magazine, but yeah. >> Yeah. >> Uh Okay, what gun did you shoot it with? >> Uh I shot it with my .270. >> Your .270? Okay. So you lived here. Okay, so I did notice uh hunting regulations in the back of your vehicle. Did you take a look to see >> I just got it. >> Okay. After you shot the lynx, did you attempt to take a look at it to see if it was >> online. I looked online and I was like I pretty sure after we shot it After we shot it, I was like I better look and see. >> Okay. And you're 18, right? >> I'm 19. >> You're 19. You're the 19. Okay. Okay. Shooting lynx is only open January 1st through February 15th. So you do have issues with that. So you are labeled as an adult. You're 19 years old. You do need to know these laws. If you're hunting is a privilege in Alaska, it's not a right. So you do need to know what you are legally allowed to shoot, when you're allowed to shoot it. Um Whose the gun? Uh Who bought the gun for you? >> I bought it. You bought it for yourself? Okay, well, your gun's coming with me for now. Uh you might be able to get it back, you may not get it back. I don't know. So. But as of right now, it's going into my evidence, and you will have a court date for shooting links out of season and being in lawful possession of it. Uh you may receive a citation for not having hunter education. Do you guys not have anything, like any state's Like like wherever you came from? Did you come from Oregon, too? >> I came from Idaho originally. >> Okay. >> I have mine. >> Yeah. Well, you You said you're walking. >> Yeah. >> You weren't hunting, you said. So. Okay, well, you got handful of issues, so I'm not singling you out, I'm just doing my job. So. Well, I'm just going to grab a hold of your gun right now. Uh just stay seated for me. Is it loaded? >> Uh I don't know. I don't believe so, but it may have one in the chamber. >> Okay. So, for your reference, the state could seize the vehicle because you shot the links or any critter, really. Like if you shoot an illegal moose, and you drive off with it, you shoot a a patrol, you have a side-by-side, submachine, doesn't matter, you transport it with it, it could be taken by the state. Uh I'm not going that route, I'm not taking your vehicle. Especially since it's your boss's, right? >> Yeah. >> Yeah, I'm not going to go that route. Uh this will be temporarily the state's or permanently the state's. So, it's just whatever the court system decides. So, just hang out right there for me. Okay, so I'm going to do is that I'll come I'll talk to you at a later date after I talk to my boss and see what what's going to happen. Right now, you're going to get a ticket for no hunting license in possession. $220 ticket $270 ticket. Uh I'll give you a warning for not having the up-to-date locking tag. You had a locking tag, but it wasn't up-to-date. So, and then if you want to go black bear hunting again, >> I need a locking tag. >> You need to go to Fish and Game and buy one again. Remember, you spent like 450 bucks on it. Going to have to do that again. So, I'm Sadly, that's uh that's how it is. Uh you could have gotten a misdemeanor charge for not having the right one, but I'm not going to address that. And I'm not going to give you a ticket for no no hunter education, but you are not allowed to hunt in unit 7, 13, 14, 15, and 20 without a hunter education card. And if you live in Soldotna, you live in 15. You come over here to Seward, you're in 7. So, and then if you go up to Anchorage-Palmer area, you're in 14. It's all the popular hunting spots. So, there is they're starting to have a lot more hunter education classes. So, >> to retake that. >> So, you can do the like the online written portion, and then you have to go take like a little field qual where you walk around and like a do you shoot that animal? Do you not shoot the animal? You know? And then you'll shoot a a .22 five consistent shots like that big at like 25 yards. So, it is really easy. I'm an instructor for hunter education, so. >> Okay. >> Um but yeah, so same goes with the you have to get that. But, I'm I I will need your guys' phone numbers. >> Um >> Are you guys cold? Are you guys good sitting out here? >> Yeah, yeah, I'm fine. >> Okay. I don't know if you guys are semi hypothermic and coming out of field and making you sit here for another It'll probably take 15 minutes to write it up. Um But yeah, you're getting one ticket and two warnings today, so. >> Can we start our engine to warm up? >> What now? >> Can we start our engine to get it warmed up? >> Yeah, you can. And the warrant is inside your cup holder. And my business card is there, too. Just in case if you want to call me and I can talk you through what I can't give you legal advice, but I can kind of tell you what's going to happen. Um So, be blunt with you. It could be misdemeanor charges. Uh maybe some hunting privileges taken away and a fine. I know that it will there will be fines. >> Yeah. >> Uh It It's an honest mistake just talking to you guys that I can see, but >> Yeah. >> Guys, you drive around Oh, I'm born bred Alaskan. I love hunting. I grew up in Yakutat. Like >> But, it's not going to be like lifetime or >> No. If anything, you get like 1 year suspension. It's not extreme like Oregon or Idaho. It'll kind of be kind of what the judge decides or what the state recommends about your your your gun. >> This is a good This is good wake-up call for me because I'm definitely going to be reading them regulations. Cuz I don't really like to see the game warden taking my rifle. >> No, I haven't taken too many rifles in my career and I've been on for over a decade. >> Yeah. >> So, and I've been doing this a lot and it doesn't happen, but this is I'll be frank with you, it's a big deal. So, but it's not like you're going to jail. >> Yeah. >> I'm not arresting anyone. >> Yeah. >> You're I guarantee I can't guarantee anything, but more than likely you won't see any jail time. So, if anything just a couple days. But, I'd be surprised if that actually happened. But, uh all right, your citation no fast for ya. Um and then after that I'll collect your information and I'll run it by my bosses and then uh get a hold of you. >> Sounds good. >> So, yeah. Just are you cold? Are you Are you fine? >> I'm not hypothermia cold. I'm cold, but we're good. >> Okay. Do you Do you want to throw on another another layer? Anything like that? >> It's fine. We're good. >> Okay. I'll try to be quick. Mhm. Who is this? What did you say? >> Uh I just asked him if the links the body of the links was just down there. >> Yeah, I got Yeah, I got that too. Yeah. >> But, I was just going to make sure you got that. >> And uh who skinned it out? >> I did. Is that a half decent job or not really? >> Do you want me to be the obvious? >> Yeah. >> Bad. >> I just >> Have you heard of the sock method? Like you you hang it up, you Dude, paws on links are fantastic. So, you debone the the the feet, the paws with the claws attached. You bring it, you slice a line It's It's not like a bear. You literally draw the line, and you start to pull it down. >> Oh, yeah. >> And then you have it as one. And then what you guys should have did, but it doesn't matter because you can't keep it, was to keep the head attached to the hide. >> Yeah, that was shot right here. It was shot right here. So, it was 270 grains that exploded right here. >> Okay. Okay. >> That's why we didn't >> But that doesn't matter now. It doesn't matter. >> All right. Just hang out for me, guys. Just sit down. So, here's your citation. If you want to stand up, I'll show you. Okay, so the top portion is just kind of your information. Down here just states that you hunted >> Mhm. >> black bear with a without a valid 2025 hunting license. It's a $270 ticket. So, it's a $250 ticket, but then you got the court charge of $20 to make it $270 ticket. It's a strict liability violation. It It just means that you don't didn't have something when you needed it. >> Oh, yeah. >> Um no hunting privileges will be taken away from you, nothing like that. Uh nothing in the world. You got three options about this thing. Uh option one is within 30 days of me filing it. So, I'll try to file this for you tomorrow or I'll do it on Thursday next week. Um you go to this court site court website. >> Yeah. >> You'll enter in your name or you'll enter in this citation number right here. It's S E F E P and then the red number. >> Okay. >> You'll look it up and then you'll have the option to pay it that way or option two is that you can mail in the screen copy or option three is that you can contest it. That's your legal right. I got to tell you that. >> What's contesting? >> Fight it in the court. Say that you had a 2025 license. >> basically you got to lie about it. >> People lie all the time. A lot of people don't own it like you guys are owning this right now. So, it makes owning it and being honest, we take that in a lot of consideration with the decision that we recommend. We don't the wildlife troopers, whenever we charge someone for a wildlife violation in your case is that we don't tell the judge, "Hey, you're doing this." What we do is like, "Hey, we write this facts. We give them like, "Hey, he committed two misdemeanor charges. Here it is." Sometimes we are able to do sentencing recommendations on what we recommend that the judge decides. And we always list like their attitudes like cooperative or disgruntled. Like all that stuff goes in there. So, by working with working with me, sometimes that can pay off in your benefit. Sometimes it doesn't make a make a difference, but sometimes it does help. >> Yeah. >> Yeah, so not having the right tag could have been a $500 charge or class A misdemeanor or up to $500. And then the no hunter education in possession could have been a $120 ticket, so >> been worse if we had black bears with us. >> For them >> For me, too, though. They're not I mean, not having the >> Your tags are all good for that. You just shot a lynx when you weren't supposed to. You illegally shot a >> rather shot a bear than a lynx. >> Yeah, it does look like >> Yeah. Um >> What about coyotes? What's the What's your What's the regs on coyotes? >> You can shoot them. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. >> Hold on. Hold on. >> Lynx, there's just such a low number here on the peninsula. That's why they are only allowed to attempt to trap them or attempt to shoot them 6 weeks out of the year. So, yeah. The handgun, I would have to look more into. There are restrictions if you're not 21, you do need You're not supposed to carry a handgun unless you're 21, if I remember that correctly. But bear protection, like I've been charged by many, many bears walking the woods, so it's better than bear spray, so. >> 29000 Have you ever shot a bear? 10 ft >> Yeah, my last one was at 10 ft. And I hit it five times before it got to me, so. >> When when did you start shooting? >> AR 10 >> Yeah. >> Yeah. >> That's all. >> It was injured. Uh someone shot it when they shouldn't have shouldn't have. Uh I responded to the area looking for the injured bear and found it laying there, shot it, jumped right up, charged. I was like, "Oh." >> Yeah. >> Yeah. And then it stopped. So. >> Sounds good. >> But I appreciate you guys' cooperation. Uh answering all my questions. Didn't tell me about the links at first when I asked if he shot any critters, but I don't know if he picked that up, but but yeah, so yeah, just when you make a mistake, just own it. >> Yeah. >> Kind of like what you're doing right now, so. >> Thanks. >> All you can do at this point. I have everything else, so. But yeah, I will put your handguns in your vehicle. Don't walk over there until I'm around the corner. So. >> All right. >> So, yeah. All right, guys. Have a safe drive to Sedona. Hopefully I didn't completely ruin your day, >> No, no, you're good. >> Be good. >> Oh, I'm glad you're doing your job. I honestly am. >> Yeah, trying to protect the resource one contact at a time. >> I appreciate that, man. Absolutely. >> But but yeah, so remember if you don't know if it's legal to shoot, don't shoot it. You can never get in trouble for shooting not shooting something. If you shoot something and then you look at it and you're like, "Oh, I shouldn't shot that." >> Yeah. >> Then you You moral dilemma, do I report myself? Which you should. Uh because it could be a whole lot less of a penalty or you try to sneak it out. And if we catch you then, then you're in a lot of trouble. So. It's good to start off young. So I feel like, okay, I goofed up, I own it. I appreciate more people that own it. So. >> All right, man. Thanks a lot. >> Absolutely, guys. >> In the end, Gage was charged with two criminal charges, hunting links out of season and unlawful possession or transport of a lynx. He ultimately pled guilty to a non-criminal violation for hunting links out of season. He was ordered to pay $1,600 in costs, fines, and a police training surcharge. The $100 surcharge went unpaid and was sent to collections. The records indicate that the remaining balance for the costs and fines have yet to be paid. Trenton was cited for hunting without a license, a non-criminal violation. He was ordered to pay $330 in costs and fines. The court records indicate that the entire amount was transferred to collections. If you like this video and want to see more like it, subscribe to Arrest Cam. As always, thanks for watching.