If you like fish and wildlife content, be sure to subscribe so you don't miss out on future videos. An off-duty Alaska State Trooper was visiting a biologist office when he overheard the biologist ask Renee if she salvaged the meat off of a black bear that she recently shot. After admitting she did not, the officer again asked her and she again stated that she did not salvage the meat. Renee then asked if she was supposed to salvage the meat and the officer explained that she must salvage the forequarters and the backstrap. At the time of this encounter, she was in possession of a hide and the 20-in skull. The officer agreed to meet with her at a later time once he was back on duty. Hi, pup. Perfect. Say again? You want potatoes? Oh, that's very nice of you. Say potatoes? Uh, that's okay, but I sure do appreciate it. Thanks for talking to me. >> Yeah. So, all right. Um, so here's how we're going to do this. I know we talked a little bit earlier, but I just need you to explain the whole situation to me again with how you um like from the time that you guys left in McGrath to the time that you guys got the bears and you came back. Can you do that? Okay. Uh, like like what do you want to know? Like You guys what days what what guys did you what day did you guys leave? The 25th. You left the 25th. What time did you leave at? 11:00 in the morning. >> 11:00 in the morning. Okay. And you rode up river and correct me if I'm wrong, okay. You rode up river um to the North Fork, correct? And then you went about how far up the North Fork? Maybe an hour and a half, 2 hours maybe. About 2 and a half hour and a half to 2 hours up the North Fork. Okay. And then And that was on the >> and it was eating on maggot carcass and the stink >> And >> you could see that or >> No, we didn't know. Oh, yeah. But I mean, we didn't What was it doing when you saw it? Sitting there. Just sitting there. >> Yeah. Kind of like what side of the shoreline as you were going up? Uh left side. >> The left side. Okay. And uh it was you said earlier it was by the island, is that correct? >> Mhm. Okay. And so you guys uh saw the bear and you got how close? So Uh maybe 70 5 75 yd? >> 75 yd, yeah. >> Okay. And what did you shoot it with? A .30-06. >> One time? Yeah. In the chest you said, right front. Okay, and it died right there. >> Mhm. Okay, and you got up to it and realized it was eating the dead deer. Yeah. >> And >> And immediately it was gross. >> Yeah. Okay. Um did you gut the bear at all? Did I? Yeah, did you guys like got the got the bear or what did you do? >> Yeah. Okay. Yeah. And then um you skinned it out and what else did you do? That's That's it. >> That's it. Okay, so why'd you gut it then? I I don't know. It was Okay. Just I mean, that's what we do, right? I mean, cuz it was heavy. It was like really super heavy. >> Yeah, it was a huge I mean, we couldn't move it. >> is big, yeah. I know. Yeah. We couldn't move it. We couldn't Yeah. >> get it, you know. Who was with you? Uh >> [laughter] >> Is he going to get in trouble? >> No, you look look. So here's the situation. You're most likely going to get a ticket. Yeah. >> But I'm not going to take your bear, okay? And I'm going to treat you as fair as I can. And we're going to handle this very very professionally and you you have been completely honest and I take that into account. If you were lying about this or trying to hide anything >> Yeah. we would be talking about a bigger deal, right? Where you could lose the bear, you could lose your gun, things like that. Not trying to do that to you today. Just want the truth. Okay. Uh does that make sense? Okay. So So was my dad. Your dad. >> Yeah. I mean, we were going up the river to you know, to bring that lumber to his cabin. >> Who made the decision to not take the bear meat? Well, I mean, once we started it was just gross, you know? I mean, we we the bear once they start eating nasty stuff, they their meat tastes like it. >> Mhm. So it's like we didn't I mean, and then smelling it and then like it was gross. It was gross. Do you typically take the meat from a bear? Mhm. Okay. Um and so you guys decided not to do that. You skinned it out. Uh you obviously brought the skull back. I saw that. Um and then you guys continued up river, is that correct? >> Yeah. Okay. That was the We didn't make it to the cabin. You didn't make it to the cabin yet. Okay. Where did you get your second bear at? Um maybe like half I don't know. Not far away from it. Maybe like 45 minutes or so. Not 45. Yeah. Further out as you're going towards the cabin. Yeah. Okay. Um and then that bear um did you shoot that one, too? I'm assuming you did. >> Yeah. Um same thing, 30-06? Okay. Uh when you got up to that one, was it was it eating anything? Okay. And it was really nice, clean and it was a good shot and it was um you know, when we gutted it it it um didn't have anything in its stomach. Okay. Typically, that's kind of what we look for. Yeah, absolutely. >> Wasn't pooping, it wasn't Yes. And so you got you skinned that one out. Um what did you do with what meat did you take off that one? >> We still have it. Like like the whole the whole thing or Okay. Very cool. Um so kind of probably left it intact or did you cut it in pieces or what did you do? Uh cut it in pieces. >> You got like cut the legs off and Uh well just like like cut I mean [clears throat] yeah. Yeah. Well, people do it different ways, right? Like I shoot a lot I shoot a lot of bears, too. And um what I do is I got mine and then I bring it back to the house and then I skin it out at the house and then I take the meat off from there. So, I was just curious how you went about doing it. >> Yeah, we still were um yeah, that's what we did. That's all. >> Okay. Awesome. Um you got that meat that's awesome. Um have you left meat before uh when they're eating gross stuff or anything? Uh no. This is the first time you've done that? >> Yeah. Okay. Right on. Um and then so you guys did you guys stay at your cabin once you got up there? For a night, yeah. For one night and then you came back. Did you guys get any other animals or anything? No, no other bears. Did you see any other bears? No. Uh we did see one more. Yeah. And uh it ran in too fast. And then we seen a moose with a calf. Oh. >> She was really cool. A little bitty calf, right? >> Yes. >> I thought so we went down to Wilson's 2 days ago and I saw a baby baby calf. >> just dropped. Yeah. It's so amazing. It is. They're so strong. Yeah. Right now. It's pretty cool. But okay. >> Seeing it like tripped and trying to walk around. >> And you guys got back to town yesterday. What time did you get back here? Uh 9:00 or something. Okay, in the night time. Uh what time did you you think you shot your bears on the 25th? Maybe 3:00. In the afternoon? Yeah. >> Okay. Probably 5:00. Yeah. How far were you from the second bear? Probably the same. >> Same. Sweet. Very cool. Yeah. Very cool. >> I'd say the same. Okay. You maybe a little bit further. Yeah. Okay. Um all right, well, like I said, your honesty goes a long ways. I don't think you did this to intentionally break the law. >> No. Um, and and I understand that. And I will be very cautious of it now. Like I just didn't I honestly like there was just no I I felt like it was no way of like wanting to even try to eat it. So So, what I tell people and cuz you're not the first and you ain't going to be the last and this happens to a lot of people, but you've got to bring that meat out. And and for a bear, that's all four quarters and the backstraps. You don't have to take the ribs or anything like that, but you've got to take the four quarters and the backstraps. >> Yep, exactly. And and if the meat is no good, bring it back anyways and come talk to me, okay? I'm pretty reasonable. I feel like I'm pretty reasonable. And I understand like if they're eating gross stuff, maybe we can take a look at it and figure something out, okay? But leaving it is a big deal. >> What about like the parasites that they have? Yeah, that's that's part of bear hunting, right? Yeah, and that's part of taking a bear. Bears have parasites. Bears have worms. They get things like that. We all know that. >> in the cavity and not Yep, yep, you've got to bring that meat out and that's that's a risk you take when you shoot a bear, okay? >> yeah. Yeah, and we we all, you know, know what bears can have and things like that. Like they can have the worms, they can have the parasites, they might be eating bad meat. They might be eating fish or whatever, you know, and uh beavers or something. And um So, that's a risk you take when you decide to pull the trigger and shoot a bear, okay? Um, like I said, I'm a bear hunter, too. I understand where you're coming from. What would typically happen in this situation if you didn't if you weren't honest and you didn't tell me about it like when I was over at Fish and Game earlier, um and if you wouldn't have told them, you'd be charged with wanton waste, okay? And you'd be looking at jail time. Okay, it's like a serious thing. And cuz we we take meat salvage very serious. Whether it's bear, whether it's moose, anything, you know. And and I know you're pretty, you know, self-sufficient and you're out there hunting and I hear good things and everything, you know, and and I like that you guys go bear hunting. I think it's I didn't realize how many people bear hunted around here. It's my favorite thing to do. I love it. Yeah, my I did it with my ex and then What did you do? Yeah, this is the first time that I've started really hunting with my dad. Yeah, yeah. And I just like I and I I mean I knew kind of about it, but I didn't really know that know the date, I guess. I guess once I did buy my tag, I should have asked, but I didn't. So it says in the if you go to the regulation book, it says in there from January 1st to May 31st, you have to salvage the meat and and the edible meat. And that's what I told you it was, right? And then after May 31st, you either have to salvage the meat or the hide Okay. in this area. It's different in different areas. Okay, see and that's exactly that's what I thought. Yeah, so after June 1st, we're pretty close to June 1st. I understand it was eating a moose. I'm really So like I said, if you were if you were to lie about this or if you were to not tell us about it, be dishonest, you'd be looking at one least big offense, right? Even failure to salvage, which is what I'm I I am going to issue you a citation and it's going to be for failure to salvage. But instead of it being a misdemeanor crime, like it typically would be, I'm going to treat this like a violation, which would be like getting a traffic ticket, like a speeding ticket or something. So I'm reducing it way down. And I'm letting you keep the bear. Typically, we seize this stuff. I'd seize the skull, I'd seize the hide. That's a really nice bear, you know what I mean? Yeah. um That's a friend of mine. There was a time that I um I went to the Mayo Clinic for my arthritis and I met this I went through the whole process and then I was like, "I'm going [clears throat] to go down and um have a beer with this uh bartender." Mhm. There was a guy there and he came out here to McGrath, shot a sheep. It wasn't a full curl and had to get it confiscated. He still talks about it. >> It's not fun. >> Yeah. And so I I I hope that you're seeing it you're seeing that I'm trying to be reasonable with you. I appreciate that. I'm going to let you keep the bear. What I Is the bear here? No. Is it your dad's? >> Yeah. Okay. I'm going to stop by there and talk to Gary and and just kind of let him know what's going on. Did you already talk to him? >> I didn't. I didn't really want to get him involved. Which Which house is he in over there? The green one. The green one? Okay. >> All right. Um you're not wanting to get him involved. >> want to. I didn't want him to worry or you know. Okay. Typically I would interview both people um uh and uh I I [snorts] I just don't feel right if I don't go talk to him um cuz he's going to probably find out at some point. Um and I would rather just tell him face-to-face what's going on. Um but uh so I am going to go talk to him and need to snap a couple photos of the bear. Um but he's not going to get a ticket. Um I'm going to explain to him everything that I explained to you. Um and I'm trying to treat you as fair as I can. So I hope you understand that. Yeah. Okay. I appreciate that. Yeah. So we can just get this um done real quick and uh like I said, you're not you're not going to go to jail. This won't even um uh this is not a misdemeanor crime. This is a violation like a traffic ticket, okay? And so I'm just going to to get some information from you. Rene, like I said, um you're not the first one to do this, you're not going to be the last, and I'm I do have to do my job. >> Yeah, I get it. And that's what, you know, that's what they pay me to do, and that's why I'm here. I get it. I'm not I'm ashamed, but I'm, you know, but I it like honestly I was an honest mistake. Yeah, and I see that. I see that. Um and that's why that's why I'm reducing everything down and I'm letting you keep the bear. >> I really appreciate that. Okay, so we have to have what's called a mandatory court appearance. Um that's out of the Aniak court, um and we can do that over this the phone, okay? Um so we typically set these out 2 weeks. Um so if I look at my calendar uh are you going to be busy in 2 weeks? Um If I made it around um June 12th I should be around here. Okay, and it may be in cell cell range somewhere? I should be. Okay, let's go ahead and do that. If you have any issue >> That's Yeah, I I I plan on going to work here soon. Okay. >> for a couple different jobs now. >> Okay. Well, this will be this will be uh um June 12th uh at 9:00 a.m. And it'll be um pretty quick typically, as long as there's not a bunch of people in the line. If you had if you find out that you have an issue, I'll put a phone number on here for you to call the Aniak court, um and uh they can change the date, okay? Okay, looking at this real quick again. Minor offense, not a criminal offense, okay? Okay. There's no set fine on here. Okay. It's a mandatory court appearance for a minor offense. Will they tell me of the fine? >> Your max fine is $500. I will have a recommendation to the court Um likely $300. So what I will do is the judge will ask me how do we handle these in the past and cuz we try to keep things very consistent across the state and in certain situations, you know, similar situations and so I'll present I'll present a request to the court which like I said will most likely be $300. And I'll let them know that we're not asking for forfeiture of your hunting license. We're not asking for forfeiture of the bear. We're not asking for forfeiture of the rifle or the boat or anything like that. I'll let them know that you're extremely cooperative. You told the truth and very courteous to me. So I'll let them know that but at the end of the day they have the final say in what the fine will be. So it'll be June 12th at 9:00 a.m. This is the phone number that you call. Okay? Then it'll ask you to enter an ID and this is this ID right here. Okay. I'll also put the Indian court number on there if you have any issues. Okay. The most important thing is just make sure you call in. What this is is an arraignment, okay? So that means all they're going to ask is they're going to read the citation and they're going to ask you if you plead to guilty, not guilty, or no contest. If you plead guilty or no contest, it'll be over, you'll pay a fine, and we'll move on. If you plead not guilty, we'll go to trial and they'll set another court date for the future. Okay. Does that make sense? >> Yeah. Do you have any questions at all? Um No. Okay. You understand everything then? Yeah. Okay. I'm going to get you your copy then and I'll get on out of here. >> And as soon as I get that paperwork um from any court um if I'm here in town I'll go send it. Okay. Here's that for you. What's that? Uh yeah, this is just two different copies. Okay. So um same paperwork um two different copies. You can read the back of the the green paper though. >> Okay. Um and it it explains everything to you. Okay. Um the most important thing I guess is just calling me and you can decide on how you want to plead. Um the judge will uh let you >> No contest is just like they don't want to answer or That's correct. I don't want to fight it. I don't want to answer or I'm not admitting that I'm guilty. I just don't want to fight it is what no contest is, but it's the same it's the same as guilty. >> Yeah. Um it's like saying uh you just pay the fine whatever the fine would be if the judge issues a fine. So, does that make sense or not? >> Yeah. All right. I appreciate it. Sorry No, I I know it's not fun for me either, you know. Um especially living in a small community and try to get to know people here and um you've always been super nice to me and I appreciate that and um I'm just sorry that we have to do this, but at the end of the day um I don't think it'll happen again. No, I know. And next time just give me a call. Okay. Yeah, we can solve a lot of things with a phone call. Okay. Yep. All right. Sounds good. See you. In the end, Renee was cited for failing to salvage all edible meat, a non-criminal violation. According to the court records, she did not appear on her court date. She was ordered to pay $520 in fines and costs, which she paid about 2 weeks later. If you like this video and want to see more like it, subscribe to Arrest Cam. As always, thanks for watching. >> [music] [music]