# Poached moose



## muzzy (Mar 21, 2002)

Posted on Thu, Nov. 20, 2003

OUTDOORS: Two charged for possessing moose
Tip on early morning shooting leads to discovery
By Brad Dokken
Herald Staff Writer

Gary Rankin got more than he bargained for Sunday morning when he responded to a complaint of a deer hunter shooting before legal hours.

The tip also led the Larimore, N.D., game warden to a moose that no longer was on the loose. The bull had been killed illegally.

As a result, two area men have been charged with illegally possessing a moose in Grand Forks County, and one of the men faces three additional charges for deer hunting violations.

Charged with illegally possessing the moose were Paul Sandstrom, 34, of rural Emerado, N.D., and David Bruce Ellingson, 47, of Park River, N.D. Ellingson typically uses Bruce as his first name.

Sandstrom also was charged with the deer violations.

Rankin, game warden for the North Dakota Game and Fish Department, said he received a phone call shortly before 7 a.m. Sunday that a deer hunter was shooting before sunrise. He arrived at the scene to find Sandstrom.

According to Rankin, Sandstrom, who wasn't carrying a license, had purchased three permits this year but already had shot the deer and filled his tags. Rankin said he then asked to see the deer Sandstrom had stored at his farmstead.

"He shot at a deer and was attempting to overlimit, so it was in our interest to see how many he had at home," Rankin said.

Sandstrom let the warden search the garage, Rankin said, and that's when he came across the moose. The adult bull had about a 42-inch antler spread, Rankin said; the carcass already had been deboned and the meat processed.

Meantime, Rankin said, Ellingson showed up and admitted to being involved with the moose incident. Rankin cited the pair for illegally possessing the moose because it was taken without a license. The warden said he didn't know exactly where the moose had been shot.

In addition, Rankin said, the three deer Sandstrom had shot didn't carry valid tags, as required by law. Sandstrom subsequently was charged with hunting deer without a valid license, shooting within 440 yards of an occupied building and shooting before legal hours.

Rankin said he probably wouldn't have stumbled across the moose if he hadn't received the caller's tip about early shooting.

"It's pretty upsetting to someone early in the morning to have a rifle fire in their front yard," Rankin said. "I'm glad they called."

According to Rankin, Sandstrom and Ellingson are scheduled to appear Dec. 3 in Grand Forks District Court. Each charge is a Class A misdemeanor, punishable by a fine up to $2,000, a year in prison and a two-year suspension in hunting privileges.


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## Nate (Sep 11, 2003)

I hope those guys get THE BOOK thrown at them!!!! :******: $&*(&^@$%^&


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## djleye (Nov 14, 2002)

This is an example of why we as hunters and citizens need to police ourselves and others. The tip was the only way they would have come across the infraction. These two stole this moose from the state of ND!! :******: :******: :******:


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## muzzy (Mar 21, 2002)

They didn't steal it from the state of ND, they STOLE it from YOU! That is one less permit that could be potentially issued in the future.


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## MSG Rude (Oct 6, 2003)

Amazing how no one here even mentioned that these were RESIDENT hunters.?. If this were another web site there would still be no mention of it but there would be a hell of an issue if the persons were NONResident, wouldn't there be? This is why I hate debating the issue of res vs nonres. This would be head line news on both web sites with hang 'em highs and shoot those bastards if this were NonRes's. I feel they should do that anyways, Res or not!

:sniper:


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## Leo Porcello (Jul 10, 2003)

Once again the dog is going to be chasing its tail. Who cares if it was a res or not?? uke: The point of the post is that some jackasses killed a moose and some deer illegally. Res or non res they are dirtbag piss aints and its great that they got caught!!! I hope as well that they get the book thrown at them. Hopefully the point of the post does not get forgotten due to someone bringing up the res/non res issue. :eyeroll: :eyeroll:


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## dblkluk (Oct 3, 2002)

Hats off to Rankin and the person(s) who tipped these jerks off! :beer:

Hey Rude Its debated so much on this site because PEOPLE KEEP BRINGING IT UP!! :eyeroll: :eyeroll:


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## jig head (Mar 24, 2002)

This kind of stuff makes me sick. You gotta wonder how many idiots do this kind of thing and get away with it. A few years ago we found a pile of dead deer (5 or 6), the only thing taken from the deer were backstraps and horns (all deer were ungutted). Sad :shake:


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## smokee (Sep 8, 2003)

Resident or NR, these two are definitely not hunters. This stuff needs to carry jail time.


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## MSG Rude (Oct 6, 2003)

I too am in agreement that these dirt-bags should be strung upside down from there itty-bitty male marbles over a red hot ember fire untill that moose comes back to life!

:sniper:


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## Brad Anderson (Apr 1, 2002)

In the end, is it really worth it??


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## cootkiller (Oct 23, 2002)

Brad Anderson,
I don't catch your meaning. If you are saying that these guys should get off scott free than go suck on a shotgun barrel.
If you mean something else, Be more specific.

We are far too lenient with this kind of crap.
Loss of hunting priveleges for life, restitution of a moose, and written apology to every hunter that has ever applied for a moose tag, sounds like a good start to me.
Then let's get medeival on their a$$e$.

The boys from south carolina got off damn near scott free for their indescretions and now, I bet, these two idiot yahoo, inbred, derilects will probably get off scott free too. That gets my goat. It really steams me man.

Bruce Ellingson and Paul Sandstrom, I personally invite you on the hunt of a life time. Come on up to lake alice and we will have a grand ole time.
You won't even need a tag. Cause you ain't gonna be the hunter, no no, you get to be the huntee.

cootkiller


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## Kansas Kid (Nov 20, 2003)

Cootkiller, You could probably make good money if you would auction off that hunt.


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## mallard (Mar 27, 2002)

A pen raised elk calf was shot in the area I hunt.The guy shot right through the fence and took out both front legs.When questioned by the owner of the elk the guy said he mistook it for a deer. :eyeroll:


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## cootkiller (Oct 23, 2002)

String em up.

Or I have a better idea, shoot the guy and then say "oops, I mistook you for a wild A$$".

cootkiller


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