Arizona man cannot hunt for decade after illegally killing bighorn sheep
Jan 23, 2018, 1:29 PM | Updated: Feb 1, 2018, 12:26 pm
(Utah Division of Wildlife Resources Photo)
An Arizona hunting guide can’t hunt in Utah and 46 other states as a penalty for killing a desert bighorn sheep with a fraudulently obtained big game permit, wildlife officials said Monday.
Larry Altimus, 69, of Pearce, Arizona, was found guilty of wanton destruction of protected wildlife, a third-degree felony, in 6th District Court in July, according to court documents. He was ordered to pay more than $30,000 in fines and restitution.
However, Altimus’ hunting privileges weren’t suspended until a review was completed this month, said Utah Division of Wildlife Resources spokesman Mark Hadley. Altimus won’t be allowed to hunt in Utah or other member states of the Interstate Wildlife Violators Compact for the next 10 years.
He would still be allowed to hunt in Hawaii and Massachusetts, which are the two states not now members of the compact.
During the review process, Altimus and DWR officials each had an opportunity to testify.
“The case is discussed before a decision is made on whether someone loses their hunting privileges,” Hadley explained. “That process happened after the court case was done.”
The conviction stemmed from 2014 incident when Altimus killed a desert bighorn sheep after he had acquired his big game permit through fraud, Hadley said.
Altimus rented a home in Kanab in 2013 and had applied for one of 10 desert bighorn sheep permits for the 2014 hunting season, knowing he would have a better chance to win a drawing for the permits as an in-state resident, Hadley said. Altimus received a permit in May 2014 and then moved back to Arizona the following month.
He then returned to Utah in October 2014 for the hunting season and killed a desert bighorn sheep. He was charged in 2015 and convicted two years later. Hadley said Altimus paid his $30,000 fine, which the DWR lists as the most severe restitution amount possible.
Altimus is listed online as the owner of Hunter Application Service and Altimus Adventures, both based in Arizona, and has been annually hunting sheep since 1969, according to his online biography.
While he cannot hunt for the next 10 years, Hadley said Altimus can still guide hunting tours.