Pershing County Commissioner Joe Crim and an experienced hunting guide have been charged with felonies for hunting an 8-year-old black bear in a prohibited area on Nov. 10, 2023, according to court documents.
Crim and Michael Stremler, who owns Secret Pass Outfitters in Fallon, face the felony charges following a hunt of a male bear last year.
Crim and Stremler have not returned requests for comment.
On its website, Secret Pass Outfitters says they pride themselves "on having honest conversations with all our clients to create a foundation for a successful hunting experience."
Congratulations to Joe on harvesting your incredible Nevada black bear. Thank you for giving us the opportunity to do...
Posted by Secret Pass Outfitters on Friday, November 10, 2023
On the outfitter's Facebook page, Crim and two other men are pictured with the dead bear. The Nov. 10, 2023, post says "Congratulations to Joe on harvesting your incredible Nevada black bear. Thank you for giving us the opportunity to do what we love. This guy was weighed in at 600lbs. Thank you for all the hard work from our guides."
According to the Nevada Department of Wildlife's mortality report, the bear was killed with a rifle and hunted using a pack of dogs. The report said the 575-pound bear was tracked for four days and hunted for one day. The meat and hide were harvested.
The three-page legal filing in Reno Justice Court charges both men with unlawfully killing the big game animal near Ophir Creek, above Bowers Mansion in Washoe Valley.
Stremler is also charged with hunting, chasing or pursuing a black bear with a dog in a closed area.
Both men were arrested on July 15 and posted bail of $3,000. They are expected back in court on Aug. 21.
The hunting charges are Class E felonies, the lowest felony charge in Nevada. If convicted, they could face up to four years in prison and $5,000 in fines.
Nevada legalized bear hunting in 2011. In May, NDOW increased the number of bears allowed to be hunted each year from 20 to 42.
The state limits how many females can be taken each season. Of the 19 bears killed in 2023, all were hunted using packs of dogs and the majority were females, including a nursing mother.
A hunter who receives a permit must take a bear hunting course that goes over regulations and areas where people are allowed to hunt.
On its website, Sierra Nevada Outfitters says, "Nevada has some of the largest Black Bears in the United States, leading to not just a hunt of a lifetime but a bear hunt of a lifetime. We use highly trained hounds that have the grit and determination to get the job done!"
According to Kathryn Bricker of the nonprofit No Bear Hunt NV, bear hunting is a recreational trophy hunt that should illegal.
She said anyone who watches videos of hunters and guides hunting bears using packs of dogs would be horrified by the cruelty. She said it is akin to allowing dogfighting, with dogs and bears sometimes injuring each other in the chase.
This article originally appeared on Reno Gazette Journal: Nevada county commissioner, hunting guide charged with felonies for 2023 bear hunt
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