Last October, Gail Faye Freer, 52, and her son Corey Douglas Loving II, 29, both of Siletz, were trespassing on private land when they came upon a black bear cub feeding in a thicket of blackberry bushes. The family matriarch encouraged her son to take a shot at the curious cub, despite the obvious repercussions of such foolish advice.
The pair later returned to the scene to retrieve the cub and to their surprise, found another cub close by. Shocked at the apparent lack of marksmanship of his initial shot, Loving II fired again at what he thought was the same cub. Following the shot, the pair approached the cub and, surprising themselves, found two bodies laid up in the thicket.
The pair left the two carcasses to rot and officials were later made aware of the incident from an anonymous tip from the state’s Turn in Poachers (TIP) line. Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife officials arrived on the scene to recover the two bears and kickstart the investigation.
This bizarre incident comes after the news of a father and his two sons got the book thrown at them for illegally mowing down elk in Idaho earlier this month.
In what we’re hoping does not turn into some sick trend, this is the latest in a string of incidents involving children and their influential parents. While we are all about having a solid foundation of influence within a family circle, that foundation should be built upon adhering to rules and regulations along with an overall respect for our fellow humans and other animals we share this planet with.
“There is no excuse for taking two 8-month-old bear cubs, plus the meat was not taken care of and went to waste,” ODFW District Wildlife Biologist Jason Kirchner said. “This is a loss to Oregonians and to those who respect, value, enjoy and manage our state’s wildlife resources.”
In what is a complete disregard for our wildlife and the laws in place to protect the animals we hold dearly, Stop Poaching coordinator Yvonne Shaw expressed her distaste.
“This was a combination of trespassing, poaching and leaving an animal to waste,” Shaw said. “This demonstrates an attitude of lawlessness while they deprive others of the experience of encountering or hunting these animals during a legal season.”
The pair are on the hook for $15,000 in damages, have lost their hunting privileges for three years and will be on bench probation for 60 months, according to Lincoln County Court documents.
