{"id":2188076,"date":"2025-08-30T06:00:52","date_gmt":"2025-08-30T05:00:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/focusingonwildlife.com\/news\/?p=2188076"},"modified":"2025-08-23T09:01:00","modified_gmt":"2025-08-23T08:01:00","slug":"numerous-and-severe-illegal-hunting-practices-land-outfitter-in-jail","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/focusingonwildlife.com\/news\/numerous-and-severe-illegal-hunting-practices-land-outfitter-in-jail\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018Numerous and Severe\u2019 Illegal Hunting Practices Land Outfitter in Jail"},"content":{"rendered":"

Most hunting violations don\u2019t lead to prison time. But in the case of one outfitter operating in Colorado and other states, the law-breaking was so \u201cnumerous and severe\u201d that prosecutors said the stiff sentence was warranted.<\/p>\n

On July 31, Timothy Rawlings of Laveen, Ariz., was sentenced to 12 months in federal prison for violations of the Lacey Act. That legislation protects wildlife by targeting crimes that cross state or international borders.<\/p>\n

The list of charges against Rawlings, 56, includes illegal outfitting, brokering of landowner vouchers, shooting from vehicles, chasing animals with vehicles, and hunting in unlicensed and unpermitted lands.<\/p>\n

Rawlings also failed to register animals taken, including mountain lions, as required by Colorado regulations. Rawlings broke these laws over several years. That time frame proves \u201cthis was not a momentary lapse in judgment or isolated violation,\u201d said Douglas Ault, assistant director for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Office of Law Enforcement.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor several years, Rawlings and his associates systematically violated Colorado\u2019s hunting and guiding regulations, orchestrating illegal hunts, and facilitating the unlawful take, transport, and sale of big game across state lines for monetary financial gain,\u201d Ault said. \u201cTheir actions stripped wildlife from our landscapes and betrayed the foundational principles of ethical hunting.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Big
Big game illegally hunted by Rawlings included mountain lions, deer, elk, and bears; (photo\/Shutterstock)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Hunter Gets Jail Time: A Lengthy Investigation<\/h2>\n

Rawlings\u2019 company, Old West Guides and Outfitters, was based in Arizona. However, it took paying clients to hunt in several states, including Colorado. The lengthy investigation into Rawlings\u2019 behavior involved both the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW). It began when two CPW officers became suspicious that Rawlings was illegally outfitting in Colorado.<\/p>\n

They discovered that Rawlings was providing outfitting, hunting, and guiding services to paying clients for various big game animals. And he was doing so without a license in Colorado. He took clients to hunt deer, elk, mountain lions, and bears, even though his company was not licensed to do so.<\/p>\n

During the investigation, Rawlings unwittingly guided undercover agents on an illegal hunt. According to a news release from the Department of Justice, he violated regulations in the presence of these agents.<\/p>\n

When the CPW officers found that Rawlings spearheaded the illegal operation across multiple states, they worked with USFWS to present the case for federal prosecution.<\/p>\n

\u201cCPW was proud to be a part of bringing down a prolific wildlife poacher, and working hand in hand with Special Agents of the USFWS,\u201d Ty Petersburg, CPW\u2019s chief of law enforcement, said in a statement. \u201cThe health of our wildlife populations is based on a legacy of ethical hunting, so people who hunt unlawfully have a negative impact on our natural resources.\u201d<\/p>\n

Accomplice Slapped With Fines<\/h2>\n

Rawlings\u2019 sentence also includes 3 years of supervised release following his prison term and $45,800 in restitution. His co-defendant, Howard Wayne Rodarmel, 71, of Baca County, Colo., was sentenced for a misdemeanor Lacey Act violation. He got 3 years\u2019 probation, $9,164 in restitution, and a $2,000 fine.<\/p>\n

As for Rawlings\u2019 company, Old West Guides and Outfitters? It doesn\u2019t exist anymore. In 2023, Rawlings told his colleague Evan Cluff that he wanted out of the business. Cluff took over as owner and changed the business name to EC Hunting. It still retains the \u201cOld West\u201d URL on Facebook, where Cluff said he finds most of his clients. He continues to offer big game hunting for paying customers.<\/p>\n

\u201cI just couldn\u2019t be affiliated with him anymore,\u201d Cluff told GearJunkie. \u201cAnd he just wanted to get out of it. Whether that was cause he knew stuff was coming, I don\u2019t know.\u201d<\/p>\n

Prosecutors underscored that Rawlings knew exactly what he was doing.<\/p>\n

\u201cViolations like these erode public trust in licensed guides, undermine decades of conservation progress, and tarnish the legacy of fair-chase hunting that ethical sportsmen and women work hard to preserve,\u201d Ault said. \u201cThe [U.S. Fish and Wildlife] Service is committed to working with our partners in Colorado to ensure that those who break the law are held accountable and that we protect the integrity of our natural resources.\u201d<\/p>\n

This article<\/a> by Andrew McLemore was first published by Gear Junkie on 13 August 2025. Lead Image: (Photo\/Shutterstock).
\n<\/i><\/p>\n

Help to protect wildlife<\/h2>\n

Help to protect wildlife by donating as little as $5 – it only takes a minute!\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n