Alleged Deer Hunter Arrested in Guanacaste, Costa Rica

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Source: MSP CR

Source: MSP CR

Officers from Fuerza Publica, the national police force of Costa Rica, arrested a man under suspicion of illegal hunting. The incident took place in a dry tropical forest area of Bagaces, in the province of Guanacaste.

The suspect has been identified as a Costa Rican man by the last name of Castro. He was approached by officers who were patrolling remote areas where neighbors have complained of illegal hunting and wildlife poaching. In this particular case, Mr. Castro was carrying a shotgun and 12 rounds of ammunition typically used for hunting deer. He was also carrying a venison bundle, which suggests he may conducted an act of field butchering.

Fuerza Publica has increased the presence of officers in Bagaces as a result of reports from members of various communities. The arrest of Mr. Castro is one of a handful that have been made in recent weeks.

Mr. Castro will be immediately processed with illegal gun possession, an offense that officers filed as in flagrante delicto, which means he will get a speedy trial on that charge. The illegal hunting allegation must first be investigated for proper prosecution.

In Costa Rica, hunting for sport is illegal and fined with assessments up to $3,600. Hunting and trapping for subsistence is allowed in some indigenous and rural communities, but it must be vetted by law enforcement and nature conservation officials.

As reported by The Costa Rica Star in 2013, enforcement of the hunting ban comes at a risk to Fuerza Publica officers, who have encountered belligerent hunters and have ended up in a tense armed standoff

at least once in Guanacaste:

[the] officers surprised the three hunters when suddenly one of them took aim. The police officers immediately took cover, dragging the MINAE official with them, and drew their weapons.

As the armed impasse took place, one of the hunters saw his chance to flee. He took off faster than the wild rabbits he had earlier killed and is still on the run. Another hunter made a smart gesture to keep his rifle down so that the Fuerza Publica officers did not point at him and tried to convince his illegal hunter partner to put his weapon down.

The hunter’s bravado eventually subsided. He lowered his long-barrel hunting rifle and was arrested along with his partner; both were transferred to the prosecutor’s office in Liberia.

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