Most hunting violations don’t lead to prison time. But in the case of one outfitter operating in Colorado and other states, the law-breaking was so “numerous and severe” that prosecutors said the stiff sentence was warranted.
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.
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.
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 “this was not a momentary lapse in judgment or isolated violation,” said Douglas Ault, assistant director for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Office of Law Enforcement.
“For several years, Rawlings and his associates systematically violated Colorado’s 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,” Ault said. “Their actions stripped wildlife from our landscapes and betrayed the foundational principles of ethical hunting.”
Hunter Gets Jail Time: A Lengthy Investigation
Rawlings’ 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’ 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.
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.
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.
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.
“CPW was proud to be a part of bringing down a prolific wildlife poacher, and working hand in hand with Special Agents of the USFWS,” Ty Petersburg, CPW’s chief of law enforcement, said in a statement. “The 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.”
Accomplice Slapped With Fines
Rawlings’ 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’ probation, $9,164 in restitution, and a $2,000 fine.
As for Rawlings’ company, Old West Guides and Outfitters? It doesn’t 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 “Old West” URL on Facebook, where Cluff said he finds most of his clients. He continues to offer big game hunting for paying customers.
“I just couldn’t be affiliated with him anymore,” Cluff told GearJunkie. “And he just wanted to get out of it. Whether that was cause he knew stuff was coming, I don’t know.”
Prosecutors underscored that Rawlings knew exactly what he was doing.
“Violations 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,” Ault said. “The [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.”
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