On September 20th, of last year, Alaska Wildlife troopers in Fairbanks received a call from a concerned hunter.
That hunter reported to Wildlife officials that he may have witnesses someone herding a moose with an aircraft. That aircraft herded the moose to a hunter on the ground, who shot the moose.
Fairbanks troopers, working with the information given them, contacted Kevin M. Foster II, age 22, of Fairbanks, later that same evening. He was contacted at the Fairbanks International Airport as he landed his Cessna. Foster II was found to be in possession of moose meat at that time. Foster II denied any wrongdoing however. Troopers seized the aircraft.
The next day, after traveling 40 miles south of Fairbanks, Troopers contacted Kevin M Foster Sr. age 46, of Fairbanks, at his remote hunting camp. Upon there arrival, troopers found Foster Sr. in possession of most of a large bull moose that he had killed the previous day.
Based on evidence that they gathered in their investigation, Troopers forwarded charges to the prosecution. The father/son team was charged with Same Day Airborne,Unlawful Methods of Taking Game(cell phone), Unlawful Methods of Herding Game, and Unlawful Possession of Illegally Taken Game.
A plea agreement was reached by the defendants and Andrew Peterson, from the office of Special Prosecutions in Anchorage. On February 28th, 2012, the father and son attended court by phone.
Foster Sr pled to Taking Game Same Day Airborne, he received a $10,000 fine with $5,000 suspended, Jail time of 90 days with 83 suspended, and restitution of $1,000 for the moose. Foster Sr had his hunting privileges revoked for five years, and placed on probation for five years. He also had to forfeit the moose hide, antlers, meat, Winchester model 70 rifle, and the Cessna aircraft.
Foster II pled to Illegal Possession or Transportation of Game. For his plea, he received a Suspended Imposition of Sentence, under the condition that he obeys all laws and commits no new fiish and game offenses. He had his hunting privileges revoked for a period of one year and fined $2,000 and forfeiture of Aircraft.