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Book Review, © Copyright 2002, Jim Loy
This is a children's book about the murder of Charger, a huge and famous elk in Yellowstone National Park. It is also the story of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Forensics Lab in Ashland, Oregon. And it is the story of endangered species, and poaching.
On the night of Sep. 18, 1993, a Mr. Porter (not his real name) and a friend shined a spotlight in Charger's face, causing him to freeze. Then Porter shot the elk. The men were scared off when a car drove by. Then they returned, and sawed off the top of Charger's skull to get the antlers. The book tells of this investigation, which led to the arrest, conviction, and imprisonment (and fining) of Mr. Porter. It ends with the judge's strange apology for Mr. Porter's action, essentially the poor man is addicted to hunting, but all of the big game is in our national parks, where he can't get at it.
To order this book, click Amazon.com (goes directly to this book).