KIFI TV in Idaho Falls reports that Jared and Rex Baum of Ashton were sentenced this April for the unlawful killing of a grizzly bear on March 16th in Fremont County, Idaho.
As part of a plea deal, Jared Baum pleaded guilty to a felony and was sentenced to 30 consecutive days in the Fremont County jail. He will also serve three years of probation, as well as $2,500 in fines and court costs, $10,000 in civil penalties, and a lifetime hunting revocation.
Meanwhile, Rex Baum pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor and was sentenced to a 180 days jail, 177 suspended, $1,000 in fines plus court costs, a $400 civil penalty, and a 10-year hunting revocation.
The dead grizzly was originally discovered on April 9, 2021 when Idaho Fish and Game officers and a Fremont County Deputy responded to a mortality signal emanating from a grizzly research radio collar at a location on the Little Warm River. There they discovered the bear’s carcass in the water.
Further examination found 12 bullets and one bullet fragment in the bear. Fish and Game staff also visited the sow’s known den site where they discovered a deceased male grizzly cub that had starved to death.
On Nov. 8, 2021 Fish and Game Officers interviewed Jared Baum at his residence where he admitted to shooting the bear, but said he thought it was a black bear, even though no bear hunting season was open in the area at the time. Baum said he had tracked the bear and thought he had shot it 40 times as it was running towards the Little Warm River. Baum said that when he realized it was a grizzly, he knew he had shot her too many times and she was going to die, so he finished her.
Baum also admitted that he was not alone in shooting the bear and was accompanied by his father, Rex Baum.
Baum told officers he disposed of the two Ruger 57 handguns he and his father Rex had used to commit the crime by tossing them in a pond.
