Hunters pay for fowl play

Two men accused of hunting wildlife out of season have pleaded no contest to multiple California Department of Fish and Game code violations in Tehama County Superior Court.

Chico residents Christopher Raabe, 26, and Joshwell Gibson, 27, were arrested with a third man, Douglas Smith, 28, of Sacramento, in late June after the department conducted a night flight and spotted the men engaging in illegal poaching. The men were found in possession of two does, 16 doves and one wood duck. All were taken out of season, according to a press release from DFG.

Raabe pleaded no contest to two counts of unlawful possession of deer, as well as one count each for possession of dove and waterfowl. He must pay more than $4,000 in fines and forfeit his firearms, and was placed on three years probation.

Gibson pleaded no contest to two counts of unlawfully taking a deer and was sentenced to pay more than $2,000 in fines and forfeit his firearms, while Smith pleaded guilty in August on a charge of unlawfully taking a dove out of season and was ordered to pay more than $700 in fines.