Illegal Bobcat Poaching Ring
Three Men Plead Guilty to Illegally Poaching Dozens of Bobcats in New Hampshire
Anonymous
Three men pleaded guilty to federal wildlife charges after at least 41 bobcats were illegally killed in New Hampshire over four years and funneled into the international fur trade. Sherwood Dubrey Jr. and Randy Inman lured the animals with bait and shot them, while Dubrey Sr. obtained false New York tags to make the bobcats appear legally taken; the pelts were shipped through Wisconsin for sale at a Canadian fur auction. Hunting or trapping bobcats is illegal in New Hampshire, and the interstate and international transport violated the Lacey Act. Dubrey Jr. and Inman each face up to five years in prison, while Dubrey Sr. faces up to one year; all three are scheduled for sentencing in January 2027. Court filings also indicate the two hunters may owe New Hampshire at least $20,500 in restitution.
Key Points
1
In a text to his father, Dubrey Jr. said he did not want New Hampshire to legalize bobcat hunting because a season would create “competition.”
2
Court records say the hunters sometimes used rifle scopes that recorded video and photos of the kills, and shared footage by text message.
3
The bobcats sold at auction had a stated value of $3,000, according to court documents.
4
The guilty pleas came against the backdrop of “Operation Night Cat,” a major state investigation that found five men, including Inman and Dubrey Jr., had killed wildlife out of season, at night, or through illegal baiting; the two were convicted in 2024 of related crimes.
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