Two Alaska hunters last week pleaded guilty in Haines court involving the shooting, harvesting and transportation of sublegal moose during the 2016 hunt, accepting a plea-bargain offer from prosecutors in Juneau.

Trueman Richard Philbrick Jr., a Wasilla resident who works in a local mine, and Haines resident Mary Chambers Stickler were traveling together when pulled over by lawmen. They appeared in separate hearings before Haines Magistrate Mary Kay Germain.

Philbrick pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of taking a bull moose without a permit. In exchange for his plea, two other charges were dismissed. He was ordered to pay $1,000 in restitution to the state and was fined $3,000 by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game.

Germain reduced that fine to $1,500 and placed Philbrick on a one-year suspension.

Philbrick was charged with taking a bull moose which did not meet the state Fish and Game’s legal antler requirement, according to the criminal complaint. The animal did not have spike-fork antlers, 50-inch antlers or antlers with three or more brow tines on at least one side, as required by law.

He also illegally harvested and transported the meat and antlers without reporting the kill to officials.

Stickler was also charged with unlawful possession/transportation of big game. She was fined $2,000 with half suspended.

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