Two men hunted eagles in illegal ‘killing spree’, US says

Federal prosecutors in Montana have charged two men with illegally shooting about 3,600 birds, including bald and golden eagles, in a “killing spree” that fueled a black market for tail feathers and preyed on a symbol of the nation.

The men, Simon Paul, 42, of St. Ignatius, Mont., and Travis John Branson, 48, of Cusick, Wash., were each indicted Thursday on one count of conspiracy, 13 counts of unlawful trafficking in bald and golden eagles and one count of violating the Lacey Lawa federal law that prohibits the trade in illegally captured wildlife.

From January 2015 to March 2021, prosecutors said, the two men would venture to the Flathead Indian Reservation in western Montana, where mountains reflect the streams and lakes that cover the land, and fire their weapons at the eagles that floating above the prairies.

“The defendants then illegally sold the eagles on the black market for significant amounts of cash in the United States and elsewhere,” prosecutors said in court filings.

A chart in court records shows the men had sold at least one pair of bald eagle wings, four golden eagle tails and one whole golden eagle.

Deliberate eagle hunting seemed like a convenient activity for Mr. Paul, who lived near Ronan, Mont. lived on the Flathead Indian Reservation and served as the “shooter” and “shipper” in the scheme, prosecutors said. Mr. Branson was scheduled to travel to the reservation from Washington state.

When Mr. Branson arrived, Mr. Paul would meet him and “help kill, transport and ship bald eagles for future sale on the black market,” prosecutors said.

For example, on Dec. 17, 2020, Mr. Branson sent a photo of a golden eagle’s tail to a buyer, court records state. The buyer bought the set, prosecutors said, and Mr. Branson then shipped it to Texas.

According to court records, Mr. Paul and Mr. Branson appeared to have a tactic to hunt the eagles. For example, on March 13, 2021, the men used a previously killed deer to “attract eagles,” prosecutors said. One golden eagle was killed that day, court records state, and after the men cleaned it, they placed it, along with several other golden eagles, in a vehicle for later delivery.

Prosecutors obtained messages showing Mr. Branson telling buyers he was “on a killing spree” to obtain eagle tail feathers for sale.

In another message, prosecutors said, Mr. Branson admitted to “committing crimes.”

Mr. Paul and Mr. Branson could not immediately be reached for comment on Tuesday, and calls to phone numbers listed for them were not returned. Online court records did not list attorneys for either defendant.

If convicted on the conspiracy charge, they each face a maximum sentence of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

The rare killings of bald eagles, America’s national bird, shocked Montana authorities, including the U.S. Attorney’s Office, which is prosecuting the case and alleges the men were motivated by a thirst for money.

Prosecutors have not said exactly how many eagles the men killed, and the U.S. attorney’s office in Montana declined to comment.

The case came as the bald eagle, whose revival is considered one of the greatest conservation stories of the 21st century, faces a new threat: lead poisoning.

All but a few hundred bald eagles were presumed dead by the mid-20th century, largely extinct due to the widespread use of the synthetic insecticide DDT. A ban on DDT in 1972 and conservation efforts helped the bird’s population recover. The bald eagle was removed from Endangered Species Act protection in 2007and the estimated population had increased to 316,700 by 2019.

But researchers found last year that of the 1,200 eagles they tested, nearly half had been repeatedly exposed to lead, which can lead to death and slow population growth. Scientists believe the primary source of the lead comes from spent ammunition from hunters, who shoot animals that the eagles then scavenge.

Wind farms also pose a threat to eagles. In April 2022, ESI Energy, a wind energy company, pleaded guilty to killing at least 150 eagles at its wind farms and was ordered to pay $8 million in fines and restitution.