Falcon investigation seems fishy

We all know what happened to Hornet, the falcon. On Jan. 7 of this year, Hornet was allegedly beaten to death by a woman who, mysteriously, has remained "unidentified" by Idaho Department of Fish and Game!

Why does she remain unidentified? Oh, that's right, she hired an attorney and apparently IDFG allegedly cannot charge an alleged miscreant because they hired an attorney? Really? Really? This has bewildered myself plus a lot of other folks that I have talked with regarding this falcon killing issue.

There are so many things involved in this incident that do not make any sense at all.

If I was out water fowling, didn't possess my Federal Duck Stamp, or I shot over my limit, or did not have my shotgun plugged to three rounds, or used lead shot instead of steel, or failed to retrieve, and Mr. Walker or any of his officer compatriots from IDFG caught me, does anybody think he or they would wait a month or more until I hired an attorney? I don't think so and neither does any other logical citizen or sportsman. I would be charged immediately, shotgun confiscated, maybe my truck confiscated too, all the decoys, and the ammo and my name would most certainly appear in the Cd'A Press.

Why has this woman not been charged with a salvo of charges? Oh, that's right, she hired an attorney! What's that got to do with anything? Why should IDFG even care? The lady admitted to killing Hornet! There is an eyewitness too! They have the dead body as evidence!

Where are the PETA folks, or animal rights folks? Or do they just fuss up when it suits them? They are silent or do not care! Where are the Feds? Silent or absent, that's where they are.

Kick a dog or cat here in Kootenai County and get caught by an eye-witness or law enforcement; just see how long it would be before a deputy arrested and charged you. And rightly so, I might add. I don't think the deputy in that situation would ask if you were going to hire a lawyer, or wait until your attorney could set up a meeting about the issue a month later.

At the minimum, "Ms. Unidentified" may have allegedly: (1) killed a federally protected bird of prey; (2) perpetrated a gross act of animal cruelty; (3) interfered or obstructed an act of legal hunting by a licensed Idaho hunter.

So, reporter Keith Cousins, do not let up on this issue! Keep after IDFG! Keep asking them why the lady has not been identified and or charged or both. Does anybody think the lady is being protected and that there might be a deal in the works? Just wondering.

Let's all wonder why federal and Idaho charges for "KILLING" a protected species have not been laid? I know, it's semantics, but Keith Cousins, reporter for the Cd'A Press, reported on Feb. 6, a month after the falcon was killed, that "Walker said the woman 'could' face additional federal charges for unlawfully 'TAKING' a protected species."

Conservation Officer Walker, this mystery woman did not allegedly "TAKE" the falcon (read the last paragraph in Keith Cousin's article, front Local page of THE PRESS (2/06/2015) as in hunting like the falcon's owner could. It was alleged that she intentionally attacked Hornet, and beat Hornet so brutally, that Hornet died from the resulting injuries.

Terrance J. Degrood is a Hayden resident