{"id":406907,"date":"2026-01-14T15:57:10","date_gmt":"2026-01-14T15:57:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/406907\/"},"modified":"2026-01-14T15:57:10","modified_gmt":"2026-01-14T15:57:10","slug":"moose-torture-case-puts-wyoming-back-in-unsavory-spotlight","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/406907\/","title":{"rendered":"Moose torture case puts Wyoming back in unsavory spotlight"},"content":{"rendered":"

This story was originally published by\u00a0Mountain Journal<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Wyoming is back in the spotlight for another alleged case of wildlife abuse, this time in the southwest part of the state.<\/p>\n

In Uinta County, three men face felony charges after allegedly roping, riding and dragging a moose across the ground on a ranch in 2021.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The Uinta County Herald first reported<\/a> that Range Martin, Justin Martin and Kylan Platt allegedly rode, spurred and roped a cow moose. The trio was also charged with \u201cwanton taking of a big game animal,\u201d which suggests the moose died from its injuries. According to court documents, videos showed that the moose appeared to be blind in one eye and in poor health. A call requesting comment from Justin Martin was returned, but the caller hung up without offering comment.<\/p>\n

On social media, the news spurred outrage from Wyomingites and out-of-staters alike. It echoes the western Wyoming case of Cody Roberts<\/a>, who allegedly ran down a wolf with his snowmobile in February 2024. Still alive, the wolf\u2019s mouth was duct taped and it was paraded around a bar in Daniel before it was reportedly taken outside and killed. Roberts recently pleaded not guilty<\/a> to felony animal cruelty and his case is slated for trial in Sublette County in March.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The Roberts wolf incident was notable not only for the actions of the accused, but also for the initial punishment: a $250 fine for possession of live wildlife. Roberts allegedly ran down the wolf in the state\u2019s \u201cpredator zone,\u201d which refers to the roughly 85% of Wyoming where it is legal to take predatory animals, such as wolves, without a license. The Sublette County Attorney\u2019s Office eventually summoned a grand jury, which resulted in an indictment.<\/p>\n

Backlash was swift and fierce as wildlife advocates traveled from far-flung locales to Wyoming<\/a> to voice frustration. In a state where so many tourism dollars rely on its abundant wildlife, the Wyoming Office of Tourism\u2019s social media accounts also went dark<\/a> as users commented missives such as #BoycottWyoming. It\u2019s unclear whether the state saw a discernible financial impact in 2024 \u2014 the federal Bureau of Economic Analysis has not yet published its annual report on the outdoor recreation industry for that year.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is not the Wyoming way, not the cowboy way. It\u2019s simply sick. The stewardship of our wildlife is something we cannot take lightly.\u201d<\/p>\n

Paul Ulrich, president, Wyoming Sportsmanship<\/p>\n

Wyoming Sportsmanship, a grassroots organization established in response to the Sublette County wolf incident, issued a statement about the moose-abuse case, calling for the Uinta County prosecutor\u2019s office to pursue the harshest penalties allowed under the law to deter future crimes against Wyoming\u2019s wildlife.<\/p>\n

\u201c[The case is] pathetic and disgusting behavior and clearly poor excuses for cowboys,\u201d Paul Ulrich, president of Wyoming Sportsmanship and a fourth-generation Wyomingite based in Pinedale, said in a press release. \u201cI am certain that our ranching community shares in my condemnation of this behavior and call for full force of the law in prosecution and sentencing. This is not the Wyoming way, not the cowboy way. It\u2019s simply sick. The stewardship of our wildlife is something we cannot take lightly.\u201d<\/p>\n

Michelle Lute, executive director of Wildlife for All, a national organization aiming to reform states\u2019 wildlife management to focus on protecting wildlife and ecosystems, said in an interview that these cases are part of a system that promotes \u201ca culture of cruelty.\u201d While Wyoming has had some egregious examples, including an Albany County man facing felony charges<\/a> for allegedly killing a wild horse with a four-wheeler, there are heinous crimes against animals everywhere, she said.<\/p>\n

Jess Johnson, government affairs director for the Wyoming Wildlife Federation, an organization focused on conservation and sportsmen advocacy, said that when she first heard of the moose incident, she thought, \u201cnot again.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe fact that we have to keep standing up, saying, \u2018This is grotesque,\u2019 I think everybody here is frustrated by that,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Johnson and others working in wildlife advocacy are considering whether more crimes are committed against wildlife in Wyoming now than in the past, or if, because of social media and the spotlight of the Roberts case, the public is just hearing about it more. While it\u2019s difficult to quantify, Johnson said the increased scrutiny comes with a silver lining.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s good that we\u2019re catching them,\u201d she said. \u201cThe fact that it\u2019s made it out and that it\u2019s being prosecuted: That\u2019s a good thing. This could have just flown under the radar forever and nobody would have known about it. And it\u2019s probably happened everywhere, in every state in this country \u2026 You can\u2019t fix things if you don\u2019t shine a light on them.\u201d<\/p>\n

A critical bill passes<\/p>\n

In 2025, the Wyoming Legislature passed House Bill 275<\/a>, which increased penalties for knowingly torturing, tormenting or mutilating living wildlife. It\u2019s now a misdemeanor for a first offense and a felony for a second offense.<\/p>\n

Most wildlife advocates wish the bill had gone a step further to ban vehicle-based animal harassment on public lands.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Kristin Combs, executive director of Wyoming Wildlife Advocates, said that if Wyoming wants to portray itself as a state that cares about its wildlife, it should pass legislation that bans using a vehicle to kill predators. Outlawing vehicular killing is the No. 1 priority for Combs\u2019 nonprofit wildlife advocacy group going into the legislative session next month, she said. Since 2026 is a Wyoming budget session, legislation needs a two-thirds majority vote<\/a> to be introduced to the full body, which can be a high bar to clear.<\/p>\n

\u201cSome lawmakers are really aware of the fact that Wyoming continues to have these really egregious stories coming out and that we want to show the world and the rest of the country that we do care about wildlife and we\u2019re going to take the steps necessary to protect our wildlife here,\u201d Combs said. \u201cIt\u2019s such a big part of our tourism and our economy, there\u2019s no reason not to.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"A cow moose and her calf photographed in June 2024. (Charlie Lansche\/lastchancegallery.com)<\/p>\n

Jim Magagna was part of the Treatment of Predators Working Group that developed the legislation that would eventually be House Bill 275, alongside Johnson, the Wyoming Game and Fish Department, the Wyoming Department of Agriculture, and Wyoming lawmakers.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe were comfortable with that,\u201d said Magagna, who also serves as executive vice president of the Wyoming Stock Growers Association. \u201cWe felt it was appropriate. We don\u2019t condone any abuse of animals.\u201d<\/p>\n

In the case of the moose, headlines referred to the accused as \u201ccowboys,\u201d a moniker Magagna feels is misplaced.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not cowboys doing this,\u201d he said. \u201cRanchers and cowboys normally don\u2019t do things like this.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Still, Magagna noted that he spoke with ranchers in Uinta County claiming the men charged with abusing the moose are known as helpful to their neighbors and overall pleasant to work with. He takes issue with those who criticize ranchers writ large \u2014 or any group of people for the actions of individuals \u2014 for a specific incident.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe lump these people into categories,\u201d he said. \u201cAnd I certainly condemn what they did, but I don\u2019t think that speaks for all the cattle industry or the cowboys who are out there. Ninety-eight percent of them, 98% of the time, are out there managing wildlife in a way that provides habitat for managing cattle in the way that provides habitat for wildlife.\u201d<\/p>\n

Predators versus game<\/p>\n

Where the agriculture industry often differs from wildlife advocates is in its stance on predator management. While Magagna says he supports legislation that punishes animal cruelty, the provision that would have outlawed using snowmobiles and other vehicles to kill predators was a bridge too far for stockgrowers. As the law was written, he says, someone who runs over a predator with a snowmobile is obligated to stop and kill that predator. Alternatively, he adds, shooting at a wolf or coyote and failing to kill it could be worse than killing it immediately with a snowmobile.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat animal may spend days suffering far more than it would have suffered if I had hit it with the snow machine and killed it right away,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Combs, with the wildlife advocates group, says protecting livestock is a common goal for both ranchers and wildlife interests. She cited nonlethal management methods as a more ethical way to more permanently curb predation.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cAnother big focus of our organization is to really help ranchers and livestock producers implement these things, have funds for them and teach people how to use them so we\u2019re not just recycling conflict,\u201d she said, \u201cwe\u2019re taking care of the problem.\u201d<\/p>\n

Magagna doesn\u2019t think it\u2019s so simple. He says stockgrowers use an array of tools, such as guard dogs in sheep operations or county predator boards that employ trappers to professionally remove predators.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t see any of these things as being an either\/or,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s what\u2019s the appropriate combination of lethal tools and nonlethal tools?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPolicy is shaping behavior and culture is following, but it goes both ways. When laws treat certain animals as disposable, some people internalize that message.\u201d<\/p>\n

Michelle Lute, executive director, Wildlife for All<\/p>\n

Lute with Wildlife for All says different outcomes of the moose and wolf cases show a double standard when it comes to wildlife. As an example of effective state policy, she lauded a bill passed in the New Mexico Legislature<\/a> in early 2025 that, in part, changed the name of the state\u2019s Department of Fish and Game to the Department of Wildlife, which, she says, reflects better management of wildlife for its own sake rather than for its value to sportsmen.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s horrible what happened to this moose,\u201d Lute said. \u201cAt least, though, it\u2019s being taken seriously and prosecuted, but it really shows the double standards that we have for these prey species that folks value in an economic sense because they want to hunt these animals. But we don\u2019t see the same seriousness taken when it\u2019s a wolf, a racoon or a skunk. There\u2019s all these other carnivores that don\u2019t necessarily have the attention like certain game species.\u201d<\/p>\n

For Johnson, there is still policy work to be done, but she says effective legislation that can meaningfully prosecute wildlife offenders takes time.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cI know people were extremely frustrated with Wyoming and not addressing everything they all wanted in that bill. But I still think it\u2019s coming,\u201d Johnson said. \u201cThere are people that are trying to do this right, because legislation is not passed easily, and it shouldn\u2019t be. I would hope that what comes from this incident is a recognition of the work that our wildlife officers are doing, and a willingness to fund [Wyoming Game and Fish] to the point where they can hire more people to do work like that.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lute described wildlife treatment and management as a \u201ctwo-way arrow.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCulture follows policy and vice versa,\u201d she said. \u201cPolicy is shaping behavior and culture is following, but it goes both ways. When laws treat certain animals as disposable, some people internalize that message.\u201d<\/p>\n

Policy aside, Johnson says people need to be quicker to call out bad behavior and better about connecting with nature.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Combs, citing research from the National Link Coalition<\/a>, which investigates ties in animal abuse and human mental health, said that the behavior of those accused in the moose-abuse case is a result of the state\u2019s struggles with its mental health system, which are driven by a \u201ccowboy-up\u201d mentality and a lack of access to services.<\/p>\n

Combs and Johnson agree that the majority of Wyomingites stand against animal torture. That hunters, for example, are conscientious of that in taking their shots. Still, Combs says, there is a segment of the population that sees animals as beings over which humans have dominion.<\/p>\n

\u201cBy holding up these examples of really egregious things that are happening and saying, \u2018This is not who we are as a people in Wyoming, and this is not how we treat any animal here,\u2019\u201d Combs said, \u201cI think that\u2019s the message that we want to send to the world.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"This story was originally published by\u00a0Mountain Journal. Wyoming is back in the spotlight for another alleged case of…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":406908,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[51],"tags":[79,201],"class_list":{"0":"post-406907","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-wildlife","8":"tag-science","9":"tag-wildlife"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/406907","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=406907"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/406907\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/406908"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=406907"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=406907"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=406907"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}