BURNS, Ore. — Sentencing is complete for two Hines residents involved in killing at least seven elk while shooting into the fleeing herd in December 2021. The crime left two calves, two cows and a spike bull rotting in high-country sagebrush. Chris Lardy and his wife, Stephanie, were convicted of multiple wildlife offenses on May 20, 2022.
Mr. Lardy must write and publish an apology letter in the Burns Times-Herald as part of his sentence. In addition, the pair must take hunter education courses to regain hunting rights following three-year suspensions. And they will pay a combined $2500 in fines and restitution, according to Harney County officials. Mr. Lardy’s sentence included six days in jail, 18 months of bench probation and he is prohibited from participating in any hunting activities, including as an observer or mentor, for three years. Troopers confiscated three rifles, which were later returned.
According to officials, witnesses hunting in the Juniper Unit in Harney County mid-day on Dec. 11, 2021 called the Turn In Poachers (TIP) line when they saw the driver of a blue and white suburban leave a spur road east of Hwy 395 to pursue a herd of about 100 elk through open ground and sagebrush. Witnesses said the driver stopped twice as occupants fired at least 30-40 shots into the fleeing herd. OSP F and W Troopers solved the case during a traffic stop the next day.
The Lardy couple and two passengers in their suburban had four tags for a late-season antlerless (cow) elk hunt. Stephanie and another person in their hunt group legally tagged two cow elk. They left five elk to waste and allegedly wounded another elk which OSP F and W Troopers did not find.
Evidence collected by OSP F and W troopers indicated the driver travelled about
