Minnesota Man Convicted for Illegal Hunting of Protected Gray Wolf, Bear, and Deer

Brady Tyler Harth, a 30-year-old resident of Hinckley, Minnesota, was sentenced last Thursday for illegally hunting and killing a federally protected gray wolf, a bear, and a deer, among other animals. 

Harth was sentenced in Pine County District Court last week after pleading guilty to two charges: one gross misdemeanor count of illegally transporting big game and one misdemeanor count of failing to tag big game. As part of the plea agreement, three additional charges were dismissed, including one for killing a federally protected gray wolf, a second count of illegally transporting big game, and a second failure to tag offense. 

This case dates back to September 2024, when Harth was originally charged with three gross misdemeanors and two misdemeanors for poaching violations that occurred in 2021 and 2022. The charges stemmed from a DNR investigation and included:

• Gross Misdemeanor: Killing a Federally Protected Gray Wolf (2021) – Harth was accused of illegally killing a gray wolf, protected under the Endangered Species Act as a threatened species in Minnesota.

• Gross Misdemeanor: Illegally Transporting Big Game (2021) – This charge related to the transportation of an illegally killed bear.

• Gross Misdemeanor: Illegally Transporting Big Game (2022) – This involved the transportation of an illegally killed whitetail buck.

• Misdemeanor: Illegally Possessing Big Game (2021) – Harth was charged for possessing the bear without a valid license.

• Misdemeanor: Illegally Possessing Big Game (2022) – This charge was for possessing the deer without a valid archery license.

These charges carried potential penalties of up to one year in jail and fines of up to $3,000 for each gross misdemeanor, with lesser penalties for the misdemeanors. Court documents also alleged that Harth’s illegal activities extended beyond these charges, including the killing of a bobcat, coyotes, and a beaver, as well as other unlicensed hunting and trapping activities over several years.

The investigation into Harth’s activities began in January 2024 when the DNR received a tip about his potential involvement in various poaching activities. A DNR conservation officer reviewed Harth’s Facebook and Snapchat accounts, discovering a pattern of posts showcasing illegal kills. Notable social media evidence included:

• September 26, 2021: Harth posted a photo posing with a dead bear and a bow, captioned, “First bear with a bow had my heart pumping, that’s for sure.” He lacked a bear hunting license and was recorded dropping the bear off at a meat processor the same day.

• November 8, 2021: Harth shared photos of himself with a dead gray wolf and a rifle, as well as images of a wolf in a potential snare. Gray wolves are federally protected, and recreational hunting is illegal in Minnesota.

• September 19, 2022: Harth posted a picture of a dead buck with the caption, “Got it done last night,” despite not holding a deer archery license at the time.

Based on this evidence, the DNR obtained a search warrant, and in late April 2024, officers searched Harth’s home, seizing whitetail deer mounts, guns, his cellphone, and an unspecified white powder packaged in a bundle. A dead gray wolf was also found near a suspected trapping/kill site Harth had described. The DNR’s affidavit highlighted Harth’s history of failing to register big game and illegally transporting animals, as well as his boasts about giving away bear meat and receiving praise for his kills.

In the end, the court spared Harth jail time (and a whole lot more), opting instead for probation and restitution to cover the illegal kills of a gray wolf, a bear, and a deer. Pine County Attorney Reese Frederickson noted that while the guilty pleas did not directly cover the wolf and bear killings, the restitution order indirectly acknowledged these acts. 

Sadly, Harth was only handed down a sentence of two years of probation and ordered to pay $1,400 in restitution to the state’s Game and Fish Fund.

 A mere slap on the wrist for such a string of illegal activity.