Did you know it's illegal to use walkie-talkies and cell phones for hunting game, and in this instance, deer? Well some guys (non-sportsmen) will go to extremes to illegally find and shoot deer.

Case in point and according to the Archery Wire e-newsletter, Idaho Department of Fish and Game conservation officers came across three individuals who were attempting to use a combination of modern technologies to gain an unfair advantage in their pursuit of wild game. Their actions not only violated fair chase, but a number of actual hunting regulations.

As the story goes, on Oct. 18, 2014, Idaho Senior Conservation Officers responded to reports of a powered parachute flying low over the Mud Lake Wildlife Management Area. On the way to the WMA, officers could hear someone giving location instructions about some deer over the FRS radio. The officers were able to make contact with Jake Tanner and Neil Wood who were carrying shotguns and who admitted that they had been communicating with the person in the powered parachute about locating deer. It also turned out that Tanner lacked a tag to hunt deer at all.

Upon further investigation, the press release goes on to say that officers were able to determine that the individual in the powered parachute, Braxton Tomlinson, was trying to locate deer hiding in the reeds of the WMA marsh and then communicate their location by radio to Tanner and Woods, on the ground. Use of aircraft to locate wildlife and communicating this information to someone on the ground is against Idaho Code and specifically mentioned in their Big Game Regulations.

In Jefferson County Court, all three pleaded guilty and were fined $500 with $400 suspended, plus court costs, and sentenced to 10 days in jail, suspended. That plus the judge sentenced them to one year unsupervised probation and revocation of hunting for one year.

According to Cheryl Trewella, PGC's Southeast Region Information Officer, "It's illegal to use walkie-talkies, cell phones or other electronic devices to take game, which would be illegal unless an exception has been made for the device. However, no exceptions have been made for walkie-talkies, cell phones, etc," she explains.

CABELA'S OFFERS

IN-STORE

GIVEAWAYS

Cabela's is offering more than $300,000 in total giveaways on Saturday, Dec. 13 at all the U.S. retail locations.

According to Harold Luther, Cabela's Hamburg Retail Manager, the first 250 customers, ages 18 and older, in line at a U.S. Cabela's store Saturday morning, will receive a mystery envelope containing information about their gift. All envelopes will be distributed randomly. Winners, says Luther, may receive their gift once inside the store. Firearms winners will be required to pass a standard federal background check to take ownership of the firearm.

Giveaways will vary by location and could include:

* Savage B.Mag .17 WSM bolt-action rifle

* GoPro camera

* Coleman 55-quart Esky cooler

* Goal Zero Guide 10 solar charger

* Mocking Jay longbow

* Cabela's gift cards.

Most Cabela's stores are scheduled to open at 8 a.m. on Dec. 13, and will remain open until 10 p.m. For more information and giveaway details check www.cabelas.com/stores.