Dear Fellow Sportsmen,
I have some disturbing news and I’m asking everyone that wants to keep hunting and fishing to fight for our rights now and to take action on something I’m about to tell you.
Recently Hunters Against PETA was contacted by a fellow sportsman by the name of Ryan J Carretero out of Chandler, Oklahoma – Lincoln County. Ryan indicated to us that he had recently been charged with animal cruelty for hunting, trapping then killing a wild hog with a knife.
Ryan posted the video of the hunt on youtube causing PETA to see it, then PETA in return called the DA of Chandler, Oklahoma – Richard Smothermon to press charges of “animal cruelty” on Ryan Carretero. Ryan posted bail last Friday, May 14th.
Ryan is a law abiding citizen who has never been arrested before and is a stand up citizen. What Ryan did was completely legal and he was within 100% of his rights. He was hunting, trapping and killing a wild animal. He did absolutely nothing wrong. He posted the hunt on youtube which gave PETA a reason and ammunition to call the Sheriff and DA of Chandler Oklahoma and get them to press charges on Ryan.
In our eyes this is a very important case. If PETA can simply make a phone call to the DA and Sheriff’s office and get them to press charges for trapping, hunting and killing a wild animal then what’s next for sportsmen’s rights?
This is proof of just how strong animal rights groups like PETA are becoming and how dangerous they are to our rights as sportsmen.
We’re urging every sportsman who reads this to contact DA-Richard Smothermon and Judge Paul Vassar and pressure them to drop the charges against Ryan Carretero. Also we’re asking that you spread the word to as many people as you can to contact these people as well.
Strength is built in numbers.
We must make a stand now or we won’t have any rights left to fight for.
District #23
Richard L. Smothermon
District Attorney
Pottawatomie County Courthouse
331 N. Broadway
Shawnee, Oklahoma 74801
Phone: (405)-275-6800
Fax: (405)-275-3575
Lincoln County Courthouse
811 Manvel Ave., Suite 8
Chandler Oklahoma 74834
Phone: (405)-258-1674
Fax: (405)-258-3136
Send an Email: http://www.ok.gov/triton/contact.php?ac=92&id=92
Paul Vassar – District Judge
Lincoln County Courthouse
811 Manvel Ave., Suite 8
Chandler Oklahoma 74834
Phone: (405)-258-1399
Mayor Tom Knight
Chandler City Hall
414 Manvel Ave
Chandler, Oklahoma 74834
Phone: (405)-264-5000
Fax: (405)-264-5099
Sincerely,
Jason Fackrell
Founding Member of Hunters Against PETA
Join The Fight For Our Rights!
We’ve been asked many times for a link to the video. The video was taken off of youtube therefore no one can see it. However it doesn’t matter what’s on the video he was within his rights of taking wild game. The sheriff of Lincoln County has also stated after watching the video that he did absolutely nothing wrong and obeyed the law. It was the decision of DA-Richard Smothermon to press these charges due to a high amount of pressure from PETA.
Animal rights groups think and say any form of killing or consuming any animal is “animal cruelty.” As hunters there needs to be no gray area when it comes to legally taking a wild animal, it’s black or white you’re on one side or the other. Every little victory for these animal rights groups big or small and whether we agree with the way the animal was killed or not puts another bullet through our rights as sportsmen and gets them closer to their goal.
When animal rights groups start dictating to us how we can take wild game and which legal weapons we can use to take them then our rights are already gone.
I am an active Activist for PETA,and i support there actions toward animal rights and animal cruelty. i would first off like to say the Youtube video posted was taken off due to “terms of use violation.” http://www.youtube.com/t/community_guidelines (youtube terms of use) Youtubes terms clearly states and i quote “Don’t post videos showing bad stuff like animal abuse, drug abuse, under-age drinking and smoking, or bomb making.
Graphic or gratuitous violence is not allowed. If your video shows someone being physically hurt, attacked, or humiliated, don’t post it.” The simple fact that the video was removed because of a violation doesnt really help this mans case at all considering he was charged with animal cruelty. secondly if the sherriff of the county had arrested him because of Mr Smothermon like u have stated a Warrent of some kind would have been issued by a judge… so there must have been some sort of evidence other than just Petas phone call for the arrest to take place. Attorneys and judges both take an oath of office. Simply being pressured by PETA is not a good enough reason for a man to be arrested with charges of animal cruelty. There would have had to be evidence (the video) of him commiting the crime. So blame it on PETA all you want but until i see more evidence i would say all you have is a bunch of “pish posh” but for the record. peta doesnt think all killing is animal cruelty. If its done morally and causes the least amount of suffering they are more okay with it. i personally do not want to contribute to the killing of any animals. i find it it be inethical. but that is my choice so you “sportsmen” can hunt and stuff all u want as long as its done ethically. i would like to see more evidence on this case though.
Do you have any idea how much damage a wild hog can do? Do you have any idea how dangerous to small animals and children? I suggest you study this subject.
Wild hogs are living things with personalities and feelings and shouldn’t be killed at all in my opinion. I’m glad that someone stood up for one. I personally hate hunters.
Hogsgonewild.com -Discovery Channnel has a great series by this title- Hogs Gone Wild will show the damage feral hogs can do!! and how something has to be done about it. Have you ever tasted one before? we believe in eating what we hunt – wild hog is the best tasting pork you can eat!
All of you “animal rights activist’ are so judgemental!!! Whatever happened to minding your own business??? I can understand if all hunters were abusing animals but us country folk and hunters respect the lives of animals probably more than anyone out there. Unless you’ve lived it then you honestly have no clue what you are saying. Now with that said MIND YOUR OWN BUSINESS!!!!!!! It’s not like we are setting any animals on fire, starving them or fighting them. We are working toward the greater good.
I would like to turn all PETA Activists loose in a pen with a Wild Hog and allow them to hug and kiss all over it they want. If they survive then we could discuss things!
X2 Dee! Every one of God’s creatures has a place on this Earth, “Right next to the mashed potatoes “.
Y’all are gonna feel real bad for them hogs when they destroy all your veggies because y’all won’t leave hunters alone;)
Excellent point Red. I’m all for P.E.T.A…People Eating Tasty Animals
. Genesis 1:26. God states making man in his own image and have Dominion over the fish of the sea, birds of the air, over cattle, over the earth, and everything that walks on the earth. So that right there tells me God has givin’ me permission to manage the animals on the earth. Ethically yes. Animals were put here for a reason, in my opinion that reason is to help controll excessive vegetation and for people to eat. The native americans had a great out look on this aspect not taking more then that could be used. If I’m getting low on meat I’ll go kill me a hog before I go to the grocery store, keep it stocked during deer season and butcher my own cattle. It’s the circle of life and Peta people if you don’t eat them they will eat you. Don’t drag me down with you.
I give all my hogs to the “needy” the ghetto.
And there is always a demand. So i put my dogs on as many as possible and no waste:) haha
Whatever happened to Ryan?
We were able to get the story on the news before his court date and rallied some support behind Ryan. He was only given some community service hours, paid a fine and no felonies went on his record. It turned out much better than it could have. He was happy with the result and so were we.
The only good wild pig in North America is a dead wild pig. Every hunter that kills a wild boar in North America is helping to save the ecosystem.