JUSTICE FOR UNIQUE BULL ELK
Defendant ordered to pay $10,000 restitution
By Carol Mulvihill, Outdoor Writer
of unlawfully killing what was perhaps the area's most famous bull elk.

The same man, and an accomplice, were also found guilty of killing a calf elk at the hearing, which was held Oct. 11 in front of District Judge George King of Johnsonburg.

Tony Chaplain and Ray Wickwire, also of Ridgway, were ordered to pay nearly $20,000 in fines as a result of the November 2005 incidents.

For the bull elk killing, Chaplain, who did not show up for the hearing, was oredred to pay $1,500 in fines, a $10,000 "replacement fee," for the elk, and another $2,500 in court-related fees. Fine for killing the calf was $1,500; restitution, $800.

Wickwire, meanwhile, was found not guilty in the bull elk case. In the case of the elk calf, he was fined $800 and ordered to pay another $1,500 in restitution and fees.

The elk was a dominant bull, known locally as "Clubhorn," or "Clubby." A story about the elk's amazing life is on page 11.

According to testimony, in November 2005, bear hunters found the remains of a large elk near "Devil's Elbow" on Winslow Hill in Elk County and reported it to the Pennsylvania Game Commission).

Wildlife Conservation Officer Doty McDowell, who investigated and prosecuted the cases, said a broken arrow was found near the remains of the bull elk and the hide had what looked like an arrow hole through it.

Game Commission officials also found radio transmitter and antenna from a four-month-old elk calf at the same time in 2005. The transmitter had been cut away from the leather collar and was hidden under a pile of leaves on SGL #14 in Cameron County in the West Hicks area. The calf was not found.

Meanwhile, according to testimony, Wildlife Conservation Officer Richard Bodenhorn was investigating several cases of illegal deer killings in the area.

During that investigation, Chaplain and Wickwire, who were working on a logging operation in the area, were given to Bodenhorn as potential suspects.

Officers were able to link those names with other evidence and obtain a warrant to search Wickwire's property in Ridgway. In the attic crawl space, they found the bull elk antlers and many sets of deer antlers, according to testimony. Chaplain had lived with Wickwire in November 2005.

Finally, on Aug. 31, 2007, both men were charged with unlawful taking and possession of a bull elk and an elk calf.

Other evidence found in the search included a large animal heart in the freezer, a cellphone containing photos of the animals and arrows similar to the one found at the scene of the crime.

Two witnesses confirmed that the antlers presented as evidence in the case matched photographs taken of a unique bull elk referred to as "Clubhorn."

The photos were taken by Tom Murphy, who testified that the photos were taken in October 2005 and the elk "disappeared" shortly thereafter.

Local resident and photographer Tom Murphy, who testified at the hearing, took the photographs. Murphy had written the name Clubhorn on the elk photographs placed in evidence.

Dr. Jane Huffman, director of applied DNA Sciences Laboratory at East Stroudsburg University, testified as an expert witness. She confirmed that DNA samples from both the right antler and the left antler matched the animal heart submitted to the DNA lab for examination.