Utah wildlife investigators had a tip about a Duchesne County poacher and photos of him with ill-gotten elk. But he was nowhere to be found.
Swenson posted a Facebook video of his friend doing construction work near Swenson’s rural home with what turned out to be a stolen backhoe, investigators said. Officers recognized a mountain in the background. They also spotted an old, “banana-yellow” truck sitting on the property.
Officers located the property and found elk antlers, deer hides, game meat — and 50 guns that Swenson, a convicted felon, was not allowed to have.
The bust ended one of two poaching sprees involving northeastern Utah families who killed more than a dozen elk, including four trophy bulls, and several deer in 2016.