Two Baker City men are being charged in Baker County Circuit Court on multiple trapping and wildlife-related crimes following an Oregon State Police (OSP) Fish & Wildlife Division investigation.

Last month OSP Fish & Wildlife Division troopers located several illegal traps and snares within the Baker City Municipal Watershed near Marble and Goodrich Creeks, both on private property and property owned by Baker City. These illegal traps and snares were utilizing both game mammals and game birds for bait, including mallard ducks, cougars and a whitetail deer carcass, OSP reported. Many were not branded as required by law, were unlawfully using sight bait, or did not have the required jaw spacers.

Two Baker City men are charged with trapping and wildlife-related crimes - Photo by OSP Fish & Wildlife Division

Fish and Wildlife investigators seized traps, snares and other evidence including duck and cougar carcasses, whitetail deer antlers, turkey parts and bobcat hides.

Jake I. Jones, 43, was charged with four counts of trapping by a prohibited method, using unbranded traps, tampering with evidence, unlawful possession of wildlife (whitetail deer), unlawful possession of branded trap (no written permission), trapping in violation of criminal trespass, and second-degree criminal trespass.

Tom Keaton, 64, was charged with two counts of trapping by a prohibited method and a single count of unlawful possession of wildlife (turkey).