In August 2019, Oregon State Police Troopers and United States Fish and Wildlife Service Special Agents served search warrants in two Oregon counties and conducted simultaneous interviews in Oregon, Ohio, and Michigan. The warrants were served on David H Ravia, 69, from Dayton, Oregon, and Caleb L Richmond, 48, from McMinnville, Oregon. The warrants and interviews stemmed from a two-year investigation into ten years of alleged unlawful guiding activities taking place in the Hells Canyon National Recreation Area within Wallowa County, Oregon.
On September 1, 2020, the Wallowa County Circuit Court issued search warrants for the arrest of the two individuals. On November 6, 2020, David H. Ravia was cited to appear, in lieu of custody, for eight counts of Outfitting/Guiding Without a License. On November 24, 2020, Caleb L. Richmond was cited to appear, in lieu of custody, for 12 counts of Outfitting/Guiding Without a License.
On June 16, 2021, Caleb Richmond pled guilty to five counts of Fail to Register as an Outfitter/Guide. He was fined $350, ordered to pay $1000 restitution to the US Fish and Wildlife Service; serve twenty-four months bench probation, which includes a prohibition on hunting, guiding, and possession of firearms; serve eighty hours of community service; issue a letter of apology to all hunters and guides.
On April 6, 2022, David Ravia pled guilty to three counts of Fail to Register as an Outfitter/Guide. He was ordered to pay $1000 to the US Fish and Wildlife Service; serve twenty-four months bench probation, which includes a prohibition on hunting and guiding; serve eighty hours of community service; issue a letter of apology to all hunters and guides; and forfeit all evidence seized to the State, which includes pack bags, chainsaw, saddle, elk calls, and six mules.
To report any illegal guiding activity, contact the Oregon State Police Hotline: Dial 1-800-452-7888 or *OSP (*677) from a mobile phone; email: TIP@osp.oregon.gov or file a complaint electronically https://www.oregon.gov/osmb/Pages/Guide-Complaint.aspx
The Oregon Outfitter Guide Association in a partnership with the Oregon State Marine Board, the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, and the Oregon State Police are now offering rewards for the issuance of a citation or arrest for:
· Unlawful Take/Possession related to an Outfitter Guide- $200.00
· Illegally Obtaining Oregon Hunting or Angling License or Tags- $200.00
· Illegally offering to act as Outfitter Guide- $200.00
The Oregon State Marine Board (OSMB) oversees the program for all Guides and Charters in Oregon. The Oregon State Marine Board registers those individuals who provide outdoor recreational activities for compensation on land or water they do not own or control. These individuals, called Outfitter Guides, are required to provide the state with proof they are adequately insured and bonded, have basic First Aid and CPR skills, carry the required minimum safety equipment, and if using a motorized boat, carry either a US Coast Guard license or OSMB Motorized Passenger Boat Operator’s Certification, depending upon the waterbody. Outfitter Guides also agree to conduct themselves according to a set of Ethical and Professional Standards and are held responsible for them as well. To learn more about Guides & Charters in Oregon visit https://www.oregon.gov/osmb/Pages/Guides-Charters.aspx