Well, in something that kind-of-sort-of sounds like progress in a moose-roping case that dates back to 2021, one of the infamous cowboys has finally secured himself a tidy plea deal that keeps him out of prison. In the ongoing saga borne out of the M Arrow Ranch near Evanston, Range Martin entered a guilty plea to felony animal cruelty during a hearing on Monday in Wyoming’s Third District Court.
For those of you who might just be joining us (or need a refresher), this case dates back to May of 2021, when Mr. Martin and two other men took it upon themselves to rope and ride an infirm cow moose, naturally drawing a ton of sharp criticism from just about everyone on the planet. As videos (helpfully preserved on dad Justin Martin’s phone) surfaced showing the trio roping, riding and spurring the injured and one-eyed animal, it also spurred a massive investigation into what exactly took place on that fateful day.
According to court statements, Range Martin encountered the sickly moose while moving cows and checking gates on May 24, 2021. He roped the animal and dragged it by the neck through tall, dense sagebrush to move it out of the way. Judge James Kaste noted the inherent trauma of such treatment to a species so unlike cattle: “It’s an inherently suffering event when you do that to wildlife.”
Range was allegedly the second man to mount the moose after his accomplice Kyle Platt rode and dug his spurs into her sides to “break” her.
Under the plea agreement accepted by the state earlier this week, Range Martin received three years of supervised probation with deferred prosecution in lieu of jail time. The deal includes a $1,000 fine plus court costs, and a full prohibition on hunting, trapping, fishing, or even shed hunting for the duration of his probation. He was also ordered to identify the individual who recorded the incidents and whose voice encouraged the behavior. He later identified his father, Justin Martin as the camera operator.
Co-defendant Kylan Platt (and fellow rider) is expected to accept a similar plea in the coming weeks. The misdemeanor charges against both men (wanton taking of a big game animal and illegal possession of live wildlife) are recommended for dismissal.
Justin Martin, who is listed as the owner and operator of the nearly 5,000-acre M Arrow Ranch, remains set for trial in early August. His motion to suppress the video evidence, which was accidentally discovered during an unrelated 2022 Wyoming Game and Fish Department investigation, was denied by the court under the plain view doctrine. A separate motion regarding additional “prior bad acts” evidence from his phone was also denied. For his role and actions, Justin is currently up against a possible six years in prison and upwards of $30,000 in fines on his accessory charges if convicted.
Cases like this (see also: Cody Roberts) put pressure on Wyoming’s reputation as a place where hunters, ranchers, and wildlife share a common stake. Most of us here in the ranching and hunting community rightly condemn this kind of behavior as antithetical to good stewardship. With upcoming trial dates and sentencing, the real test will be whether the final decision and any broader cultural response reinforce that line in the sagebrush.
