Gregory J. Haanstad, U.S. Attorney | U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin
Gregory J. Haanstad, U.S. Attorney | U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin
On August 15, 2025, Timothy J. Collar, a bear hunting guide from Oconto County, was fined $3,000 and received a 12-month hunting ban after being convicted of illegal bear baiting on federal property. The sentence was handed down by United States District Judge Byron B. Conway.
According to court records, Collar placed multiple oversized plastic bait barrels in the Chequamegon-Nicolet Forest in northern Oconto County ahead of the 2023 bear hunting season. The barrels were left uncapped, positioned near public roads, and exceeded size limits. Authorities also found that Collar damaged natural resources to create access routes to these bait sites.
Collar's ban prohibits him from hunting on federal land during the upcoming Wisconsin bear hunting season scheduled for September 3 through October 7, 2025.
The investigation into Collar’s actions was conducted by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and the United States Forest Service.
Richard G. Frohling, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, stated: “On August 15, 2025, United States District Judge Byron B. Conway ordered Timothy J. Collar (age: 64) to pay a $3,000 fine and banned him from hunting for 12 months after Collar was convicted of illegal bear baiting on federal property.”
For more information regarding this case or related matters, contact Public Affairs Officer Steve Caballero at (414) 297-1700.
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