A Pella man has received probation for illegally transporting bear hides from Canada to the United States.

Louis Floden, Jr., 69, appeared before United States Magistrate Judge Alice R. Senechal and pleaded guilty to a charge of Unlawful Transport of Wildlife in Foreign Commerce this week. Judge Senechal sentenced Floden to serve one year probation, ordered him to pay a $7,500.00 fine to the Lacey Act Reward Account, and ordered that he pay the mandatory special assessment.

In September 2019, Floden unlawfully transported two black bear hides from Manitoba, Canada into the United States after he unlawfully killed them. Upon his return to the United States through the Pembina Port of Entry in North Dakota, Floden declared one sport-taken black bear to customs. Upon further inspection of his vehicle, the customs officer discovered two black bears. Manitoba licensing laws prohibit the purchase of more than one big game license of the same type for the same hunting year. When initially questioned by the customs officer, Floden alleged that he only shot one black bear, and that the other may have belonged to another hunter who was at the hunting camp at the same time. Floden later admitted he shot the second bear, and that he knew shooting the second bear was illegal. In addition to the illegal harvest of the second bear, it was also determined both bears were killed outside of the designated hunting area allowed by Floden’s licenses. Floden agreed to forfeit the two black bear hides that he brought into the United States.