State Fish and Wildlife officials say they uncovered a complex conspiracy to poach wildlife in the southern Los Padres National Forest.
They say it involved a group which conspired to fraudulently get replacement hunting licenses, and license tags. They worked with a clerk at a market to get the licenses.
Investigators say the group used this approach to fraudulently get nearly 90 licenses and tags.
After a long investigation, state fish and wildlife officers working with Ventura County prosecutors arrested seven men from Ventura, Los Angeles, and Kern Counties.
They seized numerous taxidermy mounts including deer and a bear, game meat, guns, and fraudulent licenses.
The seven men all pled guilty to a variety of charges. They will each serve between six and eight months in jail, be placed on probation, and are banned from hunting in California for life.