A poacher who tried to shoot a wildlife officer in Humboldt County has been given a lengthy prison sentence. On August 21st of 2016 a California Department of Fish and Wildlife Warden was patrolling for poachers off Highway 36 near Carlotta and attempted to stop a pickup truck carrying people suspected of spotlighting and poaching deer. A man in the back of the truck shot at the officer as he tried to stop their vehicle. The poachers continued firing at the officer as he pursued them until they crashed into a tree and fled on foot. The Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office determined that the shooter was 25-year-old Shawn Eugene Hof Jr. A reward of $20,000 was offered for him but in August of last year Hof turned himself in. He was convicted of several serious felonies and last week a Humboldt County judge sentenced him to 20 years in state prison. He must serve at least 85% of that before being eligible for parole. The driver of the truck, 19-year-old Thomas Wheeler, was given probation and a suspended 8 year sentence.