Justice for a Wronged Resident

GRANTS, N.M. –

In 2017, Cibola County local Bruce Lynn had the hunting opportunity of a lifetime. Lynn lawfully shot and killed a bear in the Zuni Mountains with a bow and arrow, proud of his hunt, he went to have the animal taxidermized so he could display the animal hide in his cabin. Lynn took the bear to American Wildlife Taxidermy and had Daniel L. Gruben do the taxidermy work. After submitting the animal to what he thought was a fair taxidermist, Lynn was wronged when the hide returned and it was not the same pelt as belonged to the bear he shot. A lengthy court battle ensued and finally came to a head on May 12; the Cibola County Magistrate Court found the pelt Lynn received was not the same animal he had submitted to the taxidermist, and ordered Gruben to pay Lynn $5,000 in damages.

A pretrial conference was held on May 5 at 1:15 p.m., Lynn and Gruben met in a virtual room with The Honorable Magistrate Judge Johnny Valdez administered the proceedings. During pretrial, Judge Valdez asked if Gruben and Lynn had the opportunity to discuss the issue, both men said yes. Valdez then asked if they had the opportunity to come to a resolution on the matter outside of court. Lynn said that he wanted to proceed with court. Judge Valdez set a trial date for May 12.

The Trial

Judge Valdez began the trial by informing the viewing public about a court rule, the Magistrate Court is not a court of record, and reminded the Cibola Citizen that recordings were not allowed in the court.

With all parties present, Judge Valdez began the trial.

Lynn took the stand first, he explained that he is suing over his bear hide because in his whole life, he never had the opportunity to hunt a bear. He was proud of his accomplishment, but was prouder that the bear he hunted was a special type. With discolorations on the shoulder and a particularly long nose, the bear Lynn hunted was unique.

Lynn shot the bear with an arrow and it had scurried off, a friend of Lynn’s wanted to go looking for the beast, but Lynn did not want to approach a wounded bear. The hunting party followed up on the bear in the morning and found it dead. Lynn said he was proud of his hunt, and was excited to show it off. Lynn took the bear to a taxidermist shop in Albuquerque, New Mexico, called American Wildlife Taxidermy, owned by the defendant Daniel L. Gruben. Excited to hang the bear hide and show it to his grandchildren, Lynn paid $500 as a deposit to have the hide worked on.

Lynn said that months passed, and still there was no word from the taxidermist. Finally, Gruben called Lynn to let him know the taxidermy was complete, but the hide Lynn received from the taxidermist was not from the bear he had killed. Lynn knew this because the hide he received from Gruben did not have discolorations or a long nose.

Lynn’s disappointment led him to purchase another bear hide to try and make up for his loss, but informed Judge Valdez that the replacement was not the same. Lynn said he could never hang that hide and show it off without some shame because it wasn’t the bear he had hunted.

Gruben rose to testify and said that Lynn had a hunting partner come in to examine the bear, he alleged that the hunting partner asserted the hide given to Lynn from American Wildlife Taxidermy was the correct hide. Gruben explained that this was not the first time Lynn has risen this issue and even attempted t sue him in district court. That case was not able to proceed because of COVID-19.

Lynn brought photos of his hunt and was able to showcase that he did not receive the accurate hide from Gruben. After witness testimony, including from a local hunter with the name “Johnny Valdez” who had no relation to the judge, Judge Valdez ruled in favor of Lynn, saying that it was clear the hide he received from American Wildlife Taxidermy was not the same bear Lynn submitted.

Judge Valdez ruled that Lynn was due $5,000 in damages from Gruden.