DISTRICT 1
CO Josh Boudreaux was patrolling Lake Independence in Marquette County when he observed a fisherman set three tip-ups then head back into his shanty for an extended period. Suspecting the individual was fishing with a fourth line, CO Boudreaux crept up to the shanty and observed through the window, an individual fishing with a fourth line. Upon knocking on the door of the shanty, Boudreaux watched the individual frantically attempt to reel in his rod. As Boudreaux opened the door to contact the angler who was in violation, the angler hung his head and admitted he thought he could get away with an extra line. Enforcement action was taken for fishing with too many lines.
CO Jeremy Sergey was near Cherry Ridge Logging Trail in Menominee County when an individual approached him in a panic. The individual said he was out for a walk in the woods with his girlfriend and his girlfriend ended up getting lost. The individual stated he has not seen his girlfriend for over an hour, but he was able to call her on her cellphone. Sergey contacted Menominee county central dispatch and requested they put a ping on the girlfriends’ cell phone. Sergey and the individual searched for the missing girlfriend and she was located shortly after.
CO Jared Ferguson received a call regarding an eagle that hit a power line and was laying in the ditch dazed. Ferguson was able to respond to the area and located the bird in a small field. Ferguson retrieved the bird and transported it to the local DNR biologist for transport to the rehab center.
CO Jared Ferguson received numerous complaints of over limit of walleyes being taken from the Michigamme reservoir in Iron County. Ferguson located a large group of anglers fishing from shore below the dam. The anglers were fishing with too many tip ups, one of which had no license, and no name and address on their tip ups. Enforcement action was taken.
DISTRICT 2
CO Calvin Smith and Sgt. Mark Leadman conducted a joint patrol with the United States Custom and Border Protection Agency at the International Bridge. The joint patrol targeted illegal importation of cervid animals into Michigan.
CO Mark Zitnik and Alger County Deputy Sam Grahovac responded to a call from local motel in Munising concerning a possible child abductor. When they arrived, they found a 5-year old boy in the room by himself. When the 61-year old father arrived, the officers spoke with the father about why he was leaving the 5-year old child alone while he was gone. The father did not think it was an issue. The officers were also concerned because the 5-year old child was still wearing diapers and drinking baby formula from a bottle. Considering the child’s condition was not age-appropriate, the officers made phone calls to Child Protective Services (CPS) to assist in the situation. Upon further investigation, the officers confirmed the child did belong to the father. The father reported marrying a woman from another country to live a better life in America. CPS will be following up with the family.
Sgt. Jerry Fitzgibbon, COs Chris Lynch, Stephen Butzin, Colton Gelinas, Calvin Smith and Mark Zitnik executed a search warrant in Grand Marias on a subject Zitnik had arrested last year for poaching on several occasions. The poacher also has several other cases pending in Menominee County. Zitnik received information that the subject was driving around Grand Marias shooting deer and bringing them back to his residence. The COs executed the search warrant and retrieved enough information to request an arrest warrant for the subject. Two days later, Gelinas and Zitnik served the warrant at 6:30 a.m. on the Grand Marais residence and found the subject had fled at 2 a.m. that morning. The COs searched Alger County for most of the remaining morning, following dead-end leads. Around 10:30 a.m. they received a tip concerning his whereabouts. They found the subject hiding in a bedroom in an apartment located in Ishpeming. The subject was lodged in the Alger County jail for probation violations, hunting while revoked and hunting out of season.
COs Chris Lynch and Steve Butzin successfully served a four-count arrest warrant on a subject without incident. The hunter had taken an 8-point and 9-point buck without a license and used two deer licenses of another. The individual that was loaning the subject deer licenses also received a citation for the violation
DISTRICT 3
CO Andrea Erratt received a complaint about two men who trespassed on private property and shot at coho salmon in a closed trout stream. They had not realized there was a house nearby and that the landowner was outside watching and photographing them. Erratt contacted the driver of the truck who had been driving out from duck hunting when he saw the salmon in the river and shot at one. The 15-year-old passenger admitted he had walked onto the posted private property with his shotgun, but he had not shot at anything. Enforcement action was taken.
COs Tim Rosochacki, Matt Theunick and Tom Oberg investigated the poaching of a 4×5 bull elk in Otsego County. It was determined a bowhunter hunting with a crossbow had shot the elk then later attempted to conceal his actions. However, he was unaware that a witness had observed the violation and then called Otsego County 911. The subject was arrested by the COs and transported to the Otsego County Jail. The investigation continues as additional suspects have been identified who helped or assisted with the concealment of the poaching incident, which is a violation of the law. The COs were assisted by MSP and Otsego County Sheriff’s Department.
CO Jessie Curtis received a call from the Report All Poaching (RAP) line regarding a turkey that would not let the woman walk outside of her home without running at her. The turkey’s actions scared the woman, so she requested the help of a conservation officer. Curtis found the turkey laying on the woman’s front porch in the city of Alpena. The turkey was relocated and is now out of the city.
CO Andrea Albert attended a recent Bellaire Conservation Club meeting and answered questions from the attendees.
CO Adam LeClerc was called to assist a vehicle in distress along a snow-covered seasonal road in Charlevoix County. The mother of the driver contacted the Gaylord Customer Service Center to get assistance in finding her daughter and friend who went for a ride and got stuck on a seasonal road. The driver then started to walk down the two-track to get help. Limited cellphone service and bad directions didn’t help the situation. LeClerc was able to find the vehicle and its passengers as they were able to free the vehicle. No other assistance was needed.
DISTRICT 4
CO Troy Ludwig received a complaint of an individual illegally taking a deer outside of the firearm deer season. Ludwig was able to collect biological evidence at both the locations where the deer was shot and later transported to for processing. The CO obtained two cellphone record search warrants for the suspects and is awaiting lab results for the biological evidence collected. The investigation is ongoing.
CO Josiah Killingbeck, while on patrol in northern Newaygo County, came across a vehicle sitting in a very remote area overlooking a valley. As Killingbeck approached the vehicle, he observed a subject sitting in the driver’s seat with the driver’s side window down. Killingbeck contacted a very nervous acting hunter who said that he was just warming up from hunting. Killingbeck looked around the vehicle and saw no footprints in the snow. Killingbeck asked the subject where his gun was, and the subject said, “In the back.” Killingbeck looked through a back window and observed an uncased rifle in the back seat. Killingbeck determined that the rifle was loaded and obtained a confession from the subject that he was hunting from his vehicle because “it’s cold outside.” Enforcement action was taken.
CO Jeff Ginn responded to a medical emergency where an elderly man had become unconscious. Upon arrival, Ginn was able to determine the man was in cardiac arrest. Ginn applied an Automated External Defibrillator which delivered a shock, then he began CPR prior to Emergency Medical Services (EMS) arrival. EMS reported the man had a slight pulse and was attempting to breathe on his own while still on scene. The man was transported to a Grand Rapids hospital where he is expected to recover.
DISTRICT 5
CO Mike Hearn located a car that matched a description from a dispatch in Kalkaska County. The driver was wanted on a child abduction charge in Wexford County. Hearn, with assistance from the Kalkaska County Sheriff Department, stopped the vehicle and was able to arrest the suspect. The two girls were located safe in the back seat of the car. During a search of the suspect, a loaded handgun was in his waistline. The suspect was turned over to Cadillac Police Department.
CO Matthew Zultak stopped a vehicle traveling over 100 mph on I-75 in Bay County while traveling back from Belle Isle. The driver of the vehicle was found to be operating while intoxicated and in possession of a loaded rifle. The firearm was seized as evidence. The man was arrested for the violations and lodged in the Bay County jail.
While conducting a commercial deer processor inspection in Iosco County, CO Tyler Sabuda noticed a buck with a tag that was purchased at an odd time. Sabuda followed up on the case and interviewed the individual that harvested the deer. He obtained a confession from the hunter for shooting the deer without a license. Charges are being sought through the Iosco County prosecutor’s office.
DISTRICT 6
CO Josh Russell was patrolling Montcalm County when he observed two vehicles parked near the Edmore State Game Area (SGA). As the CO was checking tracks leading into the SGA, he heard a gunshot. Russell followed the footprints into the woods and located a subject hunting without hunter orange. The subject was hunting in a treestand that did not have a name and address on it and had been there for several years. A citation was issued to the hunter.
CO Adam Beuthin was on patrol in the Gratiot-Saginaw SGA in Gratiot County checking deer hunters, when he contacted a group of three hunters one hour after hunting hours had ended. Two of the hunters had loaded firearms. When the CO asked why they had their firearms loaded, one of the hunters stated, “We could be attacked by a coyote.” A ticket was issued.
While patrolling the Verona SGA, COs Robert Hobkirk and Kyle Bucholtz observed a vehicle traveling at a very slow speed. The vehicle then made a turn without signaling. The COs then stopped the vehicle and once contact was made with the driver it was learned that his driver’s license was revoked. A citation was issued to the driver for operating his vehicle while his license was revoked, and arrangements were made for a licensed driver to get the vehicle home.
CO Mark Siemen, while checking fishermen in the Lexington Harbor, noticed a truck that had an over the limit of Canada geese in the back along with other waterfowl. Siemen located the owner of the truck and spoke with him about the geese. After the investigation was complete the subject was issued a citation for the geese.
CO Mike Haas had been working a complaint for quite some time with no luck of catching the individual who was tearing up state land in Midland County with a large “Mudder” truck. Haas was working that piece of state land one day and heard a large truck accelerating and he also observed a large rooster-tail of mud shooting up in the air. Haas caught up with the operator of the vehicle and educated him on his disregard for state land. The driver also had no insurance on the vehicle. Enforcement action was taken.
While on patrol in Isabella County, COs Dan Robinson and Mike Haas were called to a trespassing and illegal bait complaint. The COs arrived and spoke with the complainants who said that they witnessed two people walking across their posted property wearing hunter orange and carrying rifles. The subject also mentioned there was a bait pile located near the stand the hunters had left. Later that day, Robinson went out on foot and located cleared ground where the temporary blind was placed and located a pile of apples. Interviews were conducted, and the trespassers were identified. The case is being turned over to the prosecutors office.
DISTRICT 7
CO Sam Schluckbier received a complaint of two bucks shot by a husband and wife in Allegan County who posted the information on social media. In the posted photographs, neither deer was tagged, and the individuals were not wearing hunter orange. Schluckbier interviewed both subjects at their home. During the interview the female hunter admitted to not purchasing a hunting license this season. However, she decided to go hunting on opening day of firearm deer season and shot a 5-point buck. The male hunter also confessed to shooting a doe and small buck during archery deer season. He then reused a kill tag to illegally take an 8-point buck during late archery season. The deer were confiscated, and charges are being sought for the multiple violations.
CO Greg Patten responded to a complaint of a subject who had a live snapping turtle in possession. When Patten arrived at the suspect’s residence, he found a live snapping turtle in a plastic tote outside with temperatures in the 20s. Patten seized the turtle and released it in a nearby lake. The 40-year-old person in possession of the turtle claimed that he had raised it from an egg and that he had it for 40 years. Enforcement action was taken.
CO Ivan Perez was on patrol one evening when he noticed a vehicle approximately a quarter mile away shinning a large cut corn field. Perez initiated a stop and contacted the driver. Perez asked him if he had been hunting earlier. He said he worked at a nearby factory and was on his lunch break and liked to shine for animals. Perez asked him if he had any weapons in the vehicle and he said he had a handgun in a case underneath the front passenger seat and an uncased crossbow in the rear of the vehicle. The subject had valid deer hunting licenses. The subject was informed that shinning during the month of November was prohibited and you can never shine with a weapon in possession. The handgun was unloaded and secured in a case. Enforcement action was taken.
DISTRICT 8
CO Eric Smither received a RAP complaint about a deer carcass that had been dumped along the road in Lenawee County. Smither located the carcass and was able to find a kill tag still attached to a leg, he ran the number from the tag and was able to get the name and address. Smither contacted the owner of the deer tag and, after a short interview, the hunter confessed he dumped the carcass thinking coyotes would drag it off. A citation was issued for littering and the carcass was disposed of properly.
CO Jeff Goss was en-route to a trespass complaint when he observed a man driving a tractor with a bucket full of deer carcasses. Goss stopped to talk to the man about the carcasses. When asked about deer tags, he said “I’m going to be completely honest with you. I shot both bucks opening morning and never tagged them, my tags are still in my wallet.” Goss thanked the man for his honesty and explained that he needed to see his tags and the antlers from the deer. The man went to his truck and provided both of his unused buck tags. He then led Goss to the barn and lifted the garage door. Goss observed the man’s father cutting up a deer. Goss asked if that deer was tagged and the father said not yet as he reached for his wallet. Both men were issued tickets for possession of untagged deer.
CO Nick Wellman was investigating a carcass dumping complaint when he decided to question a nearby neighbor about the matter. The neighbor didn’t know anything about the dumping but was very willing to chat with Wellman about his deer season. The man stated both his nephews had killed bucks with their guns. Wellman recognized the names of his nephews from an earlier complaint and asked to see pictures of the deer. Upon seeing pictures, Wellman did a quick Retail Sales System check to verify his suspicion of the one nephew not having a buck tag. Just as he thought, the nephew only had purchased an antlerless tag for 2018. Wellman then asked the man if he knew who tagged the buck for his nephew as the nephew didn’t have a buck tag. The man quickly admitted that he was the one who tagged the buck and he knew it was wrong. The antlers and a full confession were received from both the man and his nephew, and a report will be submitted to the Branch County Prosecutor’s office.
DISTRICT 9
CO Bobby Watson was patrolling the Blue Water Bridge Area in St. Clair County observing waterfowl hunters, when a hunting group caught his attention. Watson observed the group of hunters for roughly 45 minutes and was about to leave the area, convinced the hunters were following all rules and regulations, when they began shooting at ducks while under power in their boat. Watson continued to watch the hunters who eventually shot at multiple rafts of ducks while their boat was still on plane and traveling at a high rate of speed. Watson made contact and enforcement action was taken.
CO David Schaumburger encountered a group of hunters returning to the dock after waterfowl hunting. While the CO was checking licenses, it was discovered one of the hunters did not have a waterfowl hunting license, another did not have a federal duck stamp, and another was in possession of two shotguns. The operator of the vessel was also unable to provide the required number of Personal Floatation Devices. Enforcement action was taken.
CO Danielle Zubek received a RAP complaint of a subject who possibly shot a deer without a license. Zubek interviewed the subject and his father that were pictured on social media with deer. During the interview, Zubek learned that the father and son shot three bucks, a 8-point, 6-point and a spike buck. A single deer license was purchased by the son after the deer were harvested because he wanted to take the 8-point to a taxidermist to be mounted. Warrants have been submitted to the prosecutor’s office.
Mark Siemen followed-up on a complaint of an individual taking too many deer. An interview of subjects led the COs to a local processor. The processor was unlicensed among many other issues. While at the processor, the COs found many bucks that were never tagged and some that had tagging violations. The deer were seized, and enforcement action taken.
The post Michigan Outdoor News Cuffs & Collars – Jan. 18, 2019 appeared first on Outdoornews.
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