Deer Hunting 2009

[Raider]

Hi "B-T" yes we are in the EAB of my Farm. Shot a couple of Doe's in the bow season, so had buck tag's. Alot of corn was still out so the deer had a lot of cover. Scale goes to 200#'s and they both pegged it solid. We got three or four other bucks over 16". Kinda use that as a let go rule, except for first timers then doors open.    Raider

[CLL]

Nice deer Raider, would make me pull the tigger. Congrats

[Burlkraft]

Looks like a good season Raider  8)  8)  8)

Congrats  ;D

[johnjbc]

First day in South Central Pa I saw 17 doe.
Second day 19 doe
Third day 9 doe
Home Thursday
Friday 5 doe 1 spike
Sat 0
Going back out in the morning. If I had known we would have snow last night I would be hunting today

My Brother in-law and Friend both scored



Built a new stand this year








This is the view from the stand

[Jeff]

Interesting info from the MIchigan DNR Law Enforcement for much of this years firearm deer season.
11-16-09 to11-29-09

CO Carl Vanderwall responded to a baiting complaint and on the way to the site
observed a hunter dump out bait then leave the area.  CO VanderWall walked over the
bait pile after the hunter left.  When the hunter returned and settled into his blind for the
evening hunt, CO Vanderwall stepped out from behind the blind and issued the
surprised hunter a ticket for baiting.  The hunter commented how he needed to get his
ears checked because he didn't hear the CO approaching. 

CO Duane Budreau observed hunters standing in a field behind a house and upon
checking the subjects also found an untagged doe and a salt lick nearby.  Further
investigation revealed that the hunter who shot the doe had no permit and only a
combination license.  Enforcement action was taken.

COs Andrea Albert, Steve Speigl and Sgt. Jim Gorno deployed the deer decoy in an
area of heavy road hunting complaints.  Within minutes a truck rolled up and a subject
with a loaded rifle stepped out of the vehicle to shoot.  The COs stopped the subject
and found two more loaded and uncased rifles in the back seat. The same subject was
warned days earlier by CO Andrea Erratt for trespass/trapping on her property.       

COs Andrea Erratt and Andrea Albert interviewed a hunter who they believed had shot
a deer and then purchased his deer license later.  He was ticketed for improperly
tagging his three point buck with a combination restricted tag.

CO Andrea Erratt stopped a truck near Charlevoix that did not stop immediately and as
she approached the truck the driver jumped into the back seat while the passenger
moved into the driver's seat.  CO Erratt discovered a father allowing his 14 year old
daughter to drive without a license and had told her to shine the buck by the road with
the trucks headlights.  The father had one rifle in the front seat and another in the back. 
Enforcement action was taken.   

CO Andrea Erratt flew to Beaver Island to investigate an untagged deer complaint.  CO
Erratt and a Charlevoix County Sheriff's Deputy discovered two untagged bucks in a
barn.  CO Erratt ticketed the hunter for failing to validate his kill tag.   

On Saturday, CO Andrea Erratt stopped an ORV being operated cross country on state
land before 11:00 a.m.  The operator had been stopped in the same area by CO Erratt
in August and ticketed for no helmet while she warned him for operating an unlicensed
ORV in a closed area on state land.  CO Erratt ticketed him for operating an ORV in a
closed area on state land.  Before she issued the ticket, friends of the ORV operator
approached on another ORV riding double.  They were also ticketed for operating an
ORV in a closed area on state land. 

CO Andrea Albert followed up on a complaint of a truck parked in the woods with the
bed full of sugar beets.  A check of the identification number showed the truck had been
stolen in October.  The vehicle was turned over to the sheriff's department for further
investigation. 
Law Enforcement Division
Bi-Weekly Field Report
11/16/09 – 11/29/09

DISTRICT 1

COs Marv Gerlach and Terry Short contacted a hunter near his camp who had tagging
issues.  While talking to the hunter, he took a cell phone call. The COs overheard a
subject warning the hunter that the DNR were in the area.  The hunter advised his friend
that he was currently speaking with them.  After a short pause the subject replied, "Tell
them we love them."  Enforcement action was taken.

COs Marv Gerlach and Terry Short checked a camp in Menominee County.  They
discovered three untagged deer hanging from the buck pole.  A short investigation
revealed three nonresident hunters hunting without licenses and a fourth hunter who
was a licensed resident who had shot and failed to tag a fourth deer.   

CO Mark Leadman and Sgt. Pete Wright investigated a complaint in which hunters had
placed their camp over the entrance to a road leading into state land, thereby blocking
the road.  A ticket was issued.  A second hunter in the group was ticketed for hunting
over a large bait pile.

CO Mark Leadman and Sgt. Pete Wright located three deer hanging in the pines behind
a camper on state land.  One of the tags belonged to a 65 year old woman who had
purchased two firearm deer licenses.  The hunters were contacted when they returned
after dark.  Initially, the husband stated his wife had shot the deer but had returned
home already.  When several parts of his story did not match up, he confessed to
having shot the deer.  He stated that since it was just a 4 point, he couldn't use his own
tag as it was a combination deer license.   Enforcement action was taken.

CO Jason Niemi and Sgt. Pete Wright responded to a recreational trespass complaint
where a doe had died in a farmer's field.  Interviews were conducted with individuals
camping nearby.  It was determined that the non-resident staying at the camp had shot
the doe with the intention of tagging it with a resident license.  Unfortunately, the doe
ran far enough to die on the adjoining property.  Enforcement action was taken.

COs Jason Niemi and Mark Leadman investigated complaints of illegal blinds on state
land in Menominee County.  They contacted a hunter who had purchased a
combination license and four antlerless licenses.  While interviewing him, it was
discovered he had an untagged buck hanging back at camp.  Enforcement action was
taken.

CO Brett Gustafson responded to a complaint of a mortality signal from a wolf.  After
two days of searching they found the faint signal of the collar under the ice of a pond on
commercial private property.  The investigation continues into the disappearance of the
wolf attached to the collar.   CO David Miller and Sgt. Steven Burton found a hunter on private property smoking a
pipe filled with suspected marijuana.  The subject was arrested and his guns and
hunting license were confiscated.  He also had an overlimit of bait and failed to wear
hunter orange.   

CO Dennis Gast issued two tickets for license violations.  One private landowner was
found hunting without a license over a truckload of sugar beets.  Another nonresident
hunter was found using his resident mother's combination deer license.  Both were
ticketed for their offenses.         

CO Jason Wicklund received a report of a dead wolf south of Iron River.  The CO
responded and found a male wolf lying in a field with an apparent gunshot wound.  CO
Dave Painter and Sgt Marc Pomroy arrived to assist with the investigation and observed
evidence that the wolf was dumped in the field.  Investigation led to a camp where a
confession was obtained. 

CO Jason Wicklund checked a remote camp and observed two antlerless deer hanging
on the buck pole.  Both deer had archery tags on them and showed they were taken on
the 14th.  In comparing chest cavities of the deer, the CO could see that one looked like
it had been hanging for several days while the other one did not.  The hunter was
interviewed and admitted to taking the deer illegally.

COs Jason Wicklund and Dave Painter received a call from a Wisconsin game warden
in regard to two deer at a camp with non-validated Michigan deer licenses on them. 
The COs responded, interviewed the subjects and seized the deer.   

CO Jason Wicklund was flagged down by an elderly hunter who was walking down a
remote county road.  The hunter was tracking a deer and became lost so the CO gave
him a ride to his camp.  The CO came back to the location and continued to follow the
blood trail and located the deer about an hour later.  The deer was brought back to the
camp to a very grateful hunter.

CO Ryan Aho and Sgt. Marc Pomroy observed a slow rolling vehicle crossing a clearing
in Dickinson County.  A check of the vehicle revealed a loaded .270 rifle.  Enforcement
action was taken.

CO Brian Bacon contacted a subject who was operating an ORV during the closed
hours of firearm deer season.  Other hunters in the area had contacted CO Bacon about
the ORV, and the ORV drove up to the COs location as he was talking with one of the
concerned hunters.  Enforcement action was taken.

CO Brian Bacon contacted a subject who had driven his ORV across a stream and
wetland area.  The subject was not wearing a helmet, riding with a passenger and was
in possession of a loaded/uncased rifle.  A check of the camp related to this subject also
revealed an illegally tagged buck.  Enforcement action was taken.
CO Brian Bacon contacted two subjects walking out of the woods.  A license check
revealed one subject had already filled his firearm tag and was now trying to help his
buddy fill a doe tag.  A check of the blind they were hunting in led to a large pile of corn,
apples, beets, carrots and cabbage.  Enforcement action was taken.

CO Grant Emery responded to a safety zone violation in Gogebic County.   A check of
the subject in his blind led to an illegally taken deer hanging back at the camp. 
Enforcement action was taken.

CO Dave Painter checked a vacant camper on state land in Iron County.  CO Painter
found two spike bucks hanging 50 yards behind the camper.  Both were illegally tagged
with combination licenses.  When the hunters returned they were contacted about the
deer.  Enforcement action was taken.

CO Grant Emery responded to a safety zone complaint called in to the sheriff's
department.  The complainant videotaped the incident and obtained a description of the
individual, his vehicle and license plate.  When CO Emery went to the subject's
residence, he found them cleaning the deer.  During the investigation it was determined
that the wife's tag had been placed on the deer even though she was at work all day.
Enforcement action was taken.

CO Grant Emery responded to a Report-All-Poaching (RAP) complaint of a safety zone
violation.  The complainant was contacted and it was determined that there was no
safety zone violation, but a deer was shot from a motor vehicle in the road right of way
without permission of the landowner.  After shooting the deer the subject stopped at the
complainant's residence and asked for permission to retrieve the deer.  The follow up
interview resulted in a full confession.  Enforcement action was taken.

CO Jason Wicklund and Sgt. Marc Pomroy inspected a deer processor and found
several tagging violations.  With the help of CO Brandon Kieft, interviews were
conducted and two illegally taken deer were seized.

CO Brian Bacon and Sgt. Marc Pomroy contacted a subject hunting from a portable
blind.  The subject was hunting on public land with only a private land antlerless tag.  A
discussion with the subject revealed he had tagged his son's spike buck with his firearm
license earlier in the season.  The subject's son had purchased a combination license
and could not legally shoot the spike horned buck.  Enforcement action was taken.

CO Brian Bacon contacted a hunter leaving the woods in full camouflage and hunting
with his girlfriend's deer licenses.  Enforcement action was taken.

COs Ryan Aho and Brian Bacon investigated a complaint of a subject using the tag of
another.  An interview revealed that one subject had used a relative's license to tag a
buck he had shot on opening day.  The subject had only purchased a single firearm tag
and did not want to be done hunting.  Enforcement action was taken.
CO Jason Niemi responded to a complaint of a subject shooting a wolf in southern
Menominee County.  Apparently the subject had mistakenly thought the wolf was a
coyote and shot it.  When he realized his error, he turned himself in to law enforcement. 
The investigation is ongoing.

CO Marv Gerlach was returning home after a long patrol day when he observed a
vehicle parked at a hunting location where he had received an earlier complaint of
hunting after hours with a crossbow.   He waited at the vehicle until a couple of hours
after dark.  When no one returned he walked to the blind and contacted two subjects.  It
was discovered that they were sitting over a bait pile with a cocked and loaded
crossbow.  They also had night vision binoculars with them.  Enforcement action was
taken.

COs Jason Niemi and Trey Luce contacted campers in Menominee County where a
complaint had been received of nonresidents hunting without licenses.  It was
discovered that a resident hunter involved with the camp had purchased four antlerless
tags and was loaning them to the nonresidents.  Enforcement action was taken.

DISTRICT 2

CO Gerald Thayer was off duty when he heard a loud gunshot.  Investigation revealed a
highly intoxicated individual by a campfire burning what was left of his mobile home. 
CO Thayer asked who was shooting a gun and the individual told CO Thayer he had
mistakenly placed a half full gas can on the fire.  The individual was ticketed for burning
illegal materials.

COs Gerald Thayer, Kyle Publiski and Andrea Erratt finished up a lengthy investigation
on an unregistered yacht being operated in Michigan waters.  CO Thayer was told by
the operator of the 58 ft. yacht that the vessel is registered in the British Virgin Islands. 
Investigation revealed that when the yacht was purchased, the owner requested the
vessel be delivered to Canada to avoid paying Michigan's sales tax.  The individual was
found guilty in court and the State Department of Treasury is looking for approximately
$97,000 in back sales tax.

COs Kevin Postma and Kyle Publiski were speaking with a camp owner when they
heard a shot near the camp property.  COs Postma and Publiski could hear radio traffic
between the camp owner and the hunter telling the hunter that the DNR were at camp. 
The hunter responded back saying, "Oh well", I missed the deer anyway."  CO Postma
walked back to the hunter and observed a large bait pile with a very noticeable blood
trail.  CO Postma followed the trail to a small buck. The hunter was improperly licensed
and was written a ticket for a tagging violation and given a verbal warning on the bait.   

CO Kevin Postma responded to a complaint of an individual illegally shooting an eight
point buck out the window of his truck.  CO Postma stopped a vehicle matching the
description and spoke to the driver, who stated he had shot an eight point buck just
several minutes ago.  CO Postma explained that someone witnessed him shoot the deer from the inside of his vehicle.  The shooter denied the allegations and told the CO
he exited the truck before shooting the deer.  The CO explained that a school bus had
video footage of him shooting the deer out the window of his truck.  The individual
confessed and enforcement action was taken. 

CO Derek Miller contacted a group of hunters on state land.  When asked if the hunters
have had any luck they said no, but one stated his wife had.  When asked where she
was, the men replied she went home with her deer.  CO Miller ran a license check that
revealed the individual's wife had not purchased a 2009 hunting license.  CO Miller
returned to the camp and the husband confessed to shooting the deer and having his
wife put her deer tag on it.  Charges are pending.

CO Derek Miller contacted a hunter who had driven his ORV across state land and
through a series of wetland pockets to access a remote area.  The individual was
ticketed for illegal operation of an ORV and exceeding the legal bait limit.

CO Derek Miller contacted a hunter who made his own illegal ORV trail on state land to
access his remote hunting area.  A total of seven violations resulted in tickets issued for
operating an ORV in a closed area and transporting an uncased firearm.  Verbal
warnings were given for fail to wear hunter orange, excessive bait, and several ORV
violations.

CO Kellie Nightlinger contacted a group of hunters who had driven their ORVs over
numerous berms and around gates approximately two miles into a prohibited area.  CO
Nightlinger issued multiple tickets for illegal operation, and no ORV licenses, and gave
verbal warnings for no helmets.   

CO Mike Hammill was working a remote part of Luce County when he found a
suspicious blind on state land.  The blind was equipped with everything an individual
would need to hunt through the night including a toilet and bed.  The hunter had cut a
small shooting lane and placed approximately 150 gallons of bait in the lane.  At the
back of the lane a white piece of vinyl siding was screwed into a tree to silhouette deer.   
CO Hammill contacted the hunter and explained he knew what the set up was intended
for.  The hunter threw his hands up in the air and said, "What do you want me to do, all
the deer are nocturnal."  CO Hammill checked the computer for prior DNR violations
and found that retired COs had arrested the individual for hunting in the middle of the
night approximately ten years ago.  Enforcement action was taken.

CO Robert Crisp assisted Wildlife Division with the recovery of a wolf that had been
illegally shot in the Seney Wildlife Refuge.  The wolf will be sent for forensic evaluation. 
The investigation is continuing.

DISTRICT 3

CO Rich Stowe was called out in the early morning hours to assist local deputies with
the investigation of a deer that was stolen from a parked vehicle.  The deer was recovered and two suspects were apprehended.  CO Stowe then returned the deer to
the rightful owner.   

CO Rich Stowe received information that an eight point buck tagged with a Presque Isle
County antlerless license, was located at a meat processor in Kalkaska County. 
Investigation revealed that the subject was a first time hunter who had recently
completed hunter safety, purchased a rifle and went afield with what he thought was the
appropriate license.  CO Stowe was able to counsel the subject on the purchase of
proper licenses and enforcement action was taken.

CO Mike Feagan received a complaint from a subject who witnessed two subjects in a
unique pickup truck shoot a deer on private property from the vehicle.  With assistance
from CO Eric Bottorff, the vehicle was located and an interview was conducted. CO Matt
Theunick later received information from another source regarding the passenger in the
vehicle and the COs are continuing the investigation.   

CO Matt Theunick contacted a "road hunter" with a loaded rifle in his vehicle.  During
the interview, the subject admitted to hunting in this manner for several years in
Cheboygan and Emmett Counties.  The subject was educated on the laws regarding
transportation of firearms.

CO Eric Bottorff, while working in a shining complaint area, observed occupants of a
vehicle shining a field.  A traffic stop was conducted, and the driver of the vehicle was
identified as a long-time violator.  A search of the vehicle and its three occupants
produced two hand-held flashlights and two firearms, but no ammunition.  CO Bottorff
issued tickets for shining in November and issued warnings for shining with a weapon in
possession.

CO Matt Theunick contacted a local hunter who was in possession of a loaded firearm
in a motor vehicle.  The subject was part of a group of hunters who have generated
complaints including shining and shooting, trespass and a multitude of other violations. 
Area 3-2 officers made several arrests on members of this party throughout the fall. 
Arrests included driving on non-motorized trails, shining violations, loaded guns in
vehicles and illegal deer.

CO Andrea Albert observed two subjects in a parked vehicle wearing hunter's orange. 
As she got out of her patrol vehicle to check the subjects, they sped off at a high rate of
speed.  CO Albert gave chase that resulted in a four mile pursuit.  The subjects
eventually bailed out of the vehicle and ran into the woods while stripping off hunter
orange clothing.  Multiple law enforcement agencies and a canine unit pursued the
fleeing subjects. One individual was apprehended and interviewed.  The fleeing
subjects were migrant workers trimming fruit trees for a local farmer, who required the
men to wear hunter orange because of deer season. When CO Albert approached in
her green patrol truck and green uniform the migrant workers thought that she was an
Immigration and Naturalization agent and took off.  Charges were filed and the INS was
contacted. CO Andrea Albert received a RAP complaint of an untagged deer at a residence.  A
check of the deer showed a tag that had not been validated and placed in the open
position on the deer's hoof.  After a short interview the person confessed to placing the
tag on the deer as they saw the patrol truck enter the driveway.  A ticket was issued for
not immediately validating.

CO Andrea Albert conducted an inspection at a deer processing facility and found a
deer that was tagged on the same day the tag was purchased.  CO Albert interviewed
the hunter and obtained a confession that he bought the tag after he shot the deer. 
Enforcement action was taken.

CO Stephen Speigl was following up on a trespass complaint when he observed a truck
leaving a residence.  CO Speigl contacted the operator and found an untagged
antlerless deer in the back.  The driver was stopping by his brother's house for help in
processing the deer and had not purchased an antlerless tag.  Enforcement action was
taken.   

CO Duane Budreau received information that an individual was purchasing deer
licenses and hunting while privileges were revoked.  When CO Budreau contacted the
subject he realized this was the same person he had ticketed the year before for the
same violation.  Another ticket was issued for purchasing licenses/hunting while
revoked.

CO Joe Molnar responded to a complaint of untagged deer behind a residence and
found one untagged deer and three deer that were tagged but the kill tags had not been
validated.  In the area surrounding the deer camp, bait had been scattered and the
owner was ticketed. The four hunters admitted to hunting over bait and enforcement
action was taken.   

CO Joe Molnar followed an ORV operator to his hunting blind that was baited and found
the firearm being transported on the quad to be loaded.  Tickets were issued.

CO Mark DePew responded to a complaint and found an untagged 10 point buck and
learned the hunter was hunting over bait.  Tickets were issued. 

CO Mark DePew contacted subjects while following up on a possible taking of an
antlerless deer in a closed county.  CO DePew interviewed the hunters and determined
that the doe had been killed in the proper county but had been taken over bait. The bait
was contained in a PVC pipe hidden under a pine tree and a ticket was issued.

CO Kelly Ross checked a complaint of a camp using a lighted bait pile. COs Joe Molnar
and Nick Torsky assisted with the surveillance and discovered two young subjects
hunting on their grandfather's property. The grandfather admitted to placing the bait and
was ticketed.  A ticket was also issued for hunting over an artificial light.
CO Bill Webster checked an area in Alpena County where baiting for deer was taking
place. Upon contacting the first hunter, CO Webster found he was hunting over bait, not
wearing hunter orange and had no hunting license on his person. The second hunter
was also hunting over bait and was ticketed.  An illegal ORV trail came off this same
property and onto state land where CO Webster caught up with the third hunter of the
party who had operated an ORV on state land in a closed area.  A ticket was issued.

COs Bill Webster and Joe Molnar contacted a father and son hunting over bait on
private property and learned the son had shot a seven point buck. The son had not
purchased his firearm license and was hunting unsupervised.  Enforcement action was
taken.

CO Bill Webster contacted three different hunters on state land using ORVs to access
their blinds far away from roads. Tickets were written for hunting over bait and using an
ORV in a closed area. Several other violations were observed including not wearing
hunter orange, illegal cutting of trees on state land and no name and addresses on tree
stands.

DISTRICT 4

CO Mike Borkovich received two complaints from hunters who reported loud, racing-
style dirt bikes running on state land and during prime hunting time in Leelanau County. 
CO Borkovich located the operators who were drag racing on the paved runway at the
Empire Airport.  A chase began after being signaled to stop and the four men were
taken into custody a short time later.  Tickets were issued for illegal operation on an
airport and failing to stop upon signal of a law enforcement officer.  In addition, none of
the men had license plates or ORV licenses, a truck they drove had expired plates and
one of the subjects had an arrest warrant for possession of marijuana while two others
had suspended driver's licenses.

Corporal Steve Huff ticketed several people in Grand Traverse County for transporting
loaded firearms in a motor vehicle.  It seems as though bad weather, low deer numbers
and minimal hunting pressure caused several hunters to start road hunting for deer,
trespassing and travelling to different areas looking for deer.

CO Mike Wells, Newaygo County, checked a hunter in a corn field who was not wearing
hunter orange.  While speaking to the individual, he ascertained that the hunter had
taken a four point and that his brother had taken two antlerless deer in Newaygo
County.  CO Wells ran both subjects through RSS and found that the brother only had
one antlerless tag for this county, and several other purchases for Kent County.  CO
Wells interviewed the subject and obtained a confession for taking the antlerless deer in
the wrong DMU.  Enforcement action was taken for the violation as well as for
purchasing too many antlerless tags and purchasing more than two antlerless tags in
one day.   
CO Mike Wells was checking a large bait pile on private land when he came across the
hunter with no orange and no hunting license.  The subject, who was very upset, told
CO Wells that his dad was also hunting the property over a large pile of bait.  CO Wells
walked in to find the father also hunting without hunter orange.  Enforcement action was
taken.

CO Mike Wells responded to a complaint of an illegally tagged deer and found a large
beet pile behind a deer camp.  CO Wells investigated and found that one subject who
hunted the property had taken a four point and used his wife's tag for his deer, and that
a second subject had taken a six point, and used the niece's boyfriend's tag. 
Enforcement action was taken.

CO Michael Bomay, Mecosta County, stopped to check two juveniles with rifles
dragging out a doe from state land.  CO Bomay asked the juveniles for licenses and
also noted the deer wasn't tagged.  They advised that their uncle had the license for the
deer, but their dad shot it.  Dad finally came from the woods and advised he had not
purchased licenses for the kids.  CO Bomay then went to the vehicle to check the uncle
and found he only possessed an antlerless tag for private land in Isabella County. 
Enforcement action was taken.

CO Michael Bomay stopped by a camp in Mecosta County and found a three point
hanging without a tag.  When he asked who killed the deer, a subject informed the CO
that he shot it as a "mercy kill" because he was a believer of Quality Deer Management,
and felt that the ½ rack was bad for the gene pool.  Enforcement action was taken.

Visiting a local processor in Mecosta County at 10:15 a.m. on opening day, CO Michael
Bomay checked a deer that had just come in.  The tag on the deer was purchased
minutes before the CO arrived.  Follow up led to a hunter who admitted he had taken
the deer first and then purchased his tag.  Enforcement action was taken.

CO Michael Bomay checked a fawn doe deer and found it had been tagged with a
subject's "crossbow stamp."  When questioned about the tag, the hunter who had taken
it stated he didn't want to waste his antlerless tag on a fawn.  Enforcement action was
taken.

CO Michael Bomay was in his patrol unit when he noted a subject standing in a yard
with a rifle, smoking a marijuana cigarette and not wearing orange.  CO Bomay stopped
his truck and checked the subject.  The man was also found in possession of a large
amount of additional marijuana.  Enforcement action was taken.

CO Troy VanGelderen, Oceana County, received a complaint that a subject was
bragging about an eight point he had taken without a license.  CO VanGelderen
responded to the subject residence with an Oceana County Deputy and went to the
front door, while the deputy went to the back.  A female subject answered the door and
advised she would have her boyfriend put on his shoes and come to the front door.  As
CO VanGelderen waited by the front, the deputy was able to catch the subject sneaking out the back door in his boxers and shoes, heading for the pole barn.  They questioned
the subject and he advised he had an untagged eight point in the barn.  Enforcement
action was taken.

CO Troy VanGelderen responded to an accidental shooting complaint where a male
subject was shot in the arm.  Over 20 subjects were driving an orchard and all were
shooting at three deer in the middle.   The shooting is still under investigation.

COs Michael Bomay and Troy VanGelderen were working a night patrol in Newaygo
County when they came across a guy dressed in full camo with a rifle on the roadway. 
They asked the subject for a license and he gave them verbal identification.  The COs
were unable to locate the subject in LEIN and took him to his residence.  There they
obtained his real name and found he was wanted on an outstanding warrant with a
$20,000 bond.  Enforcement action was taken and the subject was lodged.
While CO Brian Lebel and Corporal Ryan Rademacher were working in Newaygo
County they came across a subject who was involved in an ongoing private property
easement issue. The COs merely wanted to advise the subject of the issue and move
along.  The subject, however, wanted to argue with the COs for several minutes until
the subject's son ultimately dragged an illegally killed buck bearing his wife's tag to their
location.
In a separate easement issue that became very heated between two parties, one of the
subjects wanted to argue with COs Brian Lebel and Jeff Ginn demanding they follow up
on it for a resolution because it could not be resolved at the scene. COs Lebel, Ginn
and Mike Wells went to the subject's residence to investigate further and ended up
seizing three illegally possessed deer. Charges are being sought with the Newaygo
County Prosecutor.
CO Lebel was patrolling a utility company property for ongoing complaints shortly before
dark when he saw a vehicle with its running lights on overlooking a large valley. CO
Lebel found the occupants in possession of two loaded rifles as well as open
intoxicants. CO Lebel also observed fresh blood in the bed of the truck. Once everything
was sorted out, one subject admitted the blood was from a deer he had shot the
previous night using the same method and same location. The subject had no license
for the deer.  Another intoxicated subject was lodged in the county jail for several
violations.
CO Lebel responded to a complaint of hunters who were overheard talking on their
radios about a bobcat one of them had just shot.  CO Lebel interviewed subjects at a
nearby camp about the incident and after a short interview, a subject took the CO to the
dead bobcat and admitted to shooting it during the closed season and in a county
closed to the taking of bobcat.  Enforcement action was taken.
Area 4-2 conducted a bait flight on the last Saturday of firearm deer season and located
10 baiting locations.  One ticket was issued to a landowner for placing bait and the
others are under investigation.

COs Troy Vangelderen and Brian Brosky worked a decoy patrol based on information
from a complainant reference people road hunting near his residence.  Shortly after the
decoy was set up, the complainant drove past in his truck, saw the deer, hit his brakes,
backed up and shot at it from his truck window.  He was issued a ticket for hunting from
a motor vehicle.

CO Jim Espinoza and Sgt. Kevin Hackworth received a complaint about an untagged
doe in the back of a truck on leased hunting land in Mason County.  The COs
responded and found that the subjects had been locked inside the property gate by the
complainants so that they couldn't leave until COs arrived.  The illegally taken deer was
confiscated and a written confession was given.

CO Steve Converse observed loose corn in the back of a truck driven by two subjects
who had been slow rolling a county road.  CO Converse stopped the subjects and
convinced them to take him to their blind where bait was subsequently found.  A ticket
was issued to the person who placed the bait.

CO Steve Converse was patrolling in rural Manistee County when he saw a pickup truck
leave a field with three men standing in the back with rifles in their hands.  When the
men noticed the patrol truck turning around they frantically started unloading their
weapons.  The vehicle was stopped and the persons with the uncased, loaded rifles
were ticketed for the safety violation.

While patrolling under the plane during a bait flight, Sgt. Kevin Hackworth spotted two
vehicles parked on the wrong side of a rural road.  The persons associated with the
vehicles had just loaded an antlerless deer and were leaving the scene.  As Sgt.
Hackworth approached, the rear vehicle slowed in an attempt to allow the vehicle with
the deer to escape.  Sgt. Hackworth managed to get around the rear vehicle and stop
the lead vehicle which contained two additional antlerless deer.  None of the deer had
tags attached and all were taken without licenses.

CO Angela Greenway responded to a complaint of trespassing from a Lake County
landowner and found an untagged antlerless deer hanging from a tree in the subject's
yard.  The subject stated that a friend had taken the deer in Osceola County. 
Subsequent interviews with the friend and a return visit to the original subject's
residence resulted in the discovery of a lighted bait pile and a confession that the deer
was illegally taken.

CO Steve Converse spoke with a person who had a set of antlers in his possession who
stated that he had taken the animal.  A closer look at the antlers revealed that the
attached tag belonged to the person's brother.  Further investigation resulted in a trip to
the location where the deer had been taken and where bait was discovered.  The subject admitted that he had asked his brother to tag the deer so that he could continue
to hunt.

CO Steve Converse followed up on information related to a witness who watched a
vehicle stop to allow a passenger get out and shoot a deer.  CO Converse's
investigation included speaking with both the driver of the vehicle and the passenger. 
Inspection of the tag used on the deer revealed that the person who shot the deer had
purchased the license after shooting the animal.  The shooter was charged with taking a
deer without a license.

DISTRICT 5

CO John Huspen contacted two deer hunters who had returned to camp for lunch and
left two loaded and uncased rifles in their vehicle.  One hunter was on his ninth beer for
the day and the second hunter was on his third.  Enforcement action was taken.

CO Chris Bowen responded to a trespass complaint and located a drag mark leading
from the complainant's property through a fence line to the adjacent property.  CO
Bowen located a small gut pile and a bait pile near a blind.  CO Bowen contacted the
property owner who admitted to taking an antlerless deer without a license over bait.

CO Bobbi Lively responded to a trespass complaint where a drag mark led from the
complainant's property to the neighboring property.  While going to make contact with
the property owner, CO Lively located antlerless deer parts.  CO Lively contacted the
owner at his hunting blind.  The subject was a nonresident and admitted to CO Lively
that he had shot the antlerless deer and tagged it with his brother's license as he had
not purchased a 2009 hunting license.

CO Chuck McPherson located a vehicle whose occupants were shining fields along a
power line after dark and observed the passenger holding a rifle.  The subjects were
stopped and a loaded firearm and open intoxicants were taken from the vehicle.

CO Chuck McPherson was patrolling near state land when he heard a rifle shot nearby. 
CO McPherson drove to the area and located a hunter and a young girl coming out of
the woods.  The hunter had a serious wound to his hand.  CO McPherson administered
first aid and located the hunter's spouse to pick up the juvenile.  The hunter was
transported to the hospital.  The investigation revealed the hunter had his hand over the
end of the barrel of the rifle and it discharged when the hunter went to sit down.   

CO Chuck McPherson responded to a bait complaint and located a lighted pile of feed
behind a house.  This was CO McPherson's second visit to the property in response to
baiting complaints.  The first visit resulted in an arrest for an illegal deer.

CO Mike Hearn contacted a juvenile who was hunting alone on public land without
wearing any hunter orange.  The juvenile said he was hunting with his brother and
father.  CO Hearn located the brother who was only thirteen and hunting with a firearm on public land.  When the father was located, he told the CO he did not realize he
needed to supervise the juveniles or that the thirteen year old hunter could not hunt on
public land with a firearm.   

CO Bobbi Lively received information regarding a deer that was shot using bait the day
before the firearm deer season opened.  CO Lively contacted the group of hunters and
located an untagged deer.  CO Lively located a gut pile and was told the deer had been
shot by the subject's nephew on opening day.  The nephew was contacted and
admitted to shooting the antlerless deer and tagging it with his uncle's tag.  A blind
containing a bow was located on the property and a nonresident at camp admitted to
using the bow to hunt from the blind without purchasing a nonresident hunting license.

CO Mike Hearn received a complaint of a subject carrying a firearm while dressed in full
camouflage without any hunter orange.  A second subject was located on the same
property who was also hunting without hunter orange.  Neither subject knew the other
was hunting nearby.

CO Bobbi Lively received information regarding a subject who had talked about killing a
bear.  CO Lively contacted the subject's mother who told the CO her son hunts on her
property and last year they had problems with a nuisance bear.  CO Lively contacted
the hunter, who at first denied killing a bear, but later admitted to it, saying it was a
nuisance bear.  The subject showed CO Lively the carcass and skull and stated that the
hide must have been dragged off by animals.  The subject showed the CO the blind
from which he had shot the bear and it was baited with apples.  The subject later
contacted the CO to tell her he had found the hide in the field.  CO Lively picked up a
clean and nicely skinned hide.  Warrants have been sought.

CO Bobbi Lively had information regarding a subject with illegal deer.  CO Lively
contacted the individual and found parts of four antlerless deer and the processed meat
in the freezer, along with a loaded, uncased gun in his pickup truck.  The subject had
one antlerless license and provided names of the people who had shot the other deer. 
CO Lively contacted the other subjects, who told her they did not shoot the deer and
they knew the first subject had shot two of the deer on opening day.  Warrants have
been sought.

CO Mike Hearn received a hunter harassment complaint on a small area of state land. 
The complainant claimed subjects were disrupting his hunt and claiming the state land
as their own private property.  CO Hearn patrolled the area and issued tickets to
subjects driving ORVs around a berm onto a closed area of state land, driving cross
country and hunting from permanent illegal blinds.  CO Hearn also located food plots
planted on state land and, through his investigation, discovered the subjects
responsible.   
 
CO Tami Pullen received a rallying waterfowl complaint.  She located the subject boats
and watched the operator shoot from the moving boat and rally ducks for the float boat. 
The US Coast Guard (USCG) and CO Becky Hopkins assisted and met them at the dock.  One individual stated there was no way CO Pullen could see him because he
was between ¾ mile and one mile from shore.  A ticket was issued.

CO Becky Hopkins observed a subject hunting in full camouflage clothing.  When the
subject saw CO Hopkins, he ran into a swamp.  A few hours later, a MSP trooper found
a wet subject in full camouflage walking along a road, although he did not have a gun. 
CO Hopkins identified the subject as the one who had fled earlier; however, he refused
to tell her where his gun was located.  A K-9 Unit was called in and led the COs directly
to the gun.  The subject then confessed he was a felon and not able to possess a gun
which is why he ran.  Marijuana was discovered in the subject's jacket.  The subject was
lodged.

CO Becky Hopkins located a subject fishing on Tawas Bay who had an overlimit of
brown trout.

CO Becky Hopkins received a snagging complaint from an off duty trooper on the East
Tawas pier.  The complaint resulted in two arrests for retaining foul hooked fish.

CO Brian Engelhard located a portable ground blind on federal land.  He saw that a
shooting lane had been cut and at the end of it there was a scent stick and a pile of
apples.  Several days later, CO Engelhard checked the area again and found someone
hunting from the blind.  The subject, who was not wearing hunter orange, admitted to
cutting the shooting lanes and replenishing the bait pile with apples and sugar beets. 
The subject was ticketed for baiting.

CO Joel Lundberg responded to a shining complaint and located a private landowner
shining with his loaded .45-709 next to him in the truck.  A ticket was issued.

CO Joel Lundberg stopped a car with two uncased guns on the seat.  When he asked
the driver how the hunting had been, he responded it was not good.  That's when the
juvenile passenger stated, "No, dad, what about the six point you shot?"  The driver
then confessed to shooting the deer and not tagging it because he didn't want to be
done hunting.

CO Joel Lundberg pulled into a deer camp and saw a subject hide behind a truck.  After
talking to the subject, an untagged doe was found, along with two coolers full of fresh
venison.  The subject had only purchased one antlerless license which remained
unused.  A ticket was issued.

COs Joel Lundberg and Steve Lockwood responded to a complaint of shots being fired
after dark.  The COs located the subject vehicle and also three does hidden under a
wood pile, which the subjects confessed to shooting after dark with the aid of the
vehicle's headlights.   
CO Steve Lockwood stopped two subjects in a truck for shining.  The subjects had a .20
gauge shotgun with slugs.  They admitted to trying to get a deer but had not been
successful when CO Lockwood stopped them.

CO Brian Olsen responded to a complaint of a doe that had been shot and later picked
up by an identified vehicle.  CO Olsen located the vehicle and contacted the owner, who
confessed and explained he was only helping someone else.  He led CO Olsen to the
deer and the shooter, who did not have an antlerless license.

CO Brian Olsen responded to a complaint of shooting at night over a lighted bait pile. 
CO Olsen was unable to find any deer that night; however, he checked back the next
day and located three nonresidents hunting without licenses.

DISTRICT 6

CO Holly Pennoni received a complaint regarding a vehicle that sheriff's deputies had
stopped with two untagged antlerless deer.  CO Pennoni assisted the deputies and
determined that neither driver nor passenger had purchased a deer hunting license.   
CO Pennoni issued a ticket to the driver and one to the passenger for transport/possess
untagged deer.

CO Holly Pennoni contacted a hunter who was in his yard skinning a deer.  When the
CO approached, a woman walked out of the house and was bragging to the CO about
the deer her son had shot.  The CO contacted the woman's son and he told the CO that
his wife shot the deer.  The antlerless deer was tagged with the hunter's wife's firearm
deer license.  The hunter confessed to putting his wife's tag on the deer he shot.   
Enforcement action was taken. 

CO Holly Pennoni received a complaint of a hunter who was trespassing on church
property.  The hunter shot a couple of squirrels and had a near miss with two people
cutting wood on the other side of the property.  The hunter was hunting without a
license, no hunter orange, within a safety zone and trespassing.  Enforcement action
was taken.

CO Holly Pennoni stopped two vehicles for shining in the month of November.  A
firearm was located in one of the vehicles, and in the other, a spotlight and blood were
found in the bed of the pickup.  CO Pennoni went back to the residence and found a
deer hanging in the garage. The deer was tagged with a different hunter's license and
had been shot in an area that the hunter did not have a license for.  Enforcement action
was taken.

CO Jason Smith contacted hunters at a deer camp where a deer was hanging that was
shot by one of the hunters that morning.  The tag was purchased around midday on the
opener.  The hunter was contacted and confessed to the CO that he purchased the
license after the fact and had also purchased his license after being revoked. 
Enforcement action was taken. CO Jason Smith contacted a group of hunters camping on a local state game area who
had a deer hanging that was tagged with a license purchased midday on the first day of
the firearm season.  After questioning the campers it was determined that the hunter
who shot the deer had his father buy a license to put on the deer so he would be able to
continue hunting.  Enforcement action was taken.

CO Jason Smith observed a deer hunter sitting in a tree without wearing hunter orange. 
Upon contacting the hunter it was discovered the hunter did not have a deer license. 
His hunting partner was also located and found to be hunting without hunter orange.   
Enforcement action was taken.

Opening day of firearm deer season CO Robert Hobkirk issued a ticket to a subject for
illegal baiting.  Within two hours of writing the bait ticket, CO Hobkirk returned and
issued the same subject a ticket for recreational trespass after he had shot at a deer on
the original complainant's property.

CO Robert Hobkirk walked into a field to check the tagging status of a deer that he had
observed lying there for quite some time.  The antlerless deer was untagged and a 13
year old hunter claimed responsibility for shooting the deer.  When asked for his license
he only had licenses valid for taking an antlered deer. The juvenile was educated on the
tagging and licensing requirements and his father was ticketed for a tagging violation.

While patrolling Sanilac County during a group patrol, CO Robert Hobkirk checked two
hunters field dressing a deer on the edge of the road.  As CO Hobkirk approached, one
of the hunters wrapped his license around the deer's leg.  When CO Hobkirk looked at
the license it was found not to be validated and the other hunter took responsibility for
shooting the deer. Tickets were issued for taking an antlerless deer with no license and
for allowing another to use a kill tag.  Warnings were given for borrowing a kill tag and
for loaded firearm in a motor vehicle.

While patrolling Sanilac County during a group patrol, CO Robert Hobkirk observed two
subjects exiting the woods at dusk.  Both subjects were carrying firearms, but one of the
individuals was not wearing hunter orange. When CO Hobkirk backed up to investigate,
the subject with no orange was no longer carrying firearm. When asked to retrieve his
firearm, the man retrieved a .223 caliber rifle.  The hunter was ticketed for hunting deer
with a rifle in the shotgun zone.

CO Robert Hobkirk received a RAP complaint of a vehicle operating in a closed area of
the Rush Lake Game Area. As CO Hobkirk approached the area, he was met on the
road by a vehicle matching the description of the vehicle.  When CO Hobkirk caught up
with the truck, it had pulled into a private driveway.  In the bed of the truck was an
antlerless deer with a private land kill tag affixed to the leg.  A short interview with the
vehicle owner produced a confession that the deer had been shot on public land and
tagged with another hunter's kill tag.  A ticket was issued to the hunter who took the
deer for taking an antlerless deer on public land with no valid antlerless license. 
Another ticket was issued to the individual who loaned his license. CO Robert Hobkirk responded to a complaint of a deer being shot from a motor vehicle. 
When CO Hobkirk arrived, he found an antlerless deer paralyzed but still alive in the
ditch.  After dispatching the deer, CO Hobkirk hid in an adjacent drive.  Approximately
45 minutes later two trucks arrived at the deer's location.  Three men searched the field
and found the deer in the ditch. They loaded the deer into one of the trucks and began
to drive away.  CO Hobkirk stopped both vehicles and after lengthy interviews of all
three subjects a confession was obtained.  The men had been goose hunting and were
on their way to a restaurant when one of the subjects decided to shoot at the deer. 
They then went to dinner and had returned to pick up the deer.  Tickets were issued for
taking the deer from a motor vehicle and for transporting a loaded firearm in a motor
vehicle.

On opening day of firearm deer season Sgt. Tony Soave and CO Seth Rhodea
contacted two hunters who were hunting in the village limits of Lexington.  Upon
checking the hunters, one hunter did not have his deer license with him and was
hunting over bait while the other hunter was not wearing hunter orange, hunting with a
rifle in the shotgun zone, also hunting over bait, and did not have his license in
possession.  Enforcement action was taken.

COs Jason Smith and Seth Rhodea, along with the MSP, local deputies and local
search and rescue crews, responded to a complaint of a missing 70 year old hunter
near the Minden State Game Area (SGA).  A search of the area resulted in the hunter
being located shortly before 11:00 p.m.  The hunter had shot a deer and started tracking
it but when it got dark and his batteries ran out on his flashlight, he decided he was just
going to sleep in the woods for the night.   

CO Seth Rhodea contacted a group of hunters at the Minden SGA who had several
deer hanging in a tree.  Upon checking the tags on the deer, the CO found that none of
the tags were validated and one subject had put a fishing license on his deer.  Further
investigation resulted in one of the hunters admitting to shooting a deer and tagging the
deer with his brother's tag.  Tickets were issued to the hunters for failing to validate tags
and borrowing and loaning licenses.

CO Seth Rhodea received a complaint of a subject who had trespassed to get back to
his hunting spot.  The CO responded to the area and located the hunter in his blind
which had several salt blocks and piles of apples in front of it.  Upon contacting the
hunter, CO Rhodea observed him holding onto an open can of beer and not wearing
any hunter orange.  The hunter was unable to provide a deer license for the 2009
season and told the CO that he had not bought any deer licenses this year.  Sobriety
tests were conducted on the hunter who was found to be intoxicated and was arrested
and lodged at the local jail for hunting while intoxicated.  The hunter was also ticketed
for baiting deer and hunting without a license.         

CO Seth Rhodea received a RAP complaint concerning several subjects hunting from
vehicles and not wearing any hunter orange.  The CO responded to the area and
located numerous hunters sitting around the edges of a corn field that was being harvested.  One hunter was hunting without any hunter orange and another had a
loaded firearm on a motor vehicle and was using the vehicle as a rest to attempt to
shoot at deer.  Enforcement action was taken on both violations. 
 

[Jeff]

Continued...

Sgt. Tony Soave, while patrolling after dark, observed a vehicle drive slowly by his
location.  Upon following the subject for a while, the driver waved Sgt. Soave to drive by
him.  Upon stopping the subject, a gun in a case was located and the driver was asked
if it was unloaded.  The driver gave a reply of, "I think so but I'm not sure." Upon
checking the rifle, Sgt. Soave ejected five live rounds including one in the chamber. 
The driver told Sgt. Soave he doesn't unload his firearms until the end of the season
due to a round going off and entering his vehicle door the prior year while unloading it. 
Enforcement action was taken.

Sgt. Tony Soave received a complaint of a subject who was a township dump
supervisor driving into the dump when it was closed and baiting his blind and then
hunting.  After several attempts to contact the hunter, Sgt. Soave found the subject
hunting over bait the second from last day of deer season.  The subject told Sgt. Soave
he was merely coyote hunting in the woods near the blind but not in it.  After Sgt. Soave
informed him he had been standing outside his hunting blind for quite a while and saw
him exit, he confessed.  Enforcement action was taken.

While Sgt. Tony Soave was en route to a complaint he observed a vehicle stop in the
middle of the road in front of him as several deer ran out into a field next to the road.
The vehicle backed up then pulled ahead into a driveway to turn around.  Sgt. Soave
pulled in behind him and contacted the driver of the truck and found a rifle in a case that
was unzipped lying on the front seat next to the driver.  He told Sgt. Soave he couldn't
get the case zipped up all of the way due to a bad zipper.  Sgt. Soave zipped and
unzipped the case several times without any problems. Enforcement action was taken.

CO Seth Rhodea and Sgt. Tony Soave received a complaint of a subject out hunting
who was arrested last year for shooting too many bucks and was revoked from hunting
for four years.  Sgt. Soave watched the subject's vehicle while CO Rhodea followed
behind the revoked hunter and another hunter who was carrying two firearms, walking
down a set of railroad tracks.  The other hunter would look around and then hand a
firearm to the revoked hunter for a while then take it back.  COs contacted both subjects
who each had a firearm at the time.  Enforcement action was taken.

CO Joshua Wright observed a deer hanging in a barn while driving. Upon pulling in and
not observing a tag on the deer, contact was made with the homeowners.  Upon further
examination of the barn, several deer parts were located and no kill tags were present. 
After a while, the homeowners produced tags belonging to their sons who were hunting
on the property.  Upon interviewing all of the family members, CO Wright determined
none of the deer were tagged after the deer were killed. Tickets were written for the
tagging violations.
CO Joshua Wright observed a slow moving vehicle drive past him after dark.  CO
Wright pulled out and followed the vehicle a short distance and stopped it as he
observed the driver reach back and pull out a rifle.  The driver had a loaded .22 caliber
rifle and two other uncased firearms in his motor vehicle.  Enforcement action was
taken.   

CO Joshua Wright received a complaint regarding a trespass.  The complaint was that a
subject watched his neighbor shoot a deer on his property without permission, drive
around the section and out into the field, load the deer up without field dressing it, and
drive home with it.  CO Wright arrived at the trespasser's residence to find him field
dressing the illegally shot deer that was also untagged.  The deer and firearm were
seized and the subject was charged with taking a deer illegally while trespassing.

Two weeks ago Sgt. Ron Kimmerly arrested an angler for possessing 98 panfish. Last
week the Sgt. drove by the same location and observed the same angler.  The Sgt.
decided to check the angler again and observed that his five gallon bucket was full with
panfish.  The Sgt. asked the angler if he has keeping count this time.  The angler was
very adamant that he had 23 panfish in the bucket.  The Sgt. dumped the fish out and
after the count found that he was again over his 25 fish limit.  Enforcement action was
taken.

Sgts. Tony Soave and Ron Kimmerly were off duty and deer hunting on private property
in the shotgun zone.  Sgt. Soave observed two hunters through his binoculars on the
bordering property.  Neither were wearing hunter orange and he thought that one may
be in possession of a rifle.  About ten minutes after shooting hours ended the sergeants
heard a gun shot.  They then observed both hunters walk back to the residence, return
with a tractor and load up a six point buck.  Before the hunters arrived back at the
residence the sergeants made contact and identified themselves.  They asked the
hunter who appeared to be in possession of a rifle to provide the firearm he was hunting
with. The hunter went into the residence and brought out a shotgun.  Sgt. Soave
advised it was not the gun he saw.  The hunter then brought out another gun which was
not the one he had been carrying.  After Sgt. Kimmerly advised the subject they were
going to get a search warrant he decided to bring out the rifle with a scope he was
hunting with.  The other hunter was recently charged with two felonious assaults and
committing a felony while in possession of a firearm and was in violation of his bond by
being in possession of a firearm.  Charges consisted of no hunter orange, untagged
deer, hunting with a rifle in the shotgun zone and no deer license.   

Sgt. Ron Kimmerly located a large bait pile that had a floodlight 15 feet above it.  Three
hundred yards of extension cord were hooked together, enclosing a tree blind. In the
blind was a switch that controlled the floodlight.  On the firearm opener the Sgt. finally
caught the subject in the tree blind. The subject also did not have a deer hunting
license.  Tickets were issued and the firearm was seized.  On the walk back the Sgt.
issued several more tickets for hunting over bait.

While working on a complaint of recreational trespass, CO Larn R. Strawn recognized he had investigated an identical complaint in the same location in 2007.  The
investigation led him to the subject from his previous case.  After recognizing the
subject and conducting a records check the CO discovered he had given the man a
quite a break in 2007 by only writing a ticket for one of several violations.  This time the
subject was ticketed for trespassing and the deer he shot while trespassing was seized.

CO Larn Strawn received a complaint of a subject deer hunting in a county park.  The
park is closed to hunting and closed to the possession of firearms as well. The
complaint reported the man was carrying a scoped rifle and was not wearing any hunter
orange.  The CO contacted the trespassing hunter who was not wearing any hunter
orange and did not have a hunting license.  Enforcement action was taken.

CO Larn Strawn observed two hunters crossing a field.  Both of the hunters were
carrying rifles and neither were wearing hunter orange. The CO contacted the hunters
and quickly observed the strong odor of burnt marijuana coming from them.  A closer
look revealed both of the hunters were in possession of marijuana and admitted to using
it while hunting.  Neither had hunting licenses.  Enforcement action was taken.

CO Larn Strawn received a complaint of persons poaching deer in a field while a farmer
was combining the corn.  The CO contacted two hunters standing near an ORV that
was loaded with four recently killed deer.  None of the deer were field dressed or
tagged, and the hunters had no licenses with them.  The CO contacted six additional
hunters in the same corn field.  None of the additional hunters had their tags. One of the
hunters was a juvenile hunting unsupervised.  When initially asked, the hunters were
not sure which deer was shot by which hunter.  Enforcement action was taken for the
untagged deer. 

Law Enforcement Division Chief Gary Hagler and CO Nick Atkin contacted three
subjects driving to camp on state land.  During the contact the COs located open
intoxicants and marijuana in the vehicle.  Enforcement action was taken.

CO Dan Lee met a truck at the road as it was leaving a wood lot.  The CO met the
juvenile hunter and checked out the two deer in the bed of the truck.  One deer was not
tagged and the other had an unvalidated tag.  In the bed was also a loaded firearm. 
The youngster had the rest of his hunting party come out to the road to sort out details. 
Besides the gun and the deer, the CO also found a hunter orange violation as well as
an unsupervised underaged hunter. Enforcement action was taken.

COs Chad Foerster and Dan Lee, along with Sgt. Ron Kimmerly, conducted a decoy
patrol in Saginaw County.  Within one hour a subject shot the decoy three times from
the front seat of his truck while still in his pajamas and slippers.  The subject is well
known to the COs due to past encounters of a similar nature. Enforcement action was
taken.

CO Jay Person observed a hunter climb into a tree after doing something on the
ground.  The CO saw piles of corn scattered out in front of the tree stand and upon contact with the hunter, he denied any knowledge of the bait.  While checking the
subject for any evidence of the bait, the CO could smell an odor of marijuana.  When
asked about it, the subject produced a baggie and a pipe.  Upon patting the subject
down, the CO located corn kernels in the subject's sweatshirt pocket.  The subject then
admitted to the bait.  Enforcement action taken on both the bait and marijuana.   

CO Jay Person and local deputies are investigating the self inflicted gun shot wound to
a hunter on the final weekend of the firearm deer season.  The hunter was shifting the
gun in his tree stand when he lost control of it, dropping it out of his hands.  The firearm
discharged and sent a round through his hand.  The wound required surgery to repair
nerve damage.  No violations were found in the investigation.

CO Chad Foerster observed a pickup truck against a wood line an hour after dark.  The
CO intercepted the truck as it was exiting the field into the back yard of a residence and
found the operator in possession of an untagged six point buck.  Further investigation
revealed that the hunter shot the buck just before noon, field dressed it and left it lie
while he continued to hunt on his one deer license.  Enforcement action was taken for
the untagged deer and he received a verbal warning for continuing to hunt without
further licenses.

CO Chad Foerster contacted a young hunter who was firearm hunting from a tree stand
without wearing hunter orange.  He was also hunting unsupervised and did not have a
firearm deer license.  A guardian was tracked down at the residence near the property
and enforcement action was taken on the guardian, his grandfather.

CO Chad Foerster observed a hunter walking away from a vehicle not wearing hunter
orange as he was carrying a firearm strapped to his back.  The hunter noticed the CO
and went back to his vehicle.  The subject stated that he was not hunting; only looking
around.  Further investigation revealed that the hunter did not have a firearm deer
license and was also baiting.  The hunter stated that he was hunting on private property
and did not need a license.  Enforcement action was taken.

CO Vicki Goss stopped a vehicle slow rolling on the back roads with fresh blood on the
tailgate.  An uncased gun with shells was located in the back seat and both father and
son were in possession of open beer.  Dad stated the blood was from a road kill he
picked up that morning.  The son eventually confessed that he shot the small doe earlier
and didn't have a license for the deer.  Several tickets were issued for the open
intoxicants, uncased gun, and illegal deer.

CO Vicki Goss issued an appearance ticket to an individual for not tagging his deer
before dragging it back to his vehicle and gutting it.  The CO issued this same individual
an appearance ticket two years ago in the same location for the same violation.  At that
time he also had a loaded firearm in his motor vehicle.   

CO Vicki Goss was on patrol when she observed a hunter exit his blind and walk
around a barn.  As CO Goss moved further up the road the hunter noticed her and began running for the house.  Figuring he must have done something wrong, the CO
backed up and pulled into the driveway just as he got to the porch steps.  A quick check
found he didn't have a license and was using his mother's senior license because he
couldn't afford to buy his own.  Mom arrived on scene and tried to convince the CO that
he was just bringing the gun back from the blind.  Further discussion with both finally
resulted in mom admitting she was lying and that she hadn't been hunting.  Further
investigation found the son to be a felon.  Enforcement action was taken.
   
After the end of legal hunting hours, CO Vicki Goss was checking the area for shining
activity when she observed a light in a standing cornfield.  She exited the vehicle and
began to make her way through the corn.  One individual in the hunting party realized
who was coming and called out "DNR" to his buddy.  The CO was able to get to the
buddy who was frantically trying to validate and attach his tag.  In his haste he notched
the wrong date.  Enforcement action was taken.

CO Ken Lowell worked a bait complaint in Montcalm County on the firearm opener.  The
CO located a 13 year old boy hunting over the bait pile by himself.  The young hunter
told the CO he had shot a spike in the youth season but had not had any other luck. 
The young hunter gave the CO both of his combination license kill tags.  The CO found
the young hunter's father on a different piece of property, and he was also hunting over
bait.  Enforcement action was taken on the baiting issues and allowing a minor to hunt
unsupervised.

While working on back roads in Montcalm County, CO Ken Lowell saw a truck coming
out of a field.  The CO stopped and talked with the hunters who had a nice eight point
buck in the back of the truck.  When asked when he shot the buck the happy hunter
stated that he shot it at 7:30 a.m.  A check of the tag revealed that the tag was
purchased on November 15th at 10:30 a.m.  The hunter admitted to shooting the deer
and then buying his license.  Enforcement action was taken.

CO Ken Lowell noticed four bucks hanging in a barn on opening day of the firearm deer
season.  When he pulled in he was met by a woman who claimed to have shot two
bucks that morning.  A check of the tags showed they were bought on November 15 in
the late morning.  After talking with her for a while the wife finally admitted to buying the
tags for her husband.  An interview with the husband led to tickets being issued for
loaning and borrowing tags by the husband and wife.

CO Ken Lowell received a complaint regarding illegal baiting in Montcalm County.  After
checking the property, the CO located a large pile of bait.  Contact at the residence led
to an illegal buck that was shot, two tagging violations for loaning and borrowing tags,
as well as a ticket for illegal baiting.

CO Phil Hudson was patrolling an area where corn was being harvested and observed
a subject driving around the field in his truck with a gun pointing out of the window.  The
CO also observed several deer being shot and dragged out of the field without being
tagged.  The subject in the vehicle and the other subjects were contacted and tickets were issued for loaded firearm in a motor vehicle and several untagged deer.

CO Phil Hudson was patrolling an area for trapping activity and located a subject
arrested by CO Jeremy Payne two years earlier.  The subject was revoked from
purchasing licenses for 10 years.  The subject was trapping and had purchased several
deer and furbearer licenses.  The subject also had other warrants and was lodged in the
county jail.

CO Phil Hudson and Sgt. Ron Kimmerly observed a vehicle after dark coming out of a
cornfield.  Upon contact the COs located an untagged deer and the subject who shot it
stated he did not have a license and was going to tag it with someone else's tag. 
Enforcement action was taken.

CO Phil Hudson was on his day off when he received a call from CO Ken Lowell.  CO
Lowell was en route to CO Hudson's area to follow up on a complaint he just received. 
CO Hudson met up with CO Lowell and they conducted surveillance on a vacated
foreclosed home where there were four untagged deer hanging.  CO Lowell collected
evidence that led the COs to another location.  The COs were able to make contact the
following day and obtained a confession for taking deer without licenses.  Enforcement
action was taken.

CO Phil Hudson contacted several hunters in an area where corn was being harvested. 
The first subject was a 12 year old boy with a shotgun and not wearing hunter orange
but brown carhartt bibs and a coat.  The CO asked the boy to holler for his father but
received no response.  The boy stated he would go into the corn and get his father but
the CO advised it would not be a good idea. The CO conducted surveillance for
approximately two hours while waiting for the boy's father to return and witnessed eight
subjects shoot five does and two bucks.  Further investigation revealed that no one in
the hunting party had buck tags.  Tickets were issued for allowing a minor to hunt
unsupervised, no hunter orange, take deer without a license and fail to immediately tag
deer.

While patrolling an area bordering the shotgun zone CO Phil Hudson heard what he
believed to be a rifle shot.  The CO crawled through the field and observed a subject for
approximately two hours.  It turned out the subject did have a rifle but was within the
rifle zone.  The CO observed the subject shoot four deer without wearing hunter orange
and trespassing on railroad property.  The CO watched as the subject failed to tag the
deer and then began to leave the area.  The CO returned to his truck and was able to
stop the subject before he left.  An uncased loaded firearm was also located in the
vehicle and the subject did not have any licenses.  Enforcement action was taken. 

DISTRICT 7

CO Gary Raak responded to a recreational trespass complaint concerning two subjects
who were deer hunting on private property.  As CO Raak walked along a tree line
toward the subjects, a shot was fired.  CO Raak observed a subject in full camouflage walk out to a gunshot antlerless deer that was shot by a second subject in a tree stand. 
It was determined that the subject had shot the doe without a license.  Tickets were
issued for trespass, no hunter orange and the illegal killing of the antlerless deer.

Sgt. Dave Shaw, along with COs Ivan Perez and Chuck Towns, investigated a
waterfowl baiting complaint.  The COs kept three subjects under surveillance while they
hunted ducks in a wet section of a bean field.  Contact was made as the subjects began
to pick up their decoys after the morning hunt.  Located around the wet section of the
field were numerous ears of corn and a location where one of the subjects had poured
two buckets of beans.  Tickets were issued for taking waterfowl with the aid of bait. 
Restitution will be sought for three mallards the subjects had shot.

CO Ivan Perez stopped to check two subjects in a boat who had been fishing on one of
the Grand River bayous.  Upon observing the CO, the subject started back out into the
bayou.  After being ordered back to shore, an overlimit of bluegills was discovered.  A
ticket was issued for the violation.

CO Chuck Towns investigated a recreational trespass complaint and located the
subject's vehicle.  After a long wait, CO Towns observed the subject return to his parked
vehicle.  Approximately 40 yards from the vehicle, the subject was observed hiding a
firearm in some brush.  When stopped on the roadway, the subject stated he didn't want
to be checked with a firearm due to the trespass.  The subject was lodged on an
outstanding arrest warrant.

CO Chuck Towns responded to a complaint of a loud group in a remote location in the
Allegan SGA who were lighting off fireworks and disturbing deer hunters.  CO Towns
contacted three subjects standing around a fire drinking beer.  Upon observing the CO
one of the subjects tossed a pellet handgun in the brush.  While obtaining routine
identification information, one of the subjects provided several false names.  While
checking a parked vehicle, CO Towns located drugs, packed suitcases and paperwork
that provided a name similar to the ones given by the subject.  When the information
was run from the paperwork, dispatch advised the subject had two felony warrants for
his arrest.  Once the subject was in custody, CO Towns was advised the subject was
wanted on approximately 50 breaking and entering charges in Allegan County.  The
suitcases contained cash, clothing, suspected stolen coins and a train ticket to Chicago. 
Further information stated that U.S. Marshall Service was already searching for the
subject in the Chicago area.  The subject was lodged in the Allegan County jail.

CO Patrick McManus responded to a trespass complaint concerning a deer hunter
shooting a deer along the Kalamazoo River on Allegan City property.  CO McManus
contacted a subject who was in a kayak with a bow and firearm.  The subject had a doe
tied to the kayak floating behind.  The subject only had a combination deer license and
was ticketed for trespass and the illegal deer.

District 7 flew patrols the second week of the firearm deer season targeting illegal
baiting and night shining activity in Allegan, Barry, Ionia and Kent Counties.  COs Mike Mshar and Ivan Perez made a traffic stop on a vehicle observed shining a field in Barry
County.  The subject had a handgun on the seat of the vehicle and a shotgun in the
back seat.  The subject was ticketed for shining while in possession of a firearm. 

CO Patrick McManus located and contacted two individuals with an uncased .22 cal rifle
who had been shining a large cut corn field.  The subjects had driven to the middle of
the field and then turned off the vehicle's lights.  The driver was ticketed for shining an
artificial light while in possession of a firearm.

COs Mike Mshar and Ivan Perez observed a car with a deer on it pull into a residence. 
When the COs turned around and pulled into the driveway, the deer was already gone
from the vicinity of the vehicle.  Contact at the residence turned up a second deer, both
of which were untagged.  One subject who killed one of the deer was under a hunting
license revocation and the other subject did not possess a hunting license.  A box of
boned out venison was found hidden under the laundry in the residence's basement. 
Tickets were issued for illegal deer and purchasing a hunting license while under a court
ordered license revocation.   

CO Mike Mshar responded to a recreational trespass complaint from a farmer who
showed CO Mshar fresh truck tire tracks and a blood soaked location in his bean field. 
CO Mshar noted the unusual tire pattern and drove two mile sections looking for a
possible suspect vehicle.  CO Mshar located a likely candidate and located two illegal
deer in possession of a subject who had been hunting while revoked against all hunting
by court order.  The subject had used tags supplied by his grandmother and cousin. 
Both of these subjects will be charged with loaning a deer license to another.  Both deer
were seized and the subject was ticketed for the illegal deer.

District 7 ran an undercover fish patrol with assistance from COs from Districts 4 and 8. 
The patrol targeted the snagging of whitefish at the piers of Grand Haven, Muskegon
and Whitehall.  Six subjects were ticketed with over 20 illegally taken whitefish seized.

CO Jeff Rabbers investigated a complaint of a subject killing a large buck from the deck
of a house with a .22 cal rifle.  The deer was seized and a confession obtained.  The
subject was ticketed for a safety zone violation and the illegal killing of the deer.

CO Dave Rodgers investigated a complaint just before the opening of the firearm
season where a subject shot a large buck with a rifle from the roadway around ten in the
morning.  The Kent County Sheriff's Department stopped the subject and seized a high
powered rifle.  CO Rodgers was familiar with the subject from previous dealings with
illegally taken deer.  CO Rodgers interviewed the subject and obtained a confession. 
Warrants will be sought for the illegal deer.

CO Dave Rodgers investigated a recreational trespass complaint and contacted a
subject exiting the woods 45 minutes after the close of hunting hours.  The subject was
dressed in full camouflage and still possessed a loaded firearm.  The subject was ticket
for the hunting violations. CO Greg Patten assisted the MSP with a search warrant when an untagged deer was
located at the residence.  CO Patten ended up with an illegal deer and a tagging
violation on a second deer.

CO Steve Orange and Sgt. Dave Shaw contacted a subject with his young son who
appeared to be going out into a field to recover a downed deer.  The subject stated he
had shot a spike buck and was on his way to recover the animal.  When asked for a
deer tag, the father produced his son's junior combination deer tag.  The son was too
young to firearm hunt and the father explained he must have grabbed the wrong tag. 
When the father went into the house to retrieve his own tag, Sgt. Shaw stated to the son
that his father had shot a deer.  The son replied that he had shot two deer and pointed
to a large downed doe deer on the edge of a swamp.  When the father returned he
admitted to shooting a doe without a license and was ticketed for the illegal deer.

CO Chris Holmes researched hunters in the Kalamazoo County area who had
purchased multiple licenses in 2009.  During the investigation, CO Holmes ascertained
that several had tagging and other license violations.  One subject had no antlerless
license and used his father's tag on a deer he shot.

CO Chris Holmes responded to a deer with suspicious spots in the body cavity in
southern Kalamazoo County.   CO Holmes checked the deer and observed there was
nothing unusual.  When the subjects were interviewed it was determined that the deer
was shot by a friend of the person reporting the suspicious spots.  The friend did not
have a license to kill the deer.

CO Steve Mooney responded to a complaint in Van Buren County of subjects
trespassing and killing deer.  CO Mooney located the subjects and determined they had
trespassed.  CO Mooney also discovered one of the deer taken had a restricted
combination kill tag, which was on a three point buck.  The other deer was not tagged. 
Enforcement action was taken for trespassing and tagging violations.

CO Mike McGee investigated a subject in possession of an eight point buck without a
tag.  The subject was a convicted felon and stated he did not shoot the deer but found it
and took possession.  The subject advised CO McGee that he was planning on having
his wife buy a license and he would then tag the deer. 

COs Zach Doss and Andy Bauer observed a residence whose occupants were
recreationally feeding.  Upon contact the COs discovered that one of the garage
windows looking out at the feed had been removed.  The removed window had a
camouflage net with a slit in the middle draped over it.  There were two spotlights
mounted that shined onto the feed site.  Inside was a bow.  Enforcement action was
taken for feed/baiting violation.

CO Steve Mooney followed up on a complaint from an individual regarding a letter
attached to his blind.  The letter was a fake and forged; supposedly written by the
Plainwell District Office lieutenant.  The letter had a fake DNR logo on it which was attained via the internet.  Based on a previous complaint CO Mooney tracked down a
subject who confessed to constructing and posting the letter on the blind. 

CO Jeff Robinette was working Cass County after dark during firearm deer season
looking for shiners.  CO Robinette observed a vehicle headlight the field he was sitting
in.  Upon activating his emergency lights the subject vehicle fled.  A short chase ensued
in which the suspect vehicle got hung up and stopped near a wooded area.  Both
occupants of the vehicle bailed and fled on foot.  CO Robinette secured the vehicle until
a K-9 unit could respond.  While securing the vehicle CO Robinette observed a loaded
.357 handgun between the front seats, a loaded 12 ga pump shotgun on passenger
seat and an unloaded 12 gauge pump shotgun with mounted laser sight and light
attached on the back seat.  The vehicle was impounded and all weapons, evidence, and
contraband was seized.  The investigation continues.

COs Zach Doss and Andy Bauer tracked down eight subjects hunting within the city
limits of Bangor who had taken several deer.  Local city police officers responded and
ticketed the hunters for ordinance violations pertaining to hunting within the city limits.

DISTRICT 8
While patrolling during firearm deer season, CO Brad Brewer heard several gunshots at
the close of shooting hours.  CO Brewer received a report that someone in a vehicle
had shot a deer from a roadway and sped off.  CO Brewer's investigation showed that
the vehicle had left the scene only to return a few hours later to drop three subjects off
to retrieve the deer left in the field.  CO Brewer was assisted by Sgt. Joe Kellam and
local deputies with the apprehension of the three subjects on foot and the driver of the
vehicle.  CO Brewer recovered the illegally killed deer, the spent shell casing from the
shotgun and received a confession from the four subjects involved.  Enforcement action
was taken.

CO Jeff Goss located three untagged deer in a barn.  As CO Goss was loading the deer
into his patrol vehicle, he observed the homeowner drive by his residence and
accelerate quickly when he saw the patrol vehicle in his driveway.  The next day the
homeowner contacted CO Goss and confessed to the untagged deer.  In his confession
the homeowner also stated that the reason he sped by his house was because he was
driving on a suspended license, had a loaded gun in the vehicle, and was wanted on
arrest warrants.  Enforcement action was taken.

CO Jeff Goss seized two mule deer that were illegally brought into Michigan from states
that are known to have chronic wasting disease.  One deer was from Nebraska and the
other was from South Dakota.  The subject who brought the deer to Michigan from
Nebraska was also in possession of illegal whitetail deer antlers and marijuana. 
Enforcement action was taken in both instances.

CO Jeff Goss observed three subjects hunting in a field and when their hunt was over
all three subjects got onto one ORV with their loaded and uncased firearms.  CO Goss met the very surprised hunters at their house to check licenses and firearms. 
Enforcement action was taken.

CO Jason J. Smith responded in the middle of the night to a complaint of shining and
shooting deer.  CO Smith, assisted by local deputies, located the subjects and received
full confessions of the illegal activity.  Enforcement action was taken.

CO Damon Owens assisted a local police officer with a report of a subject with an
untagged deer.  CO Owens contacted the subject who was processing the deer at his
residence.  The subject stated that he was so proud of taking the antlerless deer that he
removed the head with the tag attached and gave it to his friend.  CO Owens
investigation proved the story to be false as the deer was never tagged.  Enforcement
action was taken.

COs Daniel Prince, Peter Purdy, and Sgt. Troy Bahlau worked complaints of subjects
hunting well after shooting hours had ended.  In one instance the subjects exited the
woods with loaded firearms, almost one hour after legal shooting hours had ended. 
Enforcement action was taken.

CO Peter Purdy responded to a safety zone complaint.  When CO Purdy contacted the
subject who had shot an antlerless deer well within the safety zone of a residence, the
subject stated that he was confident he wouldn't miss the deer.  The investigation also
showed that the subject did not have an antlerless license for the deer he killed. 
Enforcement action was taken.

CO Peter Purdy reports that the verdict from a case of the illegal taking of waterfowl this
summer resulted in a conviction.  The subject had killed an adult Canada goose and two
goslings with a .22 rifle while trespassing within the safety zone of a residence.  The
subject was required to pay $1500 restitution for the geese plus $500 in court costs and
the rifle used in the poaching was forfeited to the state.

While patrolling a state recreation area, CO Shane Webster contacted a subject who
was not wearing any hunter orange hunting in a tree stand on the property line.  The
subject's excuse was that he was hunting in camouflage so he could "catch
trespassers".  Enforcement action taken.

Sgt. Troy Bahlau and CO Shane Webster contacted an ORV operator who was
travelling illegally on a roadway while riding double. In addition, the occupants were not
wearing helmets, the firearm was loaded and uncased, the subject did not have a
hunting license, and the ORV was not properly registered.  Enforcement action was
taken. 

CO Shane Webster assisted the local public safety officer with a complaint of a subject
trespassing while hunting.  The officers located the subject who was hunting illegally in
a tree stand on private property over a bait pile.  The subject stated that he had been hunting the property for five years without permission and he knew that there was a ban
on baiting, but thought he would never get caught.  Enforcement action was taken.

CO Kyle Bader assisted the MSP as they were executing a search warrant at a
residence that had a working meth lab and two illegal deer in the barn.  The
investigation showed one of the deer was killed with a shotgun during October and the
other deer were taken without licenses over bait.  Enforcement action was taken. 

While working a high complaint area, CO Brad Brewer contacted a vehicle operator and
found an uncased 22-250 rifle on the front seat.  The investigation revealed a deer
hanging at the subject's residence that had been killed with the rifle from an ORV.  The
subject stated he had killed deer in this manner for years and dubbed himself "the king
of poaching".  The king was dethroned and enforcement action was taken.

CO Jeff Goss responded to a complaint of shooting after hours and located two subjects
who were hunting over bait while trespassing.  They were also not wearing hunter
orange and did not have hunting licenses.  One of the subjects was well known to CO
Goss as a repeat offender.  Enforcement action was taken.

COs Jason J. Smith and Damon Owens responded to a complaint of two subjects
"shooting everything in sight".  The COs patrolled the area of the complaint and
contacted two subjects who were hunting over bait without kill tags.  Enforcement action
was taken.

While working a trespass complaint, CO Rich Nickols conducted a foot patrol of a
wooded piece of property at the Capitol City Airport.  CO Nickols contacted one subject
who was trespassing while hunting in full camouflage.  The subject had an ear piece
and was communicating with a friend who was also hunting illegally.  Enforcement
action was taken.

CO Rich Nickols received information from a friend who told him about a subject who
had illegally killed three bucks.  CO Nickols investigation revealed that the subject had
tagged two bucks and had a friend purchase a license so his third buck could be
tagged.  A confession was received from the subject who killed the deer and from the
friend who loaned the license.  Enforcement action was taken.

CO Rich Nickols observed a vehicle driving in circles headlighting a field.  CO Nickols
contacted the operator of the vehicle and found a freshly killed doe that had been
recently gutted.  The deer was not tagged and the subject had not purchased an
antlerless license.  Enforcement action was taken.

While inspecting a deer processor, Sgt. Troy Bahlau and CO Rich Nickols located a six
point buck tagged with a nonresident antlerless license.  CO Nickols located the subject
who illegally tagged the deer and received a confession.  Enforcement action was
taken.
CO Dan Bigger responded to a residence that had been hit with a bullet.  CO Bigger's
investigation revealed that the house had been shot with a .50 caliber round from a
muzzleloading rifle.  As CO Bigger was investigating the first complaint, a second
complaint came in that another residence in the area had also been hit.  CO Bigger was
able to locate the shooter who stated he was so excited about the deer he was shooting
at that he paid no attention to what was behind the deer.  Fortunately no one was
injured in either circumstance.  Enforcement action was taken. 

CO Dan Bigger responded to a complaint of a subject baiting deer in a swamp.  After an
extensive search, CO Bigger located the bait and tracked the subjects back to a
residence where he received a confession.  Enforcement action was taken.

CO Dan Bigger received very detailed information from an anonymous source about a
nonresident hunting on private property without purchasing a hunting license.  CO
Bigger contacted the subject and the investigation led him to numerous bait piles on the
property.  One bait pile near the hunting camp had a mercury vapor light shining directly
on the bait.  Enforcement action was taken.

CO Dan Bigger responded to a call of malicious destruction of a corn field, where a
subject had driven through several miles of the standing corn.  With the assistance of
the MSP, CO Bigger tracked down the subject at his residence where several illegally
taken animals were found.  The illegal animals included a turkey, numerous deer
carcasses, a freshly killed fox and numerous waterfowl.  In addition, the subject was
suspected of operating a vehicle while impaired.  Enforcement action was taken.

COs Dan Bigger and Jeff Walker responded to a hunter harassment complaint where a
subject was running a chainsaw under a hunter's tree stand and threatening to cut the
tree down with the hunter still in it.  CO Bigger recognized the subject as someone who
was wanted on a felonious assault warrant.  Enforcement action was taken. 

CO Peter Purdy received information from CO Mark Papineau of an illegal deer being
taken in Livingston County.  CO Purdy's investigation revealed that the subject took a
deer illegally at night with the aid of an artificial light over bait.  The subject also had not
purchased a deer license so the deer was tagged with a borrowed license.  CO Purdy
also located a second antlerless deer that was taken by a second subject and tagged
with a restricted combination license.  Enforcement action was taken in both instances.

CO Shane Webster was assisted by local deputies in locating a subject who was
trespassing in a residential area closed to hunting.  The subject, who was not wearing
hunter orange, stated that he had been hunting the area for approximately 25 years and
didn't know whose property he was on.  Enforcement action was taken.

DISTRICT 9

Working on a trespass complaint led CO John Borkovich to a subject's home.  When
CO Borkovich approached the subject he was exiting his garage.  Upon seeing CO Borkovich, the subject made a motion as if to return into the garage, but instead shoved
his blood covered hands into his pockets.  Further investigation by the CO revealed an
untagged four point buck hanging in the garage.  The subject did not have any deer
hunting licenses for this year.   

CO Linda Scheidler responded to a RAP complaint revolving around a subject shooting
a deer from a combine and then transporting it away in a pickup truck.  CO Scheidler
contacted the subject and obtained a confession. There was a four point buck hanging
in the barn untagged.   

CO Linda Scheidler assisted CO Steve Orange with a deer complaint follow up.  A MSP
trooper had stopped a subject in Ionia County with a deer in the vehicle. The deer was
tagged with a deer tag of another and the driver admitted he had shot it and the tag was
not his.  CO Scheidler contacted the owner of the tag and he stated he had loaned it to
a third subject.  CO Scheidler tracked down that subject and he admitted loaning the tag
to the subject stopped in Ionia County.  The tag had been loaned out twice.  All three
subjects were ticketed for borrow/loan deer tag.

CO Linda Scheidler checked hunters after hours in Genesee County.  The hunters had
just walked up to their home and were watching CO Scheidler.  When CO Scheidler
asked the subjects for their hunting licenses, one of the subjects stated he was not
hunting.  Further investigation by CO Scheidler located a loaded muzzleloader leaned
up against the garage and a backpack with three cans of beer in it.  The subject who
stated he was not hunting denied ownership of the muzzleloader and back pack.  CO
Scheidler talked to the other hunter and he admitted his other friend had been hunting
and that the gun and gear was indeed the other friends.  A warrant is being sought.   

While checking hunting activity in Hadley Township, CO Al Schwiderson stopped a
subject operating an ORV on the public roadway.  CO Schwiderson noted fresh blood
on the fenders of the ORV and asked the subject if he had harvested a deer lately. 
Further investigation yielded an untagged deer back at the subject's home.   

CO Al Schwiderson and Acting Sgt. Todd Szyska contacted several hunters, one of
whom furnished an antlerless tag with someone else's name on it.  Further investigation
yielded that the subject did not have any deer hunting licenses at all and had borrowed
the license from another.   

While on patrol, COs Ben Lasher and Ken Kovach observed a vehicle shining for deer.
When the COs activated their emergency lights the vehicle sped away.  The occupants
led the COs on a one mile pursuit until they finally were apprehended.  The four
subjects were in possession of a spotlight and a .22 magnum rifle with scope. The driver
was denied and revoked and had switched seats with one of the other passengers in
order to avoid extra charges. Charges will be sought for the felony flee and elude,
shining with weapon in possession/shine during the month of November and operate
while revoked.   
While checking hunters at St. John's Marsh, CO Todd Szyska contacted two male
subjects with a 12 year old.  The subjects had just come in to shore by boat.  CO
Szyska noted blood on both of the adults' hands.  The CO asked if the subjects had any
luck and they replied they had seen some deer but did not get any shots.  CO Szyska
asked again and they finally admitted that one of the two subjects had taken a doe.  The
subject who admitted to shooting the doe did not have an antlerless permit and stated
he had shot the animal to put food on his family's table.  The doe was approximately 50
pounds and was tucked down on the floor of the boat under the bench seats.   

CO Specialist Peggy Ruby responded to a call for assistance with a hunting accident. 
The subject was hunting in a tree stand with a large caliber handgun.  He also had four
handguns on his person.  He decided to check his scope and sighted in on a knot in a
tree.  He supported the handgun with his left hand and when he pulled the trigger, "all
hell broke loose".  The subject suffered cuts and scrapes to his index finger and split the
tip of his ring finger, nearly severing it.  He drove himself to the hospital and checked
into the emergency room.  Specialist Ruby gathered the information for the hunter
incident report and unloaded and secured the four handguns that were later turned over
to the subject's family.

Sgt. Arthur Green and CO Kris Kiel checked a location in Macomb County, following up
on a baiting complaint.  CO Kiel had checked the area several times but could not catch
anyone hunting.  On Sunday the COs contacted two hunters on the property. One
subject was hunting with a bow and the other was hunting over bait with a shotgun. 
Both subjects said they left their hunting licenses at the house.  After retrieving the
licenses it was found that neither one had a valid hunting license.  The first subject had
an archery license and the other one had a private land antlerless license for DMU 486.
Both were issued tickets for hunt deer no license and a warning was given for baiting.

While working a group patrol at Erie State Game Area, COs Mark Ennett and Danny
Walzak contacted an out of state hunter that was in an unmarked tree stand with screw-
in steps.  The subject was issued a ticket for the tree stand and given a warning for the
screw-in steps.

CO Brandon Kieft contacted four hunters at night who were dragging a button buck out
of the woods in the Bald Mountain Recreation Area.  The deer was untagged and none
of the hunters had a valid license to possess the deer.  The hunter who admitted to
killing the deer was ticketed for taking an antlerless deer without a license.  One of the
other hunters had three outstanding warrants for his arrest.   

CO Brandon Kieft conducted a foot patrol on private property known for trespass
problems.  CO Kieft located three hunters and escorted them off the property through a
nearby backyard.  While in the driveway, CO Kieft discovered a pickup truck with two
untagged antlerless deer in the back.  Two other hunters were contacted at the
residence and one of them admitted to killing both of the deer; however, he only had
one antlerless deer license.  The individual was also wanted on an outstanding warrant.
He was arrested and ticketed for taking an antlerless deer without a license and failure to immediately attach/validate his kill tag.  The deer was seized and restitution will be
sought.  Two other tickets were issued to the group of hunters for recreational trespass
and a licensing violation.

CO Kris Kiel contacted a subject after many attempts to locate him on a baiting
complaint.  CO Kiel observed a bait pile made up of 200 to 300 pounds of apples, corn,
carrots and beets at the rear of the subject's property.  After talking to him about the
bait, the subject said he was just returning from a hunting trip up north and he had shot
a deer.  CO Kiel checked the tag and found that it belonged to someone else. 
 
CO Kris Kiel observed a group of duck hunters on Lake St. Clair that had a boat rallying
ducks and chasing them toward a layout boat that had the shooters in it.  When CO Kiel
contacted the boaters, the driver of the boat stated that he'd been rallying ducks all day
and indicated he didn't know it was illegal.  Tickets were issued.   

CO John Borkovich responded to a call for search and rescue for two missing hunters in
the Black River area, one of whom had had a heart attack and was in need of medical
treatment.  CO Borkovich, a county deputy, and MSP trooper hiked into the secluded
area with a defibrillator unit.  The subjects were located as they were pointing a flash
light beam.  CO Borkovich and the other officers discovered that the subjects were okay
and the subject who had a heart attack appeared alert.  CO Borkovich called the fire
department via radio and a boat was brought in to the remote area to transport the
subjects out to safety.   

CO John Borkovich observed a vehicle driving around with an untagged antlerless deer
in the back.  CO Borkovich followed the vehicle which stopped at a large sporting goods
store.  CO Borkovich waited for the subject to exit the store and then contacted him
regarding the untagged antlerless deer.  The subject stated he had harvested the
antlerless deer in Sanilac County, realized he left his tags at home, and decided to stop
at a store to purchase the appropriate tag.  A check through RSS revealed the subject
had not purchased any antlerless permits and had lied to CO Borkovich.  Enforcement
action was taken.

CO Linda Scheidler responded to a complaint from a female caller that her ex-husband
had allowed their nine year old son to shoot a buck last year and their six year old son
to shoot a turkey last year.  The caller was alarmed because the ex-husband stated he
was going to allow the six year old to shoot a deer this year.  CO Scheidler responded
and interviewed the children with their mother present.  Both children admitted they had
taken game last year and that dad was going to let the six year old shoot a deer this
year.   

CO Ken Kovach responded to a RAP complaint of three untagged deer hanging at a
residence.  CO Kovach responded and found that all three bucks were legally tagged. 
One buck was from Michigan and the other two were from Illinois.  Unfortunately the two
trophy class Illinois bucks were imported into Michigan and were not deboned with the whole carcasses intact, a violation of law.  The deer were confiscated and transported
to MSU for disease testing.

CO Ken Kovach reports that a pending court case on an illegal harvesting of a 55 inch
sturgeon was finalized in the 72nd District Court this week.  The subject was ordered by
the judge to pay restitution of $1,500 dollars and receive a one year license revocation.

CO Mark Papineau responded to a complaint in Genesee Township of a subject who
trespassed on utility company property, harvested an eight point buck over a bait pile,
and dragged the deer illegally across railroad property.  CO Papineau responded and
found drag marks, blood, deer hair and a bait pile.  CO Papineau also discovered a dog
carcass partially covered in the vicinity.  The local police officers were able to obtain a
license plate from the subject's vehicle.  CO Papineau made contact and obtained a
confession from the subject about the trespass issues and the killing of the dog during
archery season.   

Sgt. Arthur Green conducted a group patrol with Area 1 COs Ben Shively, Brandon
Kieft, Mark Ennett, Jonathon Sklba and Kris Kiel.  As they were meeting to start the
patrol, CO Shively received a complaint from Novi Police Department officers who had
just booked and released two subjects who were hunting within the city limits in violation
of a local ordinance.  CO Shively was advised that the subjects had shot two does and
had shown the officer a firearm deer license and a combination license but no antlerless
licenses.  The COs went to the closest subject's address to search for the deer and as
they pulled into the driveway, they could see the deer hanging in the garage.  CO
Shively contacted both of the subjects at the residence and received a written
confession from one of them for shooting both of the does and also a button buck.  All
three deer were found hanging in the garage with no licenses attached and were
seized.  While checking the deer in the garage, CO Sklba located a rack lying in the
garage from the archery season with an unvalidated kill tag.  CO Sklba ticketed the
second subject for failing to validate his kill tag.   

COs Mark Ennett and Ben Shively encountered a hunter in the Highland Recreation
Area who had bags of sugar beets partially hidden in his vehicle.  They located him
sitting in an unmarked ground blind, under his unmarked tree stand, 50 yards away from
a second unmarked ground blind.  He was not wearing hunter orange until the COs
contacted him.  He was asked about the baiting and denied it even after CO Ennett
located his pile of beets some 30 yards away.  He claimed another hunter put those out,
but eventually confessed the bait was his.  CO Ennett ticketed him for the hunter orange
violation and warned him for the bait, ground blinds and the tree stand.

CO Mark Ennett contacted a baiting subject from a RAP complaint near South
Rockwood.  When confronted with the evidence, the subject tried to explain the
presence of the sugar beets by stating "the deer can take those things everywhere".  He
was implying that deer had dug up his garden and placed the sugar beets in a pile
underneath a tree stand and in front of a trail camera.  He then tried to explain that trespassers have been known to walk through his back yard and that maybe someone
else was hunting from his tree stand.   

As the result of a RAP complaint, CO Mark Ennett ticketed a homeowner for feeding
deer.  He had a ground blind and camera set up very close to his house.  He tried to
claim that he had moved into the house back in March and the feed had been there
since before he moved in.  CO Ennett explained the fresh carrots, new beets, and
nearly intact salt block were not that old, and gave him the ticket. 

CO Ben Shively was called to assist Oakland County deputies on a trespass complaint
in Milford Township.  CO Shively met with the deputy who stated the subject was
hunting behind a house and shot at a deer which ran onto the neighbor's property and
then shot at the deer while it was by the residence.  The complainant ran inside and
called 911 and when he came back out he saw the subject dragging the eight point
buck back onto the property where he had permission to hunt.  CO Shively found that
the subject was hunting within a safety zone, had failed to immediately attach a kill tag
to the deer, and had also trespassed by shooting the deer on another section of private
property where he had no permission to hunt.

While working a shining patrol, CO Ben Shively observed two vehicles head into an
area known for ORV activity.  CO Shively saw the subjects riding through the area and
watched as one truck broke down and was getting towed out.  As the truck was being
towed out, CO Shively conducted a traffic stop on both vehicles.  The driver of the
vehicle being towed had three warrants for his arrest.  Both drivers of the vehicles were
ticketed for ORV trespass.

CO Kris Kiel and Sgt. Arthur Green followed up on a RAP complaint from the previous
night of a deer that was shot at 11:00 p.m.  The COs interviewed the subject who
denied shooting the deer and stated he was not at home at the time.  CO Kiel told the
subject they would take a look around.  As they started to walk toward the side of the
garage, the subject informed them of sugar beets near the building.  He led them to the
beets and stated they had been there for three weeks.  CO Kiel asked for his ID and
waited while Sgt. Green walked the perimeter of the property.  Sgt. Green found two
piles of corn and a pile of apples.  As they completed the circle of the property, the COs
found an antlerless deer that had been gutted and dragged to the side of the garage. 
The subject finally admitted to shooting the deer the night before.   

COs Kris Kiel and Todd Szyska were working an area known for shining activity when
they saw a vehicle pull off the road and four people get out with flashlights and go into
the woods.  CO Kiel got out of the vehicle and moved to an observation point on foot. 
The subjects returned to the vehicle and gutted the deer they had retrieved.  CO Szyska
made a traffic stop on the vehicle and pointed out the blood on the tailgate to the driver. 
After questioning the subjects they revealed that one subject shot two six point bucks
and shot at an eight point buck that night but couldn't find it.  The second subject stated
he had shot a 10 point and an eight point and was later reminded about a six point he
shot.  It was also revealed that one of them had purchased two archery licenses and two firearm licenses and the other subject had bought one archery and two firearm
licenses.

[RynSmith]

"Enforcement action was taken" sounds so Orwellian.  What, were they made into Soylent Green?    :D

I can't decide which I liked better - the guy "burning the remains of his mobile home" or the one who put his fishing license on a deer.   

I'm looking forward to reading the second installment tomorrow, this is almost as good as the Darwin Awards!   ;D

[Tom]

I'm waiting for the one that reads:  CO Charlie Goodfellow saw a hunter straining to get his deer out of the woods, stopped, helped field dress the deer and put it in the back of Old Mr. Blocklayer's pickup.

[Jeff]

I'm waiting for the one that reads:  CO Charlie Goodfellow saw a hunter straining to get his deer out of the woods, stopped, helped field dress the deer and put it in the back of Old Mr. Blocklayer's pickup.

Well, the names were different, but this was one of the stories above:

CO Jason Wicklund was flagged down by an elderly hunter who was walking down a
remote county road.  The hunter was tracking a deer and became lost so the CO gave
him a ride to his camp.  The CO came back to the location and continued to follow the
blood trail and located the deer about an hour later.  The deer was brought back to the
camp to a very grateful hunter.

[Tom]

That makes me feel good. 

[ErikC]

  What a bunch of knuckleheads. That one about helping the elderly hunter was a nice change...Probably for the officer after all these idiots he deals with.

[jdtuttle]

Our DEC (Department of Environmental Conservation) officers have been busy in NY too. They put decoy deer out and wait for some "knuckleheads" to shoot em after dark. They nailed 17 so far. Had one in court here on monday. Cost him $1,700. & loss of hunting privleges for a few years. And we also had the usual dummy shoot my neighbors prize bull & tag it :(. He even admitted he thought it was a deer. I love to hunt & enjoy helping others learn about god sportsmanship. Seems like too many of them don't take the time to really enjoy being outside & close to nature. The work starts when you pull the trigger. But it's rewarding
jim

[CLL]

Had a city guy few years ago on his first DEER hunting trip shoot a big billy goat.

[ErikC]

  They have a motorized decoy that they use here some years. Every time they put it out they get a few roadhunters.

[Paul_H]

About 10 years ago they put one in a farmer's field and a logging truck driver put a couple holes in it.He was caught,fined and lost his rifle but the worst part was the razzing from the crew.
"say,Hap,what wine do you find goes well with your fibreglass deer?"
"was it a running shot or were you standing still?"
"wanna go hunting on the week end....oh thats' right,you can't anymore"

[Chris Burchfield]

You can't see them motorized deer's breath when it's cold outside. I've been worried deer would see my breath and run off.  :D :D :D Not that I've ever scoped one of them motorized ones.

Then, I've never figured out how people get shot in the woods. Some dumb folks out there that call themselves hunters.

[semologger]

Ive seen a dumby deer one time back when I was younger. Before everyone had cell phones. My dad and uncles were nothing but road hunters in their younger days. We seen it and looked at it and seen fellers hiding in the bushes. We drove off and i told dad we need to put up a sign. Well the only thing we had was a little debbie box so we took alll the snake cakes out and hung up the sign Dummy deer ahead. We didnt go back down that road. But my uncles did the wardens were stopping everyone a bit later asking who put up the sign and searching for a snack cakes in peoples truck. We just got a big kick out of it.

[Qweaver]

"CO Linda Scheidler responded to a complaint from a female caller that her ex-husband
had allowed their nine year old son to shoot a buck last year and their six year old son
to shoot a turkey last year.  The caller was alarmed because the ex-husband stated he
was going to allow the six year old to shoot a deer this year.  CO Scheidler responded
and interviewed the children with their mother present.  Both children admitted they had
taken game last year and that dad was going to let the six year old shoot a deer this
year."

I was born and raised in the hills of West Virginia and we were pretty poor.  We ate deer, squirrel, rabbit, turtle, fish, etc. when we could get them.
For my ninth birthday my dad bought me a new 22 rifle and after a lot of training and many supervised hunts, my dad gave me free access to my 22 and a 20 ga shotgun.  I hunted on and around our property whenever I could but only in season.  My neighbor friends of about my same age would often team-up to rabbit hunt with no adult supervision.  They were poor too and game was a welcome addition to the menu.  I was not hunting during my daughters young and teen years but I would have offered her the same opportunity if I had been able to.  So I don't see a problem in the quote above.
Quinton

   

[Fla._Deadheader]

Unfortunately, this is a prime example of "Disney Brainwashing " ???

Mothers against violence of any kind, does NOT prepare young people for the Cruel world they must face.

[Magicman]

If God had not intended for us to eat animals, He would not have made them out of meat..... digin1

[motohed]

I have to say this is cool! 8)

[isawlogs]

If God had not intended for us to eat animals, He would not have made them out of meat..... digin1

   Sure would not have given me six months of snow .  ;)  Dem vegies wilt after only a few days of it 

[Magicman]

Well that little messed up forky cull walked out this evening.  I had seen him on Nov. 18, the day before our season opened, and had not seen him again.  He'll be sausage now..... digin_2

[Raider]

Well in two more days the "Holli-die" hunt will start here in Wisconsin. I thinks the Gov. and DNR want the deer all gone :'( :'(. We use to have 2 or 3 day hunters choice, one deer. Now, not counting bow season, we are into our 5th type of season Most of our corn is getting harvested around here, seen some deer out of the corn. There are a few bucks that have lost horns already. It's nice seeing the 3 1/2 & 4 1/2 year old bucks while hunting instead of the 2 1/2 yr's old. Now if we can get them up to 5 1/2 & 6 1/2 wow... 8) 8) But you can't shoot a big buck if you shoot the first thing ya see.. Looking forward to our rabbit hunt'n and hounds on Yote's   Raider

[ErikC]

  Around here we spend a lot of time and shock collar batteries getting the hounds to leave coyotes alone. Ours are bear and cat dogs, also fox and coons once in a while. I'd like to hear about the coyote hunt, even though it's too late for mine to get in on it :D