poaching – Page 7 – Syndication Server

Rare white deer spotted in Wisconsin; can it be hunted?

A rare white deer was photographed in Wisconsin days before Saturday’s start of the gun deer-hunting season, which caused some to become concerned.

A rare white deer was photographed in northern Wisconsin just days before Saturday’s start of hunting season, which caused some to become concerned about the animal’s welfare.

Tracy Weese captured the image and it was shared to Facebook last Tuesday by the Vilas County Sheriff’s Office.

“An incredible sight to see here in Vilas County, a beautiful albino buck!” the agency wrote. “This majestic creature was spotted in the greater Boulder Junction area.”

One of the top comments reads, “It is truly magnificent to see. I would hope any hunter seeing this would NOT shoot it. It is so much more beautiful alive than on your wall.”

https://www.facebook.com/VilasCountySO/posts/2721769924741678

The gun hunting season for whitetail deer opened Saturday and runs through Nov. 29. Several comments on the Sheriff’s Office post were in reference to hunting and whether this buck is fair game.

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While Wisconsin does not allow the harvesting of true albino or leucistic deer (all white but without pink eyes), a few comments pertained to brown markings on a hind leg and the head of the buck in the photo.

Despite those markings, the deer in the photo is protected, Sarah Hoye, a spokeswoman for the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, told FTW Outdoors.

Hoye provided the state regulation: “Albino and white deer which have a coat of all white hair except that the hair on the tarsal glands, head or parts of the head may be a color other than white [are protected]. “White hair that has been discolored or stained by blood, soil or similar materials shall continue to be considered white hair.”

Tarsal glands are located on the inside of a deer’s hind legs and the coloration on the deer in the photo is likely caused by staining from those glands. The faint brown markings on the buck’s head might have been dirt or dried blood from the deer rubbing velvet off its antlers.

In any case, the deer is off-limits, but that does not necessarily mean it is safe.

Last year in Wisconsin, a hunter shot and killed an albino deer and subsequently turned himself in, claiming that he had fired after seeing only the brown of the deer’s head, before realizing the rest of the animal was white.

The hunting website, Wide Open Spaces, found fault with the hunter’s reasoning and added: “The remains of this deer were sent to a local taxidermist to be put on display to help other local hunters understand the difference between and albino and typical whitetail deer.”

–Image courtesy of Tracy Weese

Serial poacher appears on the loose in Oregon

Oregon wildlife officials appear to be hunting a serial poacher, and are using a K9 officer named Buck to sniff out clues.

The crimes are being committed in Lane County, and poaching victims include a black bear that had been decapitated, and several elk and deer that were left to waste.

“This is the worst I’ve ever seen,” Josh Wolcott, a Senior Trooper with Oregon State Police, stated in a news release issued Friday. “Things are happening all over Lane County right now. Every day is a new report.”

Wolcott and Buck, a yellow lab and the state’s only K9 officer, have been traveling to poaching sites where the dog can sniff evidence such as shell casings and gunpowder, and detect human scent.

But State Police and the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife are seeking public information that might reveal a suspect’s name or vehicle description.

The black bear carcass, discovered on private property outside Veneta, was missing its head, claws, and portions of meat. It might also have been missing its gall bladder.

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(Poachers sometimes kill bears for their gall bladders, which bring a high black-market price in Asian markets, where they’re sold for medicinal purposes.)

A partial list of animals that were poached was provided by the ODFW:

A black bear discovered on Roseburg Forest Products property outside of Veneta. The bear was likely poached about Oct 13. The head, claws, portions of backstrap meat and portions of leg meat were removed. The remainder of the bear was left to waste.
A doe deer discovered on National Forest Property near Fall Creek. The deer was likely poached on or about Oct 14. No meat was taken; the doe was left to waste.
A doe deer discovered along US Forest Service Road 2118 near Hills Creek Reservoir. The deer was likely poached on Oct 14 or 15. No meat was taken; the doe was left to waste.
A buck deer discovered on private property near Lowell. The deer was likely poached during the night of Oct 15 or early morning hours of Oct 16. No meat was taken; the buck was left to waste.
A spike buck deer discovered near High Pass Road. The buck was likely poached on or about Oct 16. The buck was field-dressed and left to waste.
A doe discovered in the Veneta area. It was likely poached on or about Oct 18.

Many of the carcasses were discovered after calls to the state’s Turn in Poachers (TIP) line, and it remains unclear whether the list has grown during the investigation. But authorities are exasperated and hopeful for leads.

Said ODFW Wildlife Division Administrator Doug Cottam:

“There are available and inexpensive opportunities to legally harvest a deer or bear to eat in Oregon. There is no excuse for poaching. I am very concerned about people who kill wild animals just to satisfy their desire to kill something.”

–Black bear and elk images are generic

Wolf poacher lands in jail, loses hunting privileges for life

A Michigan man accused of several wildlife violations, including the poaching of 18 gray wolves, has been sentenced to 90 days in jail as part of a plea agreement.

Kurt Johnston Duncan, 56, also will lose hunting and trapping privileges permanently in Michigan and all 48 states that are members of the Interstate Wildlife Violator Compact.

Duncan, of Pickford, pleaded guilty on Sept. 24 to seven crimes, including three counts of illegal take and the possession of wolves; three counts of illegal take and possession of bald eagles, and one count of illegal commercialization of a protected species (wolf).

Additionally, Chippewa County District Court Judge Eric Blubaugh sentenced Duncan to pay $27,000 as reimbursement for the animals he killed, and $9,240 in court fees.

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources described the case as “historical” for the agency and state in a news release issued Wednesday.

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Gary Hagler, Chief of the DNR Law Enforcement Division, added: “We hope this poaching case acts as a deterrent to criminals for committing future wildlife crimes such as this.

“Our officers did an excellent job working as a team and building this investigation so it could move quickly through the criminal justice system.”

The months-long investigation of Duncan identified 125 wildlife misdemeanor crimes involving other animals, including deer, bobcat, and turkeys.

Duncan was ordered to forfeit all items, including firearms and snares, seized during the execution of search warrants.

–Generic gray wolf images are courtesy of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Anglers nabbed with illegal striped bass haul, face steep fines

Two New Jersey anglers face possible fines of more than $12,000 apiece after being apprehended in possession of 66 undersize striped bass.

Two New Jersey anglers face possible fines of more than $12,000 apiece after being apprehended recently while in possession of 66 undersize Atlantic striped bass.

The New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife announced the March 30 bust Tuesday, saying the unidentified men were arrested by Conservation Police after returning to a private dock after an all-night fishing spree off Atlantic City.

“Earlier in the evening, they drew attention to themselves when officers observed them running their vessel at high rates of speed from various fishing locations under the cover of darkness and fog without any navigation lights,” NJDFW stated in a news release.

“Despite the conditions, and losing sight of the vessel on multiple occasions, officers utilized their intimate knowledge of the area to relocate and ultimately inspect the vessel.”

On the vessel were gross over-limits of fish that were too small to be legally harvested. State regulations (since changed) allowed for the take of one fish from 28 inches to less than 43 inches, and one fish 43 inches or greater per person.

The 66 striped bass measured between 13 and 24 inches.

The NDFW stated that undersize and over-limit violations “carry a penalty of $100 per fish/per violation, adding up to a potential of $12,800 in penalties for each angler.”

The men also were charged with unsafe vessel operation and operating a power boat without a valid registration or appropriate safety gear.

Their fishing gear was seized for evidence and might be permanently confiscated “due to the severity of the violations.”

–Image courtesy of the New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife

Poacher of trophy deer faces felony, big fine by less than an inch

A man in Utah was charged with a felony for illegally killing a deer, whose antler spread measurement made a huge difference in restitution.

A 29-year-old man was charged with a felony after he was discovered having illegally killed a mule deer whose antler spread was a half-inch longer than the minimum length used for restitution for a Utah trophy deer.

In the Fifth District Court in Salt Lake City, Ethan Lebaron was charged with wanton destruction of protected wildlife by using spotlights at night to kill the deer, in this case a third-degree felony. He was also charged with a tagging requirement violation, a class B misdemeanor, the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources announced. Charges are still being considered for the two men who were with Lebaron.

A preliminary hearing for Lebaron is scheduled for March 24. His initial court appearance was Feb 4.

A buck whose antler spread measures 24 inches or more makes it a trophy and illegally killing one a felony-level offense. It calls for a minimum restitution of $8,000. Lebaron’s deer measured 24.5 inches. Had it been under 24 inches, it would have been a Class A misdemeanor and the restitution would have been a minimum of $400.

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“Because Utahans value wildlife so highly, convicted poachers face steep consequences,” the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources states on its website. “In addition to paying fines and restitution, poachers may also face jail time, the confiscation of hunting equipment and the loss of hunting and fishing privileges in multiple states.”

Lebaron was discovered by conservation officers using archery equipment and a spotlight to shoot and kill a buck deer near Quichapa Canyon in Iron County at around 10:30 p.m. on Aug. 20.

A witness had called the UTIP hotline to report seeing spotlights in the dark because it was archery deer hunting season and the witness worried illegal hunting was occurring. Hunting deer at night is illegal, as is wasting game.

Two conservation officers arrived on scene and found three men and the dead deer. Because the animal had not been field dressed, the meat had spoiled and was unable to be donated.

Photo courtesy of the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources.

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