District 1 counties of service: Baraga, Dickinson, Gogebic, Houghton, Iron, Keweenaw, Marquette, Menominee, Ontonagon.
Conservation Officer (CO) Ethen Mapes responded to a report of an intoxicated individual who had wandered into the enclosed porch of a residence and passed out. The homeowner advised that the man was breathing but wasn’t welcome there. Upon arrival, CO Mapes found the homeowner helping the intoxicated stranger into a vehicle to give the man a ride home. CO Mapes then followed the two around the block to another house where he and the homeowner helped the man back into his own house. No charges were requested by the homeowner.
CO Jenni Lehto assisted the Michigan State Police (MSP) with a snowmobile fatality investigation in Bessemer Township. The operator failed to negotiate a turn, missed the corner, and struck a post.
CO Byron Parks and Sergeant (Sgt.) Marc Pomroy received information on a trophy deer that was shot the day after the close of muzzle loader season in Houghton County. An investigation into the deer revealed that the subject had shot the 14-point buck with a crossbow. Crossbows are prohibited in the Upper Peninsula in December, without a medical exception permit. The crossbow and buck were seized, and charges are being sought with the Houghton County Prosecutor’s Office.
In Menominee County, CO Steve Sajtar responded to a report of a home invasion that was in progress. The suspect was reported to be on parole for prior charges of home invasion, distribution of methamphetamine (meth), and assault on an officer. CO Sajtar arrived on scene and located the suspect behind a neighboring house. CO Sajtar interviewed the suspect and determined the suspect had forced entry into the victim’s house and committed larceny while inside. The suspect was also found in possession of suspected meth. The suspect was detained and eventually arrested for first degree home invasion and possession of suspected meth.
While conducting a commercial meat processor inspection in Menominee County, CO Steve Sajtar located a deer with a suspicious kill tag attached. The kill tag was purchased only a few hours prior to CO Sajtar conducting an inspection. CO Sajtar interviewed the suspect at his residence a couple days later. The suspect admitted to shooting the 8-point antlered deer without a license and transporting the untagged deer approximately 30 miles to his residence. The suspect later purchased a kill tag and dropped off the unlawfully taken deer at the commercial processor. CO Sajtar seized the 8-point antlered deer from the processor. The suspect admitted to shooting the deer with his uncle’s rifle. When CO Sajtar arrived at the suspect’s uncle’s residence to seize the rifle as evidence, a large pile of bait exceeding two gallons was observed in plain view. After seizing the rifle used to shoot the 8-point antlered deer, CO Sajtar issued the suspect’s uncle a citation for baiting deer with more than two gallons. A report was submitted to the Menominee County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office.
CO Alex VanWagner contacted a vehicle that was road hunting in Iron County on the last day of muzzleloader deer season. The vehicle had two occupants and CO VanWagner talked with them about their hunting season. Upon checking the vehicle for firearms, there was an uncased muzzleloader in the front seat. The violation was addressed with the subjects, and the driver was issued a citation for the uncased firearm in a motor vehicle.
COs Anna Viau and Jennifer Lehto participated in Shop with a Cop at Walmart in Ironwood. Approximately 53 needy kids teamed up with 25 officers from various agencies to shop for Christmas gifts for themselves and their family members.
COs Cody Smith, Olivia Haerr and John Kamps attended the annual Marquette “Shop with a Cop” event. Together with other agencies, the COs helped nearly 60 kids shop for their family members. CO Smith was excited to shop with a kid he helped last year. The two caught up and talked about the year’s events while shopping for his mom and sisters. CO Haerr attended for her first time and looks forward to returning to assist in the future.
Sgt. Mark Leadman attended a Forsyth Forward event where ice fishing was the main topic. A local ice fishing outfitter discussed ice fishing techniques while Sgt. Leadman covered ice safety. The group was reminded about all ice safety tips and conditions along with what equipment they should take out on the ice with them.
District 2 counties of service: Alger, Chippewa, Delta, Mackinac, Luce, Schoolcraft.
While on patrol, CO Justin Vinson received a call about a hunter blocking a roadway with his vehicle. Upon his arrival, CO Vinson recognized the vehicle from a previous trespass issue on commercial forest land (CFL). CO Vinson contacted the suspect, told him his vehicle would need to be moved, and asked about driving around a berm on CFL. The suspect confessed to driving around the berm and blocking the roadway. A report is being compiled and will be sent to the Mackinac County Prosecutor’s Office.
CO Mike Olesen was contacted by the Michigan Department of Corrections (MDOC) in Kincheloe regarding a bobcat that had climbed a perimeter fence. CO Olesen, along with MDOC staff, used conduit pipes to motivate the bobcat to move. The bobcat traversed a long distance on top of the fence until it was able to get onto the roof of a building. The bobcat then made it onto the ground where MDOC and DNR Wildlife Division staff shoo it off MDOC grounds.
While on patrol in Delta County, CO Mathew Bowser observed a subject coming off a frozen lake with an all-terrain vehicle (ATV) and sled. CO Bowser approached the subject and asked if he had been fishing. The man replied that he had been fishing and had caught his limit of walleye. The angler opened his bucket and pulled out eight walleye, which was three over his daily limit. CO Bowser issued a citation for the over-limit. CO Bowser then seized the over-limit of walleye and gave them to a family in need.
While on patrol in Delta County, CO Matthew Bowser was requested by a sheriff’s deputy to assist him in serving an arrest warrant for an individual making terrorist threats. CO Bowser and the sheriff’s department, along with Michigan State Police (MSP), went to the suspect’s residence and took the individual into police custody without incident.
CO Steve Butzin responded to a call of a stranded motorist in Wells Township. Upon arrival, CO Butzin and an MSP trooper discovered the van had broken down along the side of the busy highway. One occupant was handicapped and unable to be removed from the van at its current location. CO Butzin and the MSP trooper pushed the van to the nearby Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Customer Service Center where the passenger could safely be unloaded from the vehicle. CO Butzin assisted the occupants into the DNR office where they could stay warm until a plan was put together. The office staff were excited to have guests and even offered Christmas cookies. After the van was taken to a repair shop a handicapped accessible bus was called to the office to give the occupants a ride home.
District 3 counties of service: Alpena, Antrim, Cheboygan, Charlevoix, Emmet, Montmorency, Otsego, Presque Isle.
CO Nathan Beelman responded to a reported double kill during the elk season. A juvenile hunter had shot at and hit two separate elk after mistaking the second elk for the one that had been previously hit. The second one that was shot, died soon after being hit and the first one was tracked for approximately 1.2 miles before the track was called off. The juvenile hunter and his father were educated on the importance of target identification which would have eliminated the issue.
COs Chad Baldwin and Nathan Beelman investigated a complaint about possible road hunting occurring in Charlevoix County. After speaking with the complainants, the COs located and interviewed the suspects at their residence. Multiple deer were found in a sled as well as the remains of another in a trash barrel. The COs gathered all the kill tags from the harvested deer, some of which were said to be taken from state land that morning and other ones, days earlier. None of the kill tags were validated and the hunters stated they had taken multiple deer throughout the season although none had been registered. The COs issued multiple tickets for possessing deer without validated kills tags and walked the hunters through the deer registration process until all deer were registered.
CO Andrea Albert has been doing follow up on meat processor records and deer harvest reports. Many hunters are not registering their harvest as required by law and she has been issuing tickets for the violations.
CO Adam LeClerc was on patrol during the split waterfowl season in the middle zone. While checking a group of hunters, it was discovered that a hunter was hunting waterfowl with an unplugged shotgun. A ticket was issued for the above violation.
CO Evan White observed a house cat that had been caught in a foothold trap while on patrol. CO White released the cat, and it ran off into the woods. CO White checked the trap, and the trapper was compliant with all trapping laws. This was an incidental catch.
COs Dan Liestenfeltz and Tyler Owen were on patrol when they contacted an elk hunter on a county road in Cheboygan County. The hunter had a hunt from a standing vehicle permit (HSVP). However, another passenger, who did not have a HSVP, was in possession of an uncased rifle, which is not legal. A ticket was issued.
COs Sidney Lalonde, Jon Sheppard, and Tyler Owen responded to Canada Creek Ranch in Montmorency County for an elk hunter who accidentally shot two bull elk. The COs seized the second bull and gathered evidence at the scene. A report will be submitted to the prosecutor’s office.
CO Jon Sklba participated in a multi-agency lock down drill for local schools in Presque Isle County. CO Sklba practiced and coordinated active threat response and training with other local law enforcement agencies.
COs Jon Sklba, Tim Rosochacki, and Sgt. Paul Fox responded to a medical call of an elk hunter in Cheboygan County. The subject was extremely dehydrated and suffered from hypothermia. COs Rosochacki and Sklba were able to determine the location of the subject. CO Sklba located and transported the subject to a waiting ambulance. Sgt. Fox coordinated with the EMS unit on location and where to stage. The ambulance was guided to the area which was in the Pigeon River State Forest. Sgt. Fox then escorted the ambulance out of the area, which was experiencing blizzard-like weather and poor road conditions.
CO Jon Sheppard responded to a nearby gunshot while patrolling Montmorency County during the December elk season. CO Sheppard contacted several subjects including one elk hunter who said he had a cow only tag. They said that they shot at an elk on the top of a ridge but couldn’t find any blood. CO Sheppard climbed the ridge and checked the area where the elk was spotted. CO Sheppard noticed elk hair, then followed the tracks from that location until he found blood a short distance from the hair. CO Sheppard saw a bull elk with blood on its abdomen approximately 40 yards away. Because that wound would eventually be fatal, the elk was tracked and dispatched by CO Sheppard. The elk was necropsied, with a bullet recovered. The elk was donated, and charges are being sought through the Montmorency County Prosecutor's Office. CO Sheppard was assisted by COs Matt Theunick, Dan Liestenfeltz, and Jon Sklba.
District 3 COs were busy during the December elk season. The COs were busy handling wounded elk calls and following up with harvest locations. Other complaints including land use violations, hunter harassment, failure to report wounded elk, and road blocking were investigated.
District 4 counties of service: Benzie, Grand Traverse, Lake, Leelanau, Manistee, Mason, Mecosta, Newaygo, Oceana, Wexford.
CO Charlie Jones was on patrol when he received a complaint of trespassing on Mitchell Creek, which is a Type 1 trout stream and closed to fishing. Upon arrival, CO Jones observed two subjects on a dock, and one was fishing. Upon further investigation, it was determined that the subject who was fishing had been previously trespassed from that location. A report was submitted to the Grand Traverse Prosecutor’s Office for review.
COs Will Kinney and Josh Wright investigated a report of an ORV trespass that occurred in Wexford County. It was reported to CO Kinney that the neighbor of the complainant had been caught on a trail camera driving his ORV through their property. The suspect had been told repeatedly over the years he was not allowed on the property. He was later interviewed and admitted to being on the property but claimed to have been looking for a deer shot by his brother. A report was generated and submitted to the Wexford County Prosecutor’s Office for review.
CO Josiah Killingbeck was woken up in the middle of the night by Lake County Dispatch reporting two snowmobilers missing. CO Killingbeck was requested to assist in searching. CO Killingbeck assisted in a multi-agency search. Using his department issued snowmobile, CO Killingbeck searched snowmobile trails, along with the Lake County Sheriff’s Department. Evidence led searchers to a nearby lake. It was determined both snowmobiles had gone through the ice, and the operators were found deceased.
CO Tim Barboza received a complaint of a neighbor taking a 14-point buck off the complainant’s corn field. CO Barboza interviewed the suspect who admitted to going into the neighbor’s field to retrieve his buck and his nephew’s spike buck, that he shot two more times while in the caller’s field. The suspect admitted to CO Barboza that the deer were not tagged until they were in the barn and that he put the sugar beets out. A report is being submitted to the prosecutor’s office for review.
CO Tim Barboza heard a radio call for an overdose. CO Barboza assisted the Sheriff’s deputy on scene and located a female unresponsive on her bed. CO Barboza provided Narcan which the deputy administered to the victim. EMS arrived on scene and CO Barboza helped gain an airway for the victim while the deputy provided breaths utilizing the bag valve mask. A second dose of Narcan was administered by the deputy. CO Barboza assisted loading the patient into the ambulance where she was then transported to Butterworth hospital in Grand Rapids.
CO Tim Barboza responded to a call with two victims suffering from stabbing wounds. CO Barboza responded to the scene and located the two victims while deputies located and arrested the suspect. CO Barboza treated one male who had sustained injuries to his hand while fending off his attacker. CO Barboza also treated a female on scene who he placed in his truck to warm up. The female then began having a seizure. The female came out of the seizure and CO Barboza tried to help calm her down as she was beginning to have a panic attack. Both victims were loaded into the ambulance. CO Barboza discovered there was another unaccounted-for male who had run away when the knife was pulled. CO Barboza assisted the sheriff’s department in searching a nearby barn where the male was possibly hiding. The officers located the male hiding in a pig pen and took him into custody on multiple warrants.
District 5 counties of service: Alcona, Arenac, Clare, Crawford, Gladwin, Iosco, Kalkaska, Missaukee, Ogemaw, Osceola, Oscoda, Roscommon.
CO Craig Neal was patrolling in Arenac County when he observed a truck traveling well over the posted speed limit, crossing the center line, with numerous deer visible in the bed. CO Neal conducted a traffic stop. The driver stated they were transporting the deer to donate through a State Farm Insurance program. CO Neal verified that all 10 antlerless deer were properly tagged. While checking tags, CO Neal asked about the firearms. The driver removed a rifle that was partially cased and not zipped. When instructed to open the action, a live round was ejected from the chamber. The driver was cited for transporting a loaded firearm in a motor vehicle.
CO Josh Russell was on patrol in Gladwin County when he observed a snowmobile zig zagging down the middle of the road. CO Russell conducted a traffic stop on the snowmobile. The operator stepped off the snowmobile and told CO Russell, “You got me.” The operator was not wearing a helmet, and the snowmobile had not been registered since 1999. CO Russell issued citations for the violations.
CO Jeff Goss continues to actively work a follow up investigation related to a search warrant he initiated after investigating three individuals over several years for multiple illegally taken deer. The investigation involves numerous violations, multiple deer, and a prolonged pattern of unlawful activity.
CO Brad Bellville and Kyle Bader represented the DNR Law Enforcement Division at the West Branch Walmart Shop with a Hero event where they assisted children in picking out Christmas presents.
CO Casey Pullum responded to a report of a house fire with a person still inside attempting to retrieve pets. Upon arrival, an Oscoda County deputy was on scene, smoke was observed coming from the peak of the residence and dogs were outside the home. CO Pullum entered the smoke-filled residence and located the male homeowner in the rear of the home near the bedrooms covering his mouth with a cloth while attempting to locate his cat. CO Pullum escorted the homeowner outside the residence. Due to difficulty breathing, EMS was requested. The homeowner was evaluated and ultimately refused transport to the hospital. The fire was extinguished by the fire department, and the cat was later located alive and unharmed.
CO Nico Luna was contacted regarding a possible illegal deer near the Oscoda-Ogemaw County border in Rose City. CO Luna located an address for the suspect and contacted the individual. The elderly woman admitted to purchasing deer tags for her son to use after he had already illegally harvested a deer. Upon further investigation and contact with the son, CO Luna obtained a confession for killing a deer without a license. Further investigation revealed the individual had submitted a deer harvest report in 2022 and admitted to doing the same thing. Charges will be sought.
CO Tyler Sabuda responded to an assault in progress. Upon arrival, the parties involved were separated with one individual bleeding. The individual became unconscious, and CO Sabuda rendered first aid to stop the bleeding. The subject regained consciousness and was transported to the hospital by ambulance for further treatment. Following the investigation, the individual was arrested for assault by the MSP after receiving medical treatment.
CO Tyler Sabuda observed ORV tracks in the snow creating an unauthorized trail through state land. CO Sabuda positioned himself along the trail and observed the ORV exiting the woods after legal hunting hours. Upon contacting the three individuals on the ORV, CO Sabuda located three loaded rifles. Citations were issued.
CO Jeff Panich was patrolling Alpena County when he observed a couple watching intently as his patrol vehicle passed their residence. CO Panich noticed a deer hanging without a visible tag and pulled into the driveway. The female contacted CO Panich before he exited his vehicle and stated her husband was in town with the deer tags. CO Panich observed two additional deer and all three deer lacking proper tags. A short time later, the male subject arrived and was asked to produce the tags. After searching his pockets, he advised CO Panich that he must have thrown them away. CO Panich seized the deer and donated them to a nearby charity. Charges are being sought through the Alpena County Prosecutor’s Office.
CO Kyle Cherry observed a snowmobile operating on the wrong side of a county road in Missaukee County with an expired registration and trail permit. During the traffic stop, the operator was unable to produce valid documentation, admitted his driver’s license had been revoked for approximately 20 years, and was found to have an out-of-range arrest warrant. A licensing check confirmed no valid trail permit had been purchased. The operator was cited for operating while revoked and failing to obtain a trail permit and was advised and released on the warrant.
While assisting a snowmobiler who was recovering his broken-down snowmobile, Sgt. Brian Olsen stopped two snowmobiles with no registration stickers and trail stickers. The owner advised he had not ridden in several years and wanted to ride while the snow conditions were good. Sgt. Olsen issued the owner a citation for operating a snowmobile without trail stickers and advised him to bring all registrations and permits up to date.
COs Matt Zultak and Ben McAteer responded to a complaint of a subject taking an antlerless deer without a license. During the interview, CO Zultak obtained a confession regarding the illegal taking of a doe and a 5-point buck using another individual’s license. The violations of taking deer without a license and borrowing another license were addressed, and enforcement action was taken.
CO James Garrett located a vehicle associated with a baited hunting stand in Roscommon County. In frigid conditions, CO Garrett followed suspect tracks toward the US-127 expressway where the tracks crossed a fence line and continued along the limited access highway for approximately three quarters of a mile before turning back toward higher ground in a swamp. Along the trail, CO Garrett located a backpack and an area where bait was being staged. A short distance later, CO Garrett contacted a hunter in a brush blind. The hunter was found to be hunting over bait, without required hunter orange, and had multiple unmarked tree stands on state land that had not been removed. Enforcement action was taken.
District 6 counties of service: Bay, Gratiot, Huron, Isabella, Midland, Montcalm, Saginaw, Sanilac, Tuscola.
While patrolling in Huron County during a white out, CO Cody Simmons observed an ORV operating on M-53 in the middle of the roadway going greater than 25 mph. As the ORV passed CO Simmons, he also observed the operator did not have any eye protection. A stop was conducted, and CO Simmons issued a citation for the safety violation of no eye protection and warned the operator for the misdemeanor offenses. CO Simmons educated the operator, helped plan a route home by not going down the highway, and then made sure the operator made it off the highway safely.
While checking ice fishing anglers at the Caseville break wall, CO Cody Simmons encountered an angler who was unable to provide his fishing license upon request. A citation was issued for failing to exhibit fishing license.
CO Jacob Robinson was on patrol in Montcalm County when he witnessed a subject operating an ORV down a county road without a helmet. The CO conducted a traffic stop, and further investigation revealed a crossbow in the ORV as he was heading out to hunt. While talking with the subject, he was unable to provide hunting licenses or a valid driver's license. A citation was issued for the ORV violation, and a warning was given for the operation of the ORV without a valid driver’s license along with an education on the need to possess a valid deer hunting license (kill tag) for hunting deer.
CO Michael Lator received a Report All Poaching (RAP) complaint in Isabella County about a trespassing incident. The CO investigated the complaint at the properties involved and located evidence of a dead deer that had been dragged from the complainant’s property to the suspect’s property. Through thorough investigation, CO Lator learned the suspect had taken the deer over a large bait pile, then trespassed onto the neighboring property to retrieve the deer. CO Lator seized the deer and donated it to a local processor where it will be processed and given to the county soup kitchen to provide meals for families in need. A report will be submitted to the prosecutor’s office seeking several charges.
District 7 counties of service: Allegan, Barry, Berrien, Cass, Kalamazoo, Kent, Muskegon, Ottawa, St Joseph, Van Buren.
CO Travis Dragomer investigated a trespassing complaint in Berrien County. CO Dragomer contacted the suspect and located two small antlered deer, a 6-point and a 5-point. The 5-point was tagged improperly and taken illegally on private land. Multiple citations were issued, and the deer was seized as evidence.
While on patrol in St. Joseph County, CO Alex Peters went to check a cove of Portage Lake that freezes early and had ice fishing activity. When CO Peters pulled in, two anglers were pulling sleds back to their trucks. CO Peters conducted a fish check and one of the anglers was over-limit on panfish. The suspect stated that he thought he had his limit but did not count them. CO Peters issued a citation and seized the fish that were over-limit. CO Peters donated those fish to another angler.
COs Jackie Postema and Rob Slick responded to a search and rescue incident in Muskegon County. 911 reported that a mountain biker had been injured while riding the Mosquito Creek trails and needed assistance. CO Postema assisted the Egelston Township Fire Department with her snowmobile. She and fire personnel responded by riding the trail system to locate the subject. CO Slick and Sgt. Jeff Ginn responded to the area but were unable to respond beyond the snowmobile trail system, which ran adjacent to the mountain bike trail. They were assisted by a group of snowmobilers who loaned their sleds to the COs to respond. CO Slick and Sgt. Ginn were able to locate the injured cyclist and administer first aid. CO Postema and first responders arrived to assist. The Muskegon County Sheriff’s Department was able to transport a paramedic in from the roadway to their location. Once the patient was administered medication, he was loaded into a stokes basket and carried out of the remote wooded area. He was loaded into the patrol truck and driven to a nearby roadway and transferred to an ambulance. The patient was transported to a local hospital for treatment.
District 8 counties of service: Branch, Calhoun, Clinton, Eaton, Hillsdale, Ingham, Ionia, Jackson, Shiawassee.
CO Wes Butler was on patrol when he was passed by a driver on the highway who was driving very erratically and at a very high rate of speed. CO Butler pulled the driver over so he could address the issue. CO Butler explained that the reason he was pulled over was due to the excessive speed of over 100 mph and he could not maintain his lane of travel. The man tried to apologize and stated he was just on his way home from work. Upon running the subject’s license plate, it was discovered his license plate has been expired for almost a year. CO Butler issued the man a citation for speeding, careless driving, and an expired license plate.
CO Wes Butler was checking ice anglers on Muskrat Lake when he checked an angler who appeared to have caught several fish. CO Butler asked the angler how many fish he had. The man said, “Oh I don’t know, probably close to 20”. As the man was counting the fish, CO Butler realized the subject had an over-limit of panfish. CO Butler told the man to throw all his fish outside his shanty so he could get an exact count on his fish. After CO Butler instructed the man to throw his fish outside the shanty, he proceeded to throw a fish back into the water. CO Butler firmly told the man not to throw the fish back. After counting the fish, CO Butler discovered the man possessed three fish over the legal daily limit. CO Butler seized the fish and issued him a citation for possessing an over-limit of panfish.
CO Nick Thornton was on patrol and noticed two deer hanging from a tree with plastic bags covering the deer tags. CO Thornton thought this was unusual as the Michigan deer tags are quite waterproof. CO Thornton contacted the hunter at that residence and inquired about his recent hunting success. CO Thornton noticed the individual began to give contradicting accounts of his hunt and recent harvest of both antlerless deer. Further questioning and investigation revealed the individual shot both antlerless deer without any deer tags and went to the store after harvesting both deer to buy his tags. Both deer were seized, and charges are being sought for taking deer with no license.
CO Nick Thornton responded with emergency and rescue units to an ice shanty that had fallen through the ice. Fortunately, they learned the angler was not in the shanty, however, failing to remove your shanty from a lake when the ice melts is a violation of the Fisheries Order. CO Thornton cited the owner of the shanty for failing to remove the shanty before the ice melts.
CO Cody Longrey observed a hunter shooting at an antlerless deer with a firearm without wearing any hunter orange. The hunter then placed his firearm in the back of a side-by-side and began driving. During the investigation, it was discovered the hunter had two antlerless deer loaded in the back of his vehicle with no tags attached. The hunter was educated on the hunter orange violation and uncased firearm on an ORV. Enforcement action was taken on the hunter for failing to immediately attach his kill tags.
While on patrol, CO Jeremy Beavers received a complaint that a subject was baiting an area along the Flat River to hunt waterfowl. CO Beavers spoke with the complainant who advised that a subject was baiting near the spillway of a dam north of Lowell in Kent County. During his investigation, CO Beavers spoke with Kent County CO Justin Ulberg about the complaint. CO Beavers learned that CO Ulberg also received information about baiting at the same location. The next day, the COs met at the location to look for bait, but nothing was found. CO Ulberg checked the location during a later patrol and once again nothing was found and no one was hunting. CO Beavers checked the location a third time and heard shots as he approached the location indicating that someone was likely hunting. CO Beavers checked the location that he and CO Ulberg were told was baited but nobody was there, and no bait was seen. He walked downstream and eventually contacted two hunters. As he checked the hunters, CO Beavers asked if the location was baited. One hunter admitted to baiting previously but stated there is currently nothing there. CO Beavers walked around the hunting location and found numerous spots on the riverbed that contained shelled corn. The hunter who admitted to previously baiting stated he checked the area and thought all bait had washed away and it was safe to hunt. The hunters shot four ducks over the baited location, and they were seized by the CO. The hunters were cited for the violations found during the investigation.
COs Mark Reffitt and Jeremy Beavers were patrolling the eastern side of Ionia County when they received an in-progress complaint of an individual possibly road hunting in Clinton County. The COs headed to the reported location and contacted the driver of a vehicle matching the description provided in the complaint. Upon questioning, the subject admitted to having shot a deer around the time of the complaint. During their investigation, CO Reffitt located a partially cased rifle within the driver’s reach inside the vehicle, openly visible from the back window, and a fully uncased shotgun. During a subsequent search, CO Beavers found a loaded AR-style .223 caliber rifle. After securing the firearms, the COs followed up on the subject’s claim that he did not shoot from the truck but instead had walked out onto property that he had permission to hunt. The landowner arrived and confirmed his permission to be there, but during the investigation it was found that the subject had also trespassed on two adjacent parcels while attempting to recover the deer. The subject was cited for the improper transportation of firearms in a motor vehicle and received warnings for recreational trespassing and failure to report previous deer harvests.
District 9 counties of service: Genesee, Lapeer, Livingston, Macomb, Oakland, St. Clair.
CO Griffin Korican received a complaint of an individual who self-reported harvesting an antlered deer during late antlerless firearm season. Upon contacting the individual, CO Korican questioned the hunter as to what caused the mistake to occur. After several questions, CO Korican determined the incident was an honest mistake. The hunter was cited for a tagging violation, and the deer was donated to a local processor for dispersal to needy families.
District 10 counties of service: Lenawee, Monroe, Washtenaw, Wayne.
CO Joel Hill was on patrol in Wayne County checking ice anglers at the Lake Erie Metropark Marina. CO Hill checked many anglers who were having some luck with panfish. CO Hill checked a duo of anglers in a shanty at the marina. The owner of the shanty presented his identification and fishing license upon request. His partner was unable to produce either and stated that he did have a valid fishing license for the year. After CO Hill checked the state license system, it was discovered that the individual did not have a valid fishing license. The subject was cited for failing to exhibit a fishing license.
CO Joel Hill was patrolling the Pointe Mouille State Game Area (SGA) checking small game hunters. CO Hill encountered a group leaving the Pheasants Forever field on Roberts Road. While checking the group, one individual was found to be in possession of lead shot in the posted “Non-Toxic Shot Only” area. The individual was issued a citation of the violation.
CO Andrew Werth and Sgt. Pete Purdy conducted a wildlife patrol at Pointe Mouillee SGA. The COs observed two hunters starting to pack up their equipment in a parking lot near The Pheasants Forever Field. The COs contacted the hunters to see if they had any luck, conduct a license check, and make sure the hunters were using non-toxic shells while hunting upland birds at Pointe Mouillee SGA. Both hunters were found to be using a mix of different toxic shot shells while hunting upland birds which is a violation of the game area. The hunters were both issued a citation for their infraction.
CO Andrew Werth received a call about a hunter possibly hunting inside the managed corn units at Pointe Mouillee SGA on a non-managed draw hunting day. The CO drove over to the last known location where the individual was claimed to be hunting at. The CO observed the individual actively hunting and sitting along the managed zone line in the Nelson Unit. Although the individual was not in the managed corn units, he was still well within the retrieval zone which is off-limits to hunting or shooting from. Contact was made with the hunter who knew that he was well within the retrieval zone and that he should not have been hunting there. The hunter was cited for hunting within a retrieval zone.
CO Andrew Werth conducted a marine and waterfowl patrol at Pointe Mouillee SGA. The CO contacted one lone vessel with four hunters on board who hardly had any luck out on the big water. The owner of the vessel only provided one personal floatation device (PFD) for the vessel. The individual was cited for failing to provide enough PFDs for everyone on board the vessel.
CO Ariel Young, assisted by COs Joel Hill and Andrew Werth, was checking waterfowl hunters at a local boat launch. After making small talk with a duo, CO Young began checking weapons and ammo of the hunters. Within the confines of one of the bags taken out by the hunters, CO Young located several loads of toxic shot. When questioned, the hunter told CO Young that they weren’t lead. Further investigation found that to be false. The hunter was subsequently cited for possessing toxic shot while waterfowl hunting.
CO Mike Drexler was patrolling on Michigan Avenue outside of Saline when a vehicle passed him at a high rate of speed. CO Drexler utilized his RADAR to measure the vehicle who made it to 99 mph in a 55-mph zone. CO Drexler immediately conducted a traffic stop and cited the operator for the excessive speed.
CO Mike Drexler has been following up with a complaint where a subject shot a deer on private property from the roadway. The property owner heard the shot and went out to investigate when he found the subject dragging a doe across his field and loading it into a truck before taking off. The complainant took good photographs of the subject dragging the deer and the vehicle including the license plate. CO Drexler followed up with the vehicle owner and a second subject who admitted to shooting the deer on private property. A case report will be submitted to the prosecutor’s office for review.
CO Mike Drexler followed up on a recreational trespass complaint where three subjects were found racoon hunting late one night on private property. The property owner took good photos of the hunters and their vehicle. CO Drexler followed up by contacting the vehicle owner at his residence. The subject admitted to hunting on the complainant’s property and said he had been hunting there for years. A report will be submitted to the prosecutor’s office for review.
CO Brandon Hartleben contacted a pair of waterfowler hunters coming into shore on a shallow creek at the Pinckney State Recreation Area. A full check of the hunters’ birds, equipment, and licensing was conducted. Besides being short a PFD for the kayak he was using, one of the individuals also failed to purchase a state waterfowl license. A brief explanation was provided to the individual regarding the fact that it was his responsibility to make sure he had the correct licenses for the type of game he was pursuing and was not the fault of the license seller. A citation was issued for hunting waterfowl without a state license, and a warning was issued for not having a PFD on the kayak.
CO Brandon Vacek followed up on an ORV and recreational trespass case from the previous weekend. Additional investigation during the week determined an 8-point buck was taken on land where the hunter did not have permission to enter. The deer was seized at a local processing facility. The case will be submitted to the Monroe County Prosecutor’s Office for review.
CO Dave Schaumburger stopped a vehicle traveling 50 mph on Belle Isle. The driver said he was in a hurry to watch the Army/Navy football game at the yacht club. He was issued a citation for excessive speed.
Great Lakes Enforcement Unit (GLEU)
Cpl. Troy Van Gelderen participated in a "Shop with a Cop" event at Walmart in Whitehall.
Cpl. Troy Van Gelderen finished a Boater Safety class that was taught over a one-week period at Hart Middle School. The class consisted of 20 students in a "Life Skills" class.
Cpl. Chris Lynch participated in the local “Shop with a Cop” event in Delta County.
