New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Region 5 Environmental Conservation Police were busy enforcing against poaching activities during the recently ended big game season.
On November 29, 2011, an Environmental Conservation Officer (ECO) was interviewing a witness as part of investigating a possible hunter trespass complaint in the Town of Benson, Hamilton County. The witness reported confronting three men allegedly on property without the owner’s permission and attempting to retrieve a female bear that they had previously shot in its den. After observing the dead bear in the den, the ECO followed human tracks to a camp on an adjacent property. Finding nobody present the ECO staked out the camp and when two of the men returned observed them attempting to clean alleged bait pile and salt licks. After interviewing the two men the ECO instructed them to retrieve the dead bear and to have all three men meet with him at the camp the next day. On November 30, 2011, the ECO seized the bear and issued multiple tickets to each of the men returnable to the Town of Benson Court as follows:
- Benjamin I. Van Nostrand, 38, of Northville was charged with aiding in the illegal taking of a bear, a misdemeanor, and trespassing while hunting and unlawful feeding of deer, both violations. He faces maximum possible penalties of $2500 in fines and up to 1 year in jail.
- Daniel J. Van Nostrand, 40, of Edinburg, was charged with the illegal killing of a bear, a misdemeanor, and two violations – hunting with the aid of bait, trespassing, failing to tag a bear as required. He faces maximum possible penalties of $2750 in fines and up to 1 year in jail.
- George J. Van Nostrand, 36, of Northville, was charged with trespassing on posted property, a violation. He faces maximum possible penalties of $250 in fines and up to 15 days in jail.
On Tuesday, January 10, 2012, two DEC ECOs investigated a complaint of antlered deer shot near Lindsday’s Orchard’s in the Town of Clifton Park, Saratoga County. The deer was reportedly shot under the apple orchard’s nuisance deer permit, which allow only for the taking of antlerless deer. The ECOs reviewed the permit and associated paperwork and interviewed the orchard’s caretaker and another worker. Upon concluding the investigation, Duane R Lindsey, 59, of Rexford was charged with taking big game out of season, taking deer with the aid of an artificial light – both misdemeanors, and violating the terms and conditions of a deer nuisance permit, a violation. He was issued an appearance ticket for the Town of Clifton Park Court and faces maximum possible penalties of $4250 in fines and up to 2 years and 15 days in jail. In additions the deer’s antlers were seized as evidence, the remaining nuisance permits were confiscated, and the permit was terminated.
I heard a news piece this morning about “Operation Jackhammer”. Interesting which “harvesting” techniques are legal vs. illegal. What’s fair or unfair in the practice of hunting? In this case it is night-hunting with lights.
