Hunters Caught Poaching Deer In Western New York State

New York State Environmental Conservation Officers (ECOs) have been unusually busy tracking and ticketing whitetail deer poachers across New York State recently, according to a Department of Environmental Conservation press release issued Wednesday.

On the night of October 28th, ECOs organized a spotlighting enforcement detail to combat poaching activities in DEC Regions 8 and 9. During the detail in the lower Finger Lakes region and Southern Tier, Officers watched for vehicles operating spotlights for poaching.

One of the more notable violations that night involved a white pickup truck repeatedly spotlighting fields in the southwest corner of Steuben County. ECOs activated their emergency lights and attempted to initiate a traffic stop, but the subject drove away at a high rate of speed, discarding a loaded rifle and spotlight out the window of the vehicle. In their attempt to further evade the ECO, the driver pulled into a dirt path a short distance into Pennsylvania and fled on foot.

With assistance from Pennsylvania State Police, Pennsylvania Game Wardens, and a DEC Division of Law Enforcement (DLE) K9 unit, Officers recovered all evidence and successfully took two subjects into custody, including a convicted felon.

The subjects received tickets for multiple Penal Law and Environmental Conservation Law misdemeanors and were released pending a future court appearance. Over the course of the detail, Officers issued tickets for a variety of charges ranging from possession of a loaded firearm in a motor vehicle to possession of an unsecured firearm while operating a spotlight and unlawfully fleeing an Officer.

On November  14th, ECO Damrath received a complaint about a subject hunting deer over bait in Erie County. The complainant said she watched her neighbor place pumpkins in the backyard and then shoot the attracted deer with a crossbow from his upstairs deck while the deer fed on the pumpkins.

Officer Damrath interviewed the subject, who readily admitted to shooting the buck over bait but claimed he was unaware that placing pumpkins for deer to eat would be considered baiting. ECO Damrath ticketed the hunter for illegally taking deer and discharging a crossbow within 250 feet of a structure, among other charges. The Officer donated the deer to the Venison Donation Coalition.

Four days later, on November 18th, one day before the regular firearms season in the Southern Zone, ECOs received a call from Wayne County 911 reporting an individual who may have shot a deer with a rifle. ECO McCabe and Lieutenant Thomas responded to the subject’s residence and found a sheriff’s deputy and Macedon Police Officer already on scene.

The subject admitted that because he would not be able to partake in opening weekend of the season, he shot a deer with his rifle. Other hunters in the area heard the shot and saw the deer run and fall. Charges are pending for out-of-season hunting and the illegal take of whitetail deer. Officers donated the buck to a local church.

The next morning, on November 19th, opening day of the Southern Zone big game firearms season, a hunter in Wayne County took two deer within 30 minutes of each other. The hunter’s wife posted a big congratulations to her husband on social media about the successful morning hunt, complete with a picture of the hunter holding two bucks.

However, New York hunters have only one tag for antlered deer during the gun season. ECO McCabe and Lieutenant Thomas spoke to the hunter who admitted to the crime. Officers donated meat from the second illegally taken deer to a local church. The hunter is under consideration for an administrative settlement as charges are pending.

The next day, on November 20th, ECO Hull received an anonymous tip about a subject taking two bucks in the first two days of the Southern Zone regular big game season in Utica. The complainant provided pictures of a six-point buck taken on November 19th, and a 10-point buck taken the next morning.

With just a first name and the pictures to start the investigation, Officer Hull made several phone calls until he found a last name, address, and phone number for the subject. The subject, who initially denied shooting the 10-point buck, eventually admitted to shooting it, driving it home, and hiding it in a back shed.

Officer Hull seized the deer and ticketed the hunter for illegally taking wildlife, taking over the limit of deer, and illegal possession of wildlife. A local food pantry accepted the meat from the deer as a donation.

That same day, while on patrol in Erie County, ECO Damrath observed a pickup truck with several deer legs sticking out of the truck bed. The driver sped away when the two made eye contact, but Officer Damrath eventually caught up to the truck and pulled it over. When asked about the buck and doe in the truck, the driver said he shot the doe, his 82-year-old grandfather had shot the buck, and he was taking both to the processor.

The hunter could not produce a consignment slip signed by his grandfather giving him permission to transport the buck, but it appeared the grandfather had signed his tag. The subject’s story fell apart when ECO Damrath learned the grandfather died seven years ago and the grandson was using his lifetime license tags. Officer Damrath charged the hunter with several violations and seized the deer until he produced his own valid buck tag the next day.