Some serious poaching going on in Michigan...

LowCountryElk · Dec 17, 2009

Got this e-mail today ...... sheesh. Some guys are brazen. Hope Michigan lowers a hammer on these knuckleheads....

"I thought you would all enjoy seeing this conservation officer report and photos. St. Martin's Island is a privately owned small island between Green Bay and Lake Michigan (refer to the MI map if you're curious). Acting on tips from someone, MI conservation officers descended upon this crowd on November 19, 2009 and made the appropriate arrests. I would have given a lot of money to have been with them and to see the looks on the criminals faces! Truly amazing greed."

Terry Short is one of the Michigan CO's and his note is below:
From our raid on St. Martins Island on Nov. 19, 2009.
31 bucks and 9 does on the pole. Nothing smaller than a 7 point. Another approx. 10 deer, antlers, and heads found on the ground around the camp. A mix of smaller bucks and does.
10 deer without tags, approx. another 10 deer with wives/girlfriends tags. Investigation continues.
Terry

OutdoorWriter · Dec 17, 2009

LAST EDITED ON Dec-17-09 AT 01:48PM (MST)[p]Here's a newspaper article on it.

http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/sports/79440617.html

And comments from elsewhere:

Raid on St. Martin?s Island in Michigan?s U.P. Some More to the Story 12-14-09
gengberg December 14th, 2009

Fellow hunters,

On Friday afternoon, December 11th, I spoke directly with Debbie Munson Badini of the Michigan DNR?s Marquette office. She is VERY familiar with this story.

First off, the pictures are legitimate, and were from a deer camp on St. Martin?s Island in the U.P. However, the implications of the original e-mail are incorrect.

Debbie informed me that there was no poaching or other large-scale illegal hunting going on. She did say there were some tickets issued for some incorrectly tagged deer, and wardens are investigating a few other possible violations, but that, again, this was NOT some sort of ?poachers camp? [my quotes on that phrase].

She said that Michigan DNR has not publicized this as yet since they are waiting until their officers wrap-up and tie off some of the outstanding issues.

Thanks!

Evan Bane

Glendale, Wis.

TONY MANDILE

How To Hunt Coues Deer

highcountryfever · Dec 17, 2009

guess that's one way to build a fence. I prefer wood, but I guess I might be a little old fashion

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Damn you Scott!
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Bullelk1 · Dec 17, 2009

I read some info on this too, Tony. The island owners have been managing this herd for trophies for several years, and decided to do a major culling of smaller bucks this year. Hence, all the animals. Some of the hunters failed to tag the animals in a timely manner and were ticketed. I imagine on an island they never expected to see a game warden, although its not an excuse. One of the pics I saw was from a hunter that participated in the cull. He had the game wardens and hunters in the photo standing in front of the meat pole, and everyone was smiling.

I thought it was a pretty impressive photo!!!

NVBighorn · Dec 17, 2009

That looks almost as bad as the sting in Northeastern Utah

OutdoorWriter · Dec 17, 2009

Bullelk,

Agreed. More made out of this than it really was. I despise poachers, but I don't think this group fits that description.

TONY MANDILE

How To Hunt Coues Deer

gb22 · Dec 17, 2009

Tony, I've been reading your posts for a long time. I appreciate that you hate poachers as much as any of us. I also appreciate that you realize the whole story must be known before conclusions are reached.

Thank you.
Grant

Within the shadows, go quietly.