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Northern Region

CO Hutchinson and DCO Struble investigated an individual who registered a 7 point buck for his friend. The officers interviewed the individual who admitted to checking in the deer for his friend because he didn’t have a valid permit. The individual said his friend took the deer to an unknown taxidermist and gave the officers a full written statement. The second individual was interviewed and denied killing the deer. He said his friend was mistaken and he had no knowledge of the deer. The officers inspected 3 local taxidermy shops and found the deer. Although the deer wasn’t recorded in his ledger, the taxidermist said the second individual brought the deer in. He said he was a good customer therefor he didn’t keep records of their business transactions. The officers re-interviewed the first individual who claimed he didn’t remember giving the officers a written statement because he was drunk. He produced a deer rack which he claimed to be the 7 point buck that he killed and registered. The officers examined the rack and quickly determined that it was an 8-point rack with a tine sawed off. The second individual was contacted and eventually explained what they had done. He said he killed a 7 point buck without a muzzleloader permit and asked his friend to check it in. He said he gave his friend an unregistered 8 point rack with a sawed off tine to show the officers. Both individuals were charged with all the appropriate summonses and all 3 taxidermist received summonses for failure to maintain records.

While inspecting deer at a local deer processor one week after the 6-day firearm season, CO Sutton observed a deer with a shotgun transportation tag affixed to it. The butcher said an individual had just brought the deer in and was told he didn’t see the need to check it in because he killed it on the last day of the season. The officer contacted the PA resident and advised him the deer appeared to have been freshly killed and not from a week earlier and he was in violation for not registering it. The officer also determined by reviewing the individuals hunting credentials that he had procured NJ Disabled Veteran licenses for several years although he was a PA resident and not eligible. The individual had used his correct address to apply except he used NJ instead of PA on his license application. The deer was seized and summonses for the unregistered deer and the wrongfully procured DV licenses and permits were issued.

CO Nestel responded to call for assistance from the NJSP concerning the apprehension of two individuals who shot a deer from their vehicle in Stillwater Township, Sussex County. A local resident observed an occupant of a van shot a deer from the window of the vehicle. She called the NJSP who had observed the vehicle less than ten minutes of receiving the call. The troopers initiated a motor vehicle stop and interviewed the two passengers in the van. The driver denied having a firearm in the vehicle until the troopers observed a blood stained deer through a window of the van. The driver then admitted that the passenger shot the deer from the window with a shotgun, as the caller had said. The deer and firearm were seized and CO Nestel issued summonses for possessing a loaded firearm in a vehicle, uncased firearm in a vehicle, loaded firearm within 450’ of a dwelling, failure to tag and register a deer, failure to exhibit valid hunting licenses, discharge from the road and hunt by use of a motor vehicle.

While patrolling in Hardyston Twp on New Year’s Day, CO Ziegler and DCO Schaublin apprehended an individual who was hunting without a valid license, a valid muzzleloader permit and without hunter orange. Summonses for the violations were issued.

CO Hutchinson responded to a complaint of two individuals shooting deer in a suburban area and butchering them in one of their garages. The officer arrived at the residence and was met in the driveway by one of the individuals. He told the officer that he had no knowledge of the allegations made against him or his friend. The officer then observed, through a garage window, blood on the floor and knives and a deer fetus on a workbench. The individual then admitted to the officer that he and a friend had just finished butchering a deer that his friend had shot earlier in the day. He told the officer that they didn’t have valid hunting licenses or shotgun permits. The individual then led the officer into the garage and showed him 6 deer racks and turkey parts, none of which were registered. The second individual was interviewed and he admitted to killing the deer without the proper license and permit. The deer and turkey parts were seized and both individuals were charged with the appropriate violations.

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Central Region

CO McManus initiated the covert purchase of exotic, non-game and potentially dangerous species that were being offered for sale on the Internet. When the ground work was set in place, COs Mutone, Tomlin and Lt. Lacroix assisted in the sting. The subject was subsequently arrested after completing the transaction for the sale of an Alligator and three Alligator Snapping Turtles. When the subject finally realized what had occurred, he decided to cooperate with the officers and informed them that he had other regulated species at his residence. After written consent was given, officers documented the following animals at the subject’s residence: two Aldabra Tortoises; two Fly River Turtles; and additional non-game species collected from the wild. This investigation is continuing as officers attempt to identify other species that were sold prior to the sting. The subject was charged with the possession of regulated non-game and exotic species without a permit, possession of a potentially dangerous species and collecting non-game species without a permit.

COs Martiak and Tomlin inspected an Asian market in Plainsboro that has had several violations in the past. They found wild striped bass being offered for sale and issued summonses for illegal sale.

CO O’Rourke was traveling on the New Jersey Turnpike en-route to the Edison Sportsmen’s Show when he observed a hunter too close to some buildings near the Turnpike. Unsure of what road the hunter was on; CO O’Rourke checked his navigation unit and was able to ascertain the precise location of the hunter. CO O’Rourke then contacted CO Martiak and advised him of the violation and location. CO Martiak responded to the area and found the hunter within 450’ of a building. The appropriate summons was issued.

Numerous noise complaints have been made regarding goose hunters on the islands just off Trenton in the Delaware River during the last several years. Lt. Lacroix responded to a complaint early one Saturday morning and observed three hunters. Past measurements of the islands have shown that the hunters are outside the safety zone however, they can only shoot in a north or south direction. Lt. Lacroix watched the hunters for over three hours to determine if they were shooting in a safe direction. During this time she observed all three hunters shoot and kill mergansers which were out of season and one hunter swung while shooting and shot in the direction of the homes on the New Jersey side. CO Mascio checked the area boat ramps and found the hunters vehicles and trailers at a ramp in Yardley, PA. The hunters were called to shore after the violations were observed and inspected. All three hunters were in possession of PA resident hunting licenses however, the islands are in New Jersey. All three were charged with hunting without proper licenses, shooting mergansers out of season and one hunter was charged with careless discharge.
Lt. Lacroix was contacted by West Windsor PD late one evening regarding three individuals who had been stopped coming out of the woods behind an area church. One individual had been deer hunting and had shot a deer that they couldn’t find. The police officer believed that the hunter was hunting illegally. Lt. Lacroix responded to the area. The hunter had been shotgun hunting during the closed season (only muzzleloader was open). His friend had been videotaping the hunt. The other friend had come to help locate the wounded deer. Lt. Lacroix helped with to track the deer through a large swamp which took over two hours. The deer, a very large 8 point buck, was still alive and Lt. Lacroix had to dispatch the deer. The hunter recently pled guilty in court for hunting out of season.

Despite the extremely cold temperatures, the local youth are still partying on State WMAs. CO Mutone and Lt. Lacroix patrolled the Colliers Mills WMA late one Friday night and found a large group of people assembled in a notorious party spot with a large bonfire. Summonses for after hours violations were issued. One of the individuals there was a several time repeat offender of WMA regulations including a recent dumping violation.

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Southern Region

Conservation Officer Batten while on routine patrol with Deputy Conservation Shivers stopped by a bridge in Southern Cumberland County. Upon checking for duck hunters, they heard some shots nearby. They noticed that there were a lot of ducks flushing from an area in which they could hear a boat under power. Within seconds, they heard shots coming from the same area. As the boat approached, the hidden officers observed two men in the boat with a man holding a shotgun in his hands. As the boat went under the bridge the officers observed the man in the boat load the firearm. As the boat proceeded up the creek the officers observed the man in the boat begin to fire at the ducks that the boat flushed while still under power. The boat continued under power for about ten minutes and then returned. The officers prepared to try to stop the boat as it passed under the bridge but the boat suddenly landed near them. They took both suspects into custody and found numerous violations in addition to power boating for waterfowl. The appropriate summonses were issued.

Conservation Officer Vazquez received a complaint that there were individuals trapping beaver with more then the legal number of traps. Officers Vazquez and Kille were checking the area in plain clothes when a trapper approached them and started a conversation. Earlier the officers had located some illegal traps and in speaking with the trapper they learned that he was there to pull the traps because his friend had been called by the “game warden”. During the conversation the trapper admitted to having beaver back at the “gun club” and that some of the traps were not legal. Officer Vazquez and Kille identified themselves and in the subsequent investigation they identified a second trapper that had traps mixed in with the first trappers gear. The officers recovered the untagged traps. The trappers were charged with having traps that were illegally set, using over the legal limit of traps, possession of unregistered beaver and several other trapping violations.

Conservation Officers Risher and Batten acted on fresh information that a vehicle had taken a deer illegally and was parked on a farm. Conservation Officer Risher responded to the location and observed two individuals washing out the rear portion of the vehicle. Upon the arrival of Conservation Officer Batten the two officers approached the two individuals. Based on information the officers received during the interview they retrieved a pistol that was allegedly used in taking the deer, and the deer that the suspects killed and butchered. Further investigation lead the Officers to several more deer that had been illegally taken and butchered. Appropriate summonses were issued and the pistol was seized.

A local police officer stopped a motor vehicle and observed a spotlight and a gun case in a motor vehicle. When questioned about the case, the occupants of the vehicle denied having a weapon. The local police contacted Conservation Officer Kille and a search of the area produced a loaded rifle. When questioned by Conservation Officer Kille, both occupants admitted to hunting deer that night with the rifle. Conservation Officer Kille issued the appropriate summonses.

Conservation Officer Risher responded to a complaint of several hunters hunting without hunters orange in a nursery. Upon his arrival he located six adult and two juvenile migrant workers hunting rabbits with slingshots and rocks. Conservation Officer Risher explained to the “hunters” that this is not an acceptable method of taking rabbits in New Jersey and how they could obtain their hunting licenses. No summonses were issued.

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Marine Region

CO Dravis received a complaint from an individual within his large network of informants in reference to an individual taking undersized tautog at the Point Pleasant Canal. While searching for the violator’s vehicle, CO Dravis encountered another group of three fishermen walking up to their vehicle from the canal carrying a bucket with 5 undersized tautog. While CO Dravis was completing the summonses for these individuals, the complainant telephoned and advised CO Dravis that the original subject was now walking to his vehicle. CO Dravis proceeded to the subject’s location and asked him how he did. He fisherman replied, “Got one, it’s a little short” and proceeds to put the fish in his vehicle. CO Dravis asked to see it and it measured less that 14 inches. CO Dravis issued the summons for 1 undersized tautog. A few hours later CO Dravis returned to the canal and observed the same individual now fishing with another individual. CO Dravis observed the fishermen catching tautog and placing them in a bucket. CO Dravis stealthily approached the fishermen and found 9 undersized tautog in the bucket. At one point during the inspection, the individual from the earlier violation removed his cap and CO Dravis suddenly realized he had summoned the same individual a few years earlier for the same violation. At that time, CO Dravis encountered the individual prior to fishing and advised him of the regulations and provided him with a regulation card then later that day caught him in possession of undersized tautog. This time, the individual was issued another summons for the 5 undersized tautog and his buddy for 4 tautog in violations.

On 12/14/08 CO Dravis approached the scallop dredge vessel McGinty as she was pulling up to the dock at the Point Pleasant Co-op. The mate observed CO Dravis and grabbed a fish tote on the opposite side of the vessel and dumped out the contents. The mate claimed it was squid that he dumped. On further inspection, CO Dravis found yellowtail and summer flounder fillets in another container. The summer flounder by catch season was closed at this time. The appropriate summons was issued.

District 8 Officers patrolled Cape May’s Commercial docks for the opening of New Jersey’s January 2009 commercial fluke season. CO Snellbaker and CO Nicklow apprehended the FV Jane Carolyn landing 263lbs of fluke over the weekly trip limit of 5,000lbs. Officers seized the overage and sold it to Cold Spring Fish and Supply Co. They issued both the Captain and the owner of the vessel one summons each for landing in excess of the trip limit. In addition, CO Snellbaker and Nicklow apprehended the FV Miss Planters for landing 100lbs of fluke over the trip limit of fluke. Officer’s issued a written warning for the overage. CO Petruccelli apprehended the FV Little Sammie at Lunds Fisheries with 150lbs in excess of the daily trip limit of summer flounder. He issued the vessel a written warning for the overage landed.

On January 7, 2009, CO Petruccelli apprehended the FV McKenzie at Cold Spring Fish and Supply Co. in Cape May for landing in excess of New Jersey’s trip limit for Summer Flounder. CO Pettruccelli observed the vessel offload 5,410lbs of summer flounder, 410lbs over the landing limit of 5,000lbs once per week. CO Petruccelli seized the overage and auctioned it off to a New Jersey permitted fluke dealer. Cold Spring Fish and Supply Co. was the successful bidder and issued a check for the fair market value of the product. CO Petruccelli issued one summons each to the owner and the operator of the FV McKenzie for the violation of New Jersey’s Commercial Fluke regulations.

CO Scott inspected the crab dredge vessel FV Big Dog at the Belford Seafood Co-op dock. The operator of the vessel did not possess a 2009 crab dredge permit. CO Scott dutifully checked the suspended crab license list and found the operator’s name. The value of the blue claw crabs was seized and the appropriate summonses issued. Penalties range from $300.00 to $1,000.00.

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