23:4-42 7:25-5.25(b) "Earn a buck violation"

23:4-47 7:25-5.25(b) "Fail to properly tag a deer"

23:4-43 7:25-5.25(b) "Possess an unlawfully killed deer"

23:3-20 "Falsify a deer tag"

CO Ocampo received an OGT complaint of vehicle, with a deer on a cargo carrier, parked along the road in DMZ 1, Frankford Twp. This Zone is not open until 9/28. The hunter had registered the deer as being harvested in DMZ 2, Wantage Township, which is open for hunting. CO Ocampo then interviewed 3 hunters when they returned to the vehicle. The interview revealed that one of the hunters had killed the deer at that location earlier in the evening. A second hunter in the party had his doe tag filled out and had also registered a doe earlier in the day. An interview of the second hunter revealed that he had not actually harvested a doe. The first hunter was charged with 23:4-47 "Failure to properly tag deer" the second hunter was charged with 23:4-47 "Register a deer that he did not kill" and all three hunters were charged with 23:4-42 "Hunting deer during closed season".

During the opening weekend of Bow Season, CO Ocampo and Lt. Sutton inspected a butcher shop in North Haledon, Passaic County. While there, a hunter arrived with an 8 point buck. The Officers asked about the buck and noticed several inconsistencies with his story. They then requested to see the head from doe that he was required to harvest prior to the buck. He stated that he had already thrown it away in the garbage. He then stated that a farm hand at the farm where he hunts had seen him with his doe. The Officers then contacted the farm hand and he advised that he had not seen him with a doe, only a buck. During a follow up interview, the Officers gained a confession that he never actually killed a doe. The hunter received summonses for 23:4-42 "Earn-a- buck violation" and 23:4-47 "Register a deer that he did not kill".

CO Ocampo and Lt. Sutton followed up on information that CO Driscoll had received. An informant alleged that an individual had registered a doe and had not actually harvested one. A records check revealed that the suspected hunter registered a doe on Saturday morning and another on Sunday morning. During an interview the hunter stated that he killed a doe on Saturday morning in Franklin Borough, Sussex County. He then brought it back to his house in Wayne, where he hung it for the night. The next morning he brought it to a butcher in Rockaway Township, Morris County. When he arrived at the butcher, he realized that he "lost" his confirmation number, so he called in and checked it in again. The Officers then visited the butcher shop. The deer was still warm, with no signs of rigor mortis. A follow up interview with the hunter produced a full confession that he never killed a doe on Saturday and that the deer was in fact killed on Sunday morning. The hunter received a summons for 23:4-47 "Register a deer that he did not kill".

While conducting an inspection at a butcher in Rockaway Township, Morris County CO Ocampo and Lt. Sutton observed a headless deer hanging in the cooler. The butcher advised that it had been a buck and the hunter requested that he cut the head off and he took it home with him. The Officers then went to speak with the hunter at his residence in Mine Hill Township. The interview was in the presence of the man's 14year old grandson, who had successfully completed his hunter education class earlier that day. They requested to see the head from the doe that he had harvested prior to the buck. He proceeded to tell them a long drawn out story. He stated that he had quartered the deer and brought it to a convenience store in Hackettstown, where he gave it to a clerk there named Ranji Sanji. He stated that he then threw the head and hide into the dumpster at the store. The Officers then departed the residence to follow up the man's story at the convenience store. Within minutes of leaving, the man called the Officers back and he confessed that he had fabricated the entire story about Ranji Sanji. The man advised that the only reason he came clean, was because his grandson asked him why he was being untruthful with the Conservation Officers. The hunter was charged with 23:4-42 "Earn-a-buck violation" and 23:4-47 "Register a deer that he did not kill".

Conservation Officers Holmes and Paey, along with Lieutenant Applegate, were busy patrolling the Seasonal Trout Conservation Area of the Pequest River in Liberty Township, Warren County during the last two weekends of the summer. Routine patrols of the area turned up multiple flagrant violations of the TCA regulations. Two separate OGT complaints regarding the illegal use of bait, possession of illegal trout, and snagging of trout were also addressed. In total, 39 summonses were issued for fishing without a license, possession of bait in a trout conservation area, possession of over the limit of trout, possession of under-sized trout, littering while fishing, and snagging trout.

Conservation Officers Kuechler and Driscoll responded to the report of people in possession of a monkey in Bayonne City, Hudson County. When they contacted the people in question, they confirmed that they did indeed have a squirrel monkey that they had recently purchased in Texas. The monkey was constructively seized and personnel from Non-game and Exotics were contacted to arrange for placement of the monkey. Against the directions of the Officers, the owners of the monkey decided to drive the monkey to a primate rescue facility in North Carolina during the overnight hours and then texted Officer Kuechler claiming that they "hoped they were not in trouble and were still friends". The next contact that Officer Kuechler had with them was to advise them to turn themselves in to the criminal division of the Hudson County Sherriff's Office to answer charges for illegally possessing and exporting a potentially dangerous species, interference with the duties of a Conservation officer and 2C criminal charges for tampering with evidence and obstruction of governmental functions.

CO Mascio encountered an individual using a cast net at the north end of Carnegie Lake in South Brunswick. As Officer Mascio approached, the fisherman threw the net into the water. Upon inspection, Officer Mascio also found that the individual did not possess a fishing license, had 15 pan fish over the limit and possessed one under size crappie. The fisherman received summonses for the four violations as well as a summons for interference for throwing the net into the water.

CO Riviello received a report from Lieutenant Szulecki regarding a complaint from Lakehurst Police of vandalism to a gate on a WMA in Manchester Township. Upon arrival at the location, CO Riviello observed the metal gate split in half and a broken headlight lying on the ground next to it. As he was collecting and marking evidence, a man drove up and identified himself as the person who had called in the complaint. He identified an individual who he believed had damaged the gate. CO Riviello responded to this residence and spoke to the suspects' parents, who in turn called their son, who was not home at that time. They asked him to come home.  When the suspect arrived home CO Riviello observed that the left front headlight was damaged. After a brief interview, the individual admitted that he was the one who was responsible for damaging the gate. He said that he lost control of his vehicle. The person was charged with causing damage to property on a State WMA. Manchester Police also charged him with various motor vehicle violations, including leaving the scene of an accident.

Over the Labor Day weekend, Lt. Szulecki and CO's McManus, Riviello, Mutone, Martiak and Mascio conducted a night time operation between the hours of 9:00 PM and 2:00 AM. They patrolled Greenwood Forest, Pole Brook and Colliers Mills WMA. Over the course of the patrol, 63 individuals were inspected and 16 summonses were issued for violations such as building a campfire, alcoholic beverage and after hours on a State WMA.

Opening day of Fall Bow season was very productive for Conservation Officer's Vazquez and Fox. Acting on information received from CO Martiak from the Central Region, CO Vazquez and Lt. Ely went to a residence in Galloway Township, Atlantic County. The hunter had checked in a doe (earn-a-buck) and then a buck four minutes later. Upon arrival at the residence, the hunter claimed that he did not recover either deer but checked them both to be "legal". While speaking to him, CO Vazquez noticed a blood smear in the bed of the truck. The hunter claimed it was from a past road kill. Lt. Ely was in the garage talking to the hunter's father and brother and noticed a new foam deer head form with the hunters name on it. The father and brother claimed the form was for an old deer from a previous season. The officers then accompanied the hunter to the tree stand where the hunter had "harvested" the two deer. Upon arrival, the stand was covered in cobwebs and debris and hadn't been used in years. At this point, the hunter conceded that he had shot the deer on the previous Thursday and that was why the blood in the back of the truck looked so old. The seven pointer, which was still in velvet, was recovered by the officers. Officer Vazquez charged the hunter with various deer violations including: Hunt deer during a closed season, taking deer over the limit and for failing to properly tag or check a deer.

Conservation Officer Fox had found a hunter in Laureldale, Atlantic County that also checked a doe and a buck on opening day. When CO Fox and Lt. Ely arrived, the hunter was very excited to show his small six point buck. When asked about the doe, the hunter said that he didn't have it because he had given it away. He claimed that he had shot the doe in one town and put it in his truck, driven to another town and picked-up his wife, driven to another town and had breakfast and then went out to a yard sale and met an unknown man who he gave the deer to. He then went back home and dropped off his wife and returned to the woods where he shot the buck. He eventually acknowledged that there had been no antlerless deer harvested. He also said that his gun-club had agreed that if they called-in non-existent does, they would be clear to shoot bucks all season. He also said that he had "learned his lesson" and that he would now wait 48 hours before calling in his buck harvest so he would not have to show officers his antlerless deer. This is a common sentiment among hunters contacted. He was charged with improperly registering a deer and his deer was seized by CO Fox.

Conservation Officer's Kille and Trembley arrested a mother and son in the Villas, Cape May County as part of an on-going striped bass investigation. The officers contacted both individuals to hand deliver summonses to the son for illegal striped bass violations when a records check indicated that neither individual had resolved prior tickets for theft and damage to a wildlife management area gate. Subsequently, due to the $40,000 in active warrants, both mother and son were arrested and lodged in the Cape May County Jail.

Conservation Officer's Kille and Vazquez conducted ATV enforcement at the Cedar Lake Wildlife Management Area in Monroe Township, Gloucester County. Nine illegal riders were apprehended and summonses were issued for unregistered motor vehicles in a WMA, illegal operation of ATV's in a WMA, interference with the duties of a Conservation Officer, litter on a WMA and possession of alcohol on a WMA. One rider was arrested for an outstanding warrant out of Pennsauken Township, Camden County for $1,000 and turned over to police.

Conservation Officer's Kille and Hausamann conducted wildlife management area patrols in Camden and Gloucester Counties. They concentrated on two popular areas; the "Winslow East" section of the Winslow WMA in Winslow Township and the "Cedar Lake North" section of the Cedar Lake WMA in Monroe Township. They encountered dozens of illegal users and issued summonses for illegal swimming, littering on a WMA, possessing alcohol on a WMA, illegal atv operation on a WMA, operating an unregistered motor vehicle on a WMA, operating a motor vehicle in prohibited area of a WMA and unlawful operation of wave runner on a WMA. One group was suspected in having illegal drugs in a motor vehicle. White powder and straws were observed and the Monroe Township Police Department K-9 assisted with that part of the investigation. The white powder was identified sugar which was part of an on-going joke between the occupants of the car. One occupant was arrested on an outstanding warrant from Audobon and lodged in the Camden County Jail.

Conservation Officer Kille received information from Lt. Risher regarding illegal duck hunting during the special september canada goose season in Mantua Township, Gloucester County. CO Kille located the duck hunters on Chestnut Branch Creek and charged them for taking waterfowl during the closed season, hunting waterfowl without hip numbers, hunting waterfowl without state and federal stamps.

Conservation Officer's Kille and Fox investigated a deer kill that was registered through the automated deer check system in an earn a buck zone. The deer was killed in Logan Township, Gloucester County. The hunter killed two deer and checked both of them in after 9:30pm. During the interview the hunter admitted to killing his doe first and watched it die in the field but never tagged or checked the deer. The hunter continued to hunt and harvested an 11 point buck. The hunter was issued a summons for failing to properly tag a deer and the 11 point buck was seized at a local butcher shop.

Conservation Officer Toppin responded to an illegal clamming complaint at Blackwood Lake and Big Timer Creek in Gloucester Township, Camden County. He received two different complaints from local fishermen on scene. They provided him with the description of the vehicle and the number of clammers. He conducted a motor vehicle stop along State Highway 42 based on the information provided by the fishermen. As he approached the vehicle he observed clams and fan covers (a modified clam rake) in the motor vehicle in plain view.  The three individuals were charged with clamming from prohibited waters, clamming without a commercial clam license and the driver was issued an additional summons for forfeiture of the vehicle.

Lt. Risher has chaired an event called the South Jersey Youth Outdoor Day for the past fourteen years with help from South Jersey Bass Club Association, United Bow Hunters of NJ, Salem County Federation of Sportsmen, NJ Waterfowlers, Delta Waterfowl, National Wild Turkey Federation, South Jersey Wheelmen and Splash and Paddle. The event is held at the Salem County Sportsmen Club in Carney's Point. The event allows 200 children and their parents or guardians to get one-on-one tutoring or a basic introduction to trap shooting, archery shooting, hunting, trapping, freshwater fishing, canoeing and kayaking and off road bicycle riding plus other outdoor recreations.

On 8/23/13, CO's Woerner, Moscatiello, Martiak, and Lt. Dravis, conducted a party boat vessel inspection at Atlantic Highlands Municipal Marina in Monmouth County. Patrons who have previously fished onboard this vessel had notified the Marine Region regarding violations occurring onboard, specifically pertaining to offenses of the vessel's fillet permit. Vessels issued fillet permits are required to retain the carcasses from filleted fish and return to the dock with those carcasses to allow law enforcement personnel the opportunity to inspect the carcasses for size compliance. On this day, the vessel returned to the dock with three five gallon pails of freshly cut summer flounder carcasses that the crew had cleaned for their patrons. However, the crew failed to dispose of carcasses from the vessel's prior fishing trip the day before. The disposal of those carcasses was to have occurred prior to commencing fishing on the next trip. Through informants and recent officers who have fished covertly on these vessels, it is a known practice that these vessels retain extra, legal size carcasses from previous trips to use in place of sub-legal fish carcasses that are filleted for the patrons and then discarded over the side prior to returning to the dock on the same trip. One summons each was issued to the captain, two crewmen and the owner of the vessel. The violation was for failure to dispose of previously caught fish carcasses prior to commencing fishing on a subsequent trip. There is a court mandatory appearance with a penalty range of $300.00 to $3,000.00 and a 60 day suspension of the vessels fillet permit during the open recreational season upon conviction.

On 9/7/13, the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) Office of Law Enforcement, received a call from the Marine Mammal Stranding Center (MMSC) in regards to a harp seal in distress at the southwest end of the Shark River in Monmouth County.  NMFS contacted Lt. Dravis who responded and met with a couple of concerned citizens and a MMSC volunteer. Lt. Dravis did observe the seal which appeared to be exhibiting unnatural behavior on the mud flats of the Shark River. The MMSC volunteer stated they would keep an eye on it and had no intention of taking the seal at this time. Lt. Dravis advised the volunteer he would return the next day to check the condition and whereabouts of the seal. Lt. Dravis arrived the following day and the same concerned citizens were present along with the MMSC volunteer. The seal was still within feet of where it was last seen and acting in the same unnatural behavior as observed the day before. Lt. Dravis assisted the MMSC personnel with blocking the road to allow for safe removal of the seal from the area and lifting the animal onto a vehicle for transport. Lt. Dravis advised the concerned citizens he would call the MMSC in about a week and a half to find out any results and forward the results to them. They were very appreciative. Lt. Dravis contacted the MMSC approximately a week later and to his surprise did ascertain the seal was directly transported out of the area to the Sandy Hook National Park in northern Monmouth County and was released immediately into the water and was told it swam away successfully.

On 9/7/13, Trenton Dispatch received an anonymous call from a concerned fisherman who was currently fishing onboard a party fishing vessel hailing out of Brielle, Monmouth County. The individual merely stated that the vessel was inbound and that some of the patrons had kept winter flounder during this bottom fishing trip. The recreational season for winter flounder is currently closed. Lt. Dravis and CO Scott responded to Brielle and waited for the vessel to arrive back at the dock. With only two officers and approximately forty patrons eager to disembark, the officers tactically conducted the inspection to not inconvenience the patrons and thorough enough to find the winter flounder. The two officers delayed their approach and timed their arrival to the vessel so that most of the individuals were already waiting to leave the vessel with their coolers in hand. The officers approached the vessel on foot using vehicles in the parking lot as concealment as they approached. The patrons exited the vessel and coolers were quickly inspected resulting in four individuals who had kept a total of 7 large winter flounder. The captain approached the officer's vehicles as summonses were being issued and thanked them for their speed and politeness toward his patrons during the inspection and was interested in knowing if the officers had apprehended one of the individuals on board who had been warned earlier in the day about keeping the winter flounder. Officer Scott did in fact apprehend this individual attempting to remove two winter flounder from his cooler and hide them under a seat. Summonses were issued for possession of winter flounder during the closed season.

On 8/28/13, CO Moscatiello was driving through Highlands, Monmouth County when he observed a local clammer who participates in the hard clam depuration program, returning to his dock. CO Moscatiello pulled into a nearby parking lot and observed the clammer offload three heavy containers, which are used as "alternate" containers in the depuration program. Upon conducting an inspection of the clammer, the clammer claimed he had filled three baskets of clams which he had already dropped off at the depuration plant. When questioned about the heavy containers left on the dock, the clammer admitted that the containers contained clams and he still had to drop them off at the clam depuration plant by truck because the motor on his vessel was having issues. After questioning depuration plant employees, it was determined that the clammer failed to report that he was having motor troubles, and did not ask for any additional baskets for the clams that were left on board his vessel. CO Moscatiello issued the clammer a summons for failing to land his entire catch at the plant, as well as failing to transfer the clams to primary baskets. Each charge is a petty disorderly offense, which carries a penalty from $0 to $500. Conviction of the offenses will also result in a three year suspension of the clammer's shellfish license. The penalties are stiff for these charges in order to prevent clams that have not been through the depuration process from ending up on the table of unsuspecting shellfish consumers. Eating clams from special restricted waters that have not gone through the depuration process pose a severe public health risk, potentially causing food borne illnesses.

CO Harp and CO Nicklow had a busy Labor Day weekend in Atlantic City. The COs issued more than 20 summonses to multiple fishermen for violations involving undersize and over the limit tautog.  Approximately 50 illegal tautog were seized from the jetties of Absecon Inlet.  On one of those days during a four hour, long distance surveillance, the officers were able to document violations resulting in the issuance of 11 summonses for over limit and undersized tautog. Thirty-one undersized tautog were seized.

On 09/01/2013, CO Harp and CO Nicklow observed three individuals clamming in the condemned waters of Absecon Bay off of Route 30.  As the officers made contact with the three clammers, CO Harp observed a second group of six individuals hurriedly loading a cooler into the rear cargo area of a minivan.  CO Harp quickly turned his attention to the group of six and learned that the owner of the minivan hastily locked his keys in the vehicle during the attempt to avoid an inspection by the officers.  As the officers were waiting for a spare key to arrive, a third group of five individuals arrived and began clamming directly in front of the officers after previously being advised the water was currently closed to the harvest of shellfish. Once the spare key to the vehicle arrived (delivered by a family member from Philadelphia), the cooler in the minivan was found to contain a large bag of mussels. During the course of the apprehension, one of the subjects attempted to deter the officer's ability to complete the inspection by giving false information and slamming the tailgate of the vehicle shut to conceal the shellfish. A total of 14 summonses and warnings were issued for clamming without a license, clamming in condemned waters, clamming on Sunday, and interference with the duties of a conservation officer.

While conducting dockside inspections near the Great Egg Harbor Inlet, CO Petruccelli and CO Hausamann inspected a charter fishing vessel returning from an off shore fishing trip.  The vessel landed a wahoo but failed to possess a National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) Dolphin/Wahoo permit which is required by Party/Charter vessels that fish for dolphin or wahoo. The officers documented the violation and turned the information over to the NMFS for processing.

During an early evening in August, CO Swift responded to a complaint from a concerned citizen that two dogs were running at large through a posted and roped off beach nesting bird area in the Strathmere Natural Area of Corson Inlet State Park in Cape May County. CO Swift inspected the area and observed numerous dog tracks throughout the closed area. A Division of Fish and Wildlife ENSP biologist informed CO Swift that an oyster catcher chick was observed daily at this location. Arrangements were made for a biologist to search for the oyster catcher chick the following day.  CO Swift contacted the owner of the two dogs and informed the owner of the potential financial and biological consequences of allowing the two dogs to run at large. Luckily an ENSP biologist located the healthy oyster catcher chick the following day. CO Swift issued the dogs' owner a warning for harassing threatened/endangered species by allowing dogs to run at large.

There was a plethora of activity in the training unit the past month.

All officers who are assigned a patrol rifle be it a .308 M14 or a .223 M4 were given a full day of training by retired Captain Michael Boyle. The fundamentals of marksmanship to include the various shooting positions were covered in his course of instruction. Various challenging shooting drills such as shoot/don't shoot scenarios were attempted by the officers in the class.

The outdoor expo required a large commitment of time by the training unit. Lt. Thomas O'Rourke spent many hours planning prior to the event to ensure a safe day for all participants. Twenty officers were assigned to work the event. Lt. O'Rourke alone put in 26 hours. These officers handled direction of traffic, patrol and manning the information booth. The incidents requiring assistance were; response to a muzzleloader rifle burn, twisted ankle, 2 dogs locked in a vehicle, a disabled vehicle and provide safety for over 70 campers. There were an estimated 8728 people and 3798 vehicles that attended the expo.

Captain Leonard trained 25 officers at the Morris County Police Academy on wildlife law enforcement. The training is a four hour summation of what Conservation Officers learn in two months of the basic Conservation Officer Academy. The training emphasized the more common wildlife violations a patrol officer may come across. Safety issues as well as response to hunting accidents and non-target impacts were stressed. The course had representatives from many of the local departments in Morris County as well as federal officers.