Two Kawkawlin men, both 22 years old, were ticketed Tuesday, Oct. 14, for being over the bag limit for redhead ducks, according to Michigan Department of Natural Resources conservation officers who investigated the incident.
At approximately 8:30 p.m. Monday, Oct. 13, conservation officer Nick Atkin was at the Pine River Boating Access Site in Arenac County checking waterfowl hunters when he encountered the pair. He noted they were acting nervous when he spoke to them, but because of the darkness and fog he couldn’t see that the pair allegedly hid a stringer of 18 redhead ducks under the boat dock at the site. The bag limit for redheads is two per hunter. When the hunters arrived on shore with their boat, Officer Atkin noted they had two redhead ducks in the boat with them.
On Tuesday, the DNR received a Report All Poaching (RAP) Line complaint from a hunter who found a stringer of 18 redhead ducks shoved underneath the boat dock at the access site. Officer Atkin, along with conservation officer Phil Hudson, then tracked down the hunters Atkin had encountered the previous night and obtained a confession from them that they shot 20 redhead ducks while hunting that day.
The men were ticketed for being over the bag limit for redhead ducks and face restitution payments to the Game and Fish Protection Fund of $100 to $500 per duck. They have previous waterfowl hunting violations, according to the officers.
“This case is another example of how it pays to call the RAP Line,” said Lt. Glenn Gutierrez. “Anytime you are outdoors and find evidence of a violation, you should call the RAP Line so our officers can investigate it.”
Any fish, game or natural resources violation can be anonymously reported to the DNR’s RAP Line at 800-292-7800. Information also can be reported online on the DNR’s website. Information leading to an arrest and conviction is eligible for a cash reward funded by the Game and Fish Protection Fund.
The men have 10 days to appear in 81st District Court in Arenac County to pay their fines and restitution.
