Category: Poachers

Kalkaska men arraigned, accused of torturing animals and illegal hunting

Nicholas Patnode, 19, and Zander Garrett, 20, were arraigned in Kalkaska County District Court in Kalkaska for multiple wildlife violations that took place throughout Kalkaska County during October–.

Michigan Department of Natural Resources conservation officers began the complex investigation in 2022 after receiving a tip through the DNR Report All Poaching hotline.

Conservation officers discovered a group of individuals who had committed multiple wildlife crimes, including several counts of shooting deer from a motor vehicle, game-tagging violations and animal cruelty charges.

The Kalkaska men are believed to have illegally killed at least six deer, including a 9-point buck shot from the window of a truck. They are also accused of inhumanely killing a porcupine.

“When there’s this many violations, including torturing animals, education only goes so far. These crimes need to be addressed,” said Jason Haines, chief of the DNR’s Law Enforcement Division. “Prosecution of these acts will hopefully deter not only these individuals but others from committing similar crimes in the future.”

Haines praised the work of his investigators.

“Our officers conducted a very thorough investigation to piece together many pieces of evidence from throughout the county,” he said.

Patnode’s 11 charges, include:

  • Two counts of killing, torturing animals, a third-degree felony punishable by up to four years in jail and/or $5,000 in fines.
  • Six counts of wildlife conservation violation – general violations. Each is a misdemeanor punishable of up to 90 days in jail per count and/or $500 each.
  • One count of hunting and fishing license violation – using another’s license, a misdemeanor that carries a punishment of up to 90 days in jail and/or up to $250 in fines.
  • One count of wildlife conservation violation – taking game from a vehicle; a misdemeanor punishable by up to 90 days in jail and/or up to $500 in fines.
  • One count of wildlife conservation violation – possessing a bow or crossbow in a vehicle operated on public land or roads. The offense is a misdemeanor carrying a sentence of up to 90 days in jail and/or up to $500 in fines.

Garrett’s charges include:

  • One count of killing, torturing animals.
  • One count of wildlife conservation violation – taking game from a vehicle.
  • One count of wildlife conservation violation – possessing bow or crossbow in a vehicle operated on public land or roads.

Garrett and Patnode were arrested  on felony charges; their bond was paid, and they were released the next day. They are due back in court on .

A third man, who the DNR is not naming because of his age at the time the crime was committed, processed a plea agreement through the county’s juvenile court.

Anyone who witnesses a natural resource violation should immediately call or text the Report All Poaching Hotline at 800-292-7800. Information can be left anonymously. Monetary rewards may be offered for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of violators.

Contact: Lt. Mark DePew, (989) 275-5151

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Michigan DNR hiring conservation officers

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Conservation officers seize cocaine and six illegal firearms from Oakland County men in Montmorency County

Hoping to partake in the opening day of firearm deer hunting season, three men now face multiple charges after a Michigan Department of Natural Resources conservation officer located cocaine and illegal firearms in two separate vehicles, north of Atlanta in Montmorency County on Wednesday.

Sgt. Mike Mshar was patrolling on County Road 622, near Rouse Road, when he passed a slow-moving vehicle with a window down, occupied by two men wearing hunter orange.

The driver of the vehicle stopped to talk to Mshar, who noticed the passenger place something under his seat. Mshar asked the passenger to step out of the vehicle, and when he did, a bag of cocaine fell to the ground.

While Mshar was addressing the violation, a second vehicle arrived, driven by the father of the passenger in the first vehicle. CO Dan Liestenfeltz also arrived to assist.

Both officers suspected the father was driving under the influence of alcohol and asked him to complete field sobriety tests, which he failed. Concealed pistol license-certified, the man was also carrying a loaded pistol, which is illegal when intoxicated by drugs or alcohol.

Officers obtained probable cause to search both vehicles and located additional cocaine (2 grams total) in the first vehicle, along with three rifles. A second pistol and rifle were found in the father’s vehicle.

All three men were arrested and lodged in the Alpena County Jail. Their arraignment is pending.

The men in the first vehicle each face two felony charges, one for possessing cocaine and one for possessing a firearm with illegal drugs.

The driver of the second vehicle faces two misdemeanor charges, operating while intoxicated and possessing a firearm while intoxicated.

“This is a strong case that supports our mission to promote safe and fair hunting,” said DNR Law Enforcement Division Chief Jason Haines. “These individuals posed an immediate safety risk to themselves and others who were on the road and in the woods enjoying opening day of deer season in northern Michigan.”

The DNR will not release names until all individuals have been arraigned. Read more

Poachers

Utah DWR conservation officers seek information after bull moose shot, left to waste in Wasatch County

SPRINGVILLE — Utah Division of Wildlife Resources conservation officers are seeking information from the public about a bull moose that was shot and left to waste last month.

Officers received a report of a bull moose that was killed in the Strawberry River Drainage in Wasatch County. Investigators estimated that the incident occurred sometime between Oct. 7-12. Read more

Poachers

Poacher Required to Forfeit Car, Weapon, Hunting License, and Fined $2,800

After a night investigation and years-long court process a Vermont poacher was mandated this week to forfeit his vehicle and weapon in addition to prior fines and loss of hunting privileges, according to the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department.

Shane Phillips, 43, of Johnson, was initially cited for “deer jacking”—illegally shooting a deer at night. The citation followed an after-dark field operation by game wardens in October 2020 at multiple locations in the town of Johnson. Read more

Poachers

Arkansas; GFC, EDC Offer $713,000 from Poaching Fine to Arkansas Schools

LITTLE ROCK – Nearly three-quarters of a million dollars is available for Arkansas schools this year, thanks to a partnership between the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission and the Arkansas Economic Development Commission’s Division of Rural Services to turn poaching violations into education opportunities.

All wildlife and fishing fine money collected in each Arkansas county last year has been set aside by the AGFC specifically for education grants teachers may use to increase conservation education efforts in their school. The money is available through grants administered by AEDC.

Teachers and administrators have until Oct. 25 to apply for a conservation education grant at www.arkansasedc.com/rural-services/division/grants/wildlife-education-grant. The amount of money available in each county is based upon the fines collected in that county and any unused funds from previous years. Any school or conservation district in Arkansas may apply for these grants regardless of size or population. Read more

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Colorado Group Owes Over $6,000 for Poaching Fish in Michigan

The six men pleaded guilty to taking fish by an illegal method along the Manistee River last October. Contact: Sgt. Grant Emery, 906-285-2085

Colorado group owes more than $6,600 for poaching fish in Michigan

Six Colorado men have pleaded guilty to taking fish by an illegal method, stemming from an incident along the Manistee River in October. Michigan Department of Natural Resources conservation officers caught the group illegally fishing following a tip from a concerned angler.

The last of the six men was charged earlier this month in the 85th District Court in Manistee County. Each of the men, all from Colorado, owes more than $1,100 in restitution, fines and costs:

  • Agustin Barrera, 29, of Denver.
  • David Cobaxin, 48, of Denver.
  • Alfredo Hernandez, 56, of Denver.
  • Gregorio Hernandez, 49, of Aurora.
  • Leonel Lopez, 38, of Aurora.
  • Raul Lopez, 37, of Aurora.

One positive result from the group’s poaching: conservation officers were able to donate more than 460 pounds of fresh fish to Manistee County families in need.

Michigan conservation officers are fully commissioned law enforcement officers who provide natural resources protection, ensure recreational safety and protect people by providing general law enforcement duties and lifesaving operations in the communities they serve. Learn more at Michigan.gov/ConservationOfficers.

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Conservation officers seize four firearms and drugs during traffic stop in Pigeon River Country State Forest

Two people were arrested for possessing illegal firearms and drugs after a Michigan Department of Natural Resources conservation officer conducted a traffic stop in a remote area of the Pigeon River Country State Forest, in Otsego County.

The officer initially observed the vehicle driving on the wrong side of the road. During the stop, the vehicle occupants told the officer, “We are just out looking to hunt stuff.”

The officer saw that the passenger had an uncased .308 rifle near their right leg with a rifle round on the door handle. Additionally, the driver – who had binoculars around their neck – had a loaded .22 caliber rifle behind the seat.

Additional conservation officers soon arrived on scene to assist.

Officers searched the rental vehicle the suspects were operating and found two additional firearms, used rifle casings, alcohol, several containers of crystal meth, marijuana, and evidence of drug use.

DNR officers confiscated three rifles and one shotgun, along with the ammunition and drugs.

The names of those arrested will not be released until they are arraigned in court. Both suspects face multiple felony charges. The investigation is ongoing.

Poachers

Kalamazoo man charged in series of hunting violations, admits he’s not an ‘ethical hunter’

Jan. 27, 2023
Contact: Lt. Gerald Thayer, 269-204-7045

A Kalamazoo man who admits that he’s “not the most ethical hunter,” was in court for a pretrial hearing related to illegal deer hunting.

Scott Kevin Meisterheim, 55, was arraigned earlier this month in the 8th District Court of Kalamazoo County for the following 10 charges, sought by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources:

Meisterheim the Poacher

  • Taking white-tailed deer outside of lawful hunting hours (one count).
  • Hunting white-tailed deer with no license (two counts).
  • Uses the deer hunting licenses of another (two counts).
  • Taking an overlimit of antlered white-tailed deer (two counts).
  • Transporting/possessing untagged antlered white-tailed deer (three counts).

The DNR requested additional charges for illegal bait, failing to immediately validate/attach kill tags and using another’s (hunting) license.

“This is an excellent investigation of a poacher who shows no respect for the resource or the ethics of fair chase,” said Chief Dave Shaw, DNR Law Enforcement Division. “Violations of this type deprive law-abiding people of their opportunity to have access to and enjoy a public trust natural resource, in this case white-tailed deer.”

DNR conservation officers began investigating Meisterheim, the poacher, in  after receiving tips that were reported to the DNR’s Report All Poaching hotline (800-292-7800).

Conservation Officer James Nason, who patrols Kalamazoo County, investigated a series of tips by interviewing several witnesses regarding Meisterheim’s illegal hunting activity from October to

Evidence collected during the investigation revealed that Meisterheim took at least 11 deer from Oct. 1-Dec. 24, 2021, including three deer Oct. 1, and that he believed he was “tagged out” the first week of archery season. Within three days, Meisterheim let two deer spoil; those were rejected by the processor due to their condition.

Nason interviewed Meisterheim at the Kalamazoo County Jail, where Meisterheim was lodged at the time for domestic abuse.

“Sure, I love to kill deer,” Meisterheim said. “If I could kill more I would, to be honest with you.”

Meisterheim, who was hunting without a hunting license, during all hours of the day and while using illegal bait, also obtained other people’s deer tags to cover his illegal deer, if he even tagged them at all.

He told Nason that he “is not the most ethical hunter, tagging other people’s deer, but I don’t care – I am addicted to the venison.”

In explaining why he was in possession of so many deer, Meisterheim also claimed that injured deer would stumble to, and die near his hunting location. Meisterheim also hunted several properties where he did not have permission, including in Kalamazoo and Van Buren counties.

Meisterheim is currently serving 18 months’ probation for aggravated domestic assault in Kalamazoo County. He is due back in court for the DNR charges in February.

Michigan conservation officers are fully commissioned law enforcement officers who provide natural resources protection, ensure recreational safety, and protect residents through general law enforcement and conducting lifesaving operations in the communities they serve. Learn more at Michigan.gov/ConservationOfficers.

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