Contact: Lt. Gerald Thayer, 269-204-7045

A Decatur, Michigan, man’s unethical hunting activity has resulted in prison time, financial restitution and lifetime loss of hunting privileges in the state. Justin Ernst, 33, pleaded guilty Monday in Van Buren County’s 36th Circuit Court after illegally taking nine trophy bucks last year.

“We’re satisfied that this criminal will be imprisoned for robbing ethical hunters, damaging crops and endangering others by recklessly driving through fields and shooting deer at night,” said David Shaw, assistant chief, Michigan Department of Natural Resources Law Enforcement Division. “We hope this serious sentence serves its intended purpose and are grateful for the strong message rendered by the 36th Circuit Court.”

On Oct. 17, Michigan State Police troopers were investigating Ernst’s involvement in a domestic violence complaint. State police contacted DNR conservation officers when they noticed several deer in a nearby barn where Ernst reportedly spent a significant amount of time.

Conservation officers investigated and seized eight illegal bucks in the barn – five 10-pointers and three with eight points each.

Two days later, an anonymous tip to the DNR’s Report All Poaching hotline stated that Ernst had taken another deer. Conservation officers confirmed that Ernst had taken another trophy buck – increasing his total to nine illegally taken deer.

Ernst pleaded guilty to:

• • Felon in possession of a firearm (one count).
  • Obtaining a hunting license when ineligible (one count).
  • Illegal taking/possessing whitetail deer (three counts).

Read more

Police investigating an October domestic violence complaint discovered nine poached bucks in a barn located in Decatur.

Michigan Department of Natural Resources conservation officers determined the illegal, trophy deer belonged to a previously convicted felon who is suspected of driving his truck through fields, shining and shooting deer.

Justin Ernst, 33, Decatur, faces up to $59,500 in reimbursement to the state if convicted of the more than one dozen violations he was charged with. He was arraigned Nov. 9 in 7th District Court in Paw Paw.

Ernst has a prior DNR conviction from 2018 for illegally taking or possessing whitetail deer. Previous felony charges on record for Ernst include possession of methamphetamine or ecstacy, third-degree fleeing a police officer and third offense (felony) operating a vehicle under the influence of liquor.

“It’s a shame that this criminal ruined the chance for ethical, legal hunters to have their opportunity to take one of these trophy deer,” said Lt. Gerald Thayer, of the Michigan DNR Law Enforcement Division. “Not only did this felon steal from the natural resource, he also damaged agriculture crops, and has been doing so for some time. The financial penalty is the minimum he should serve.”

The 15 DNR charges pending against Ernst include:

• Two counts of firearm possession by a felon.
• Two felony firearms violations.
• One count of hunting with a revoked hunting license.
• One count of applying for, or obtaining, a hunting license when ineligible.
• Nine counts of taking game illegally.

Read more