Highlights: December 2009

Northern Region Highlights

While bow hunting on his own property, CO Holmes observed an individual shoot a deer with a firearm within 100 yards of his tree stand. The officer watched as the individual, who was not wearing orange, dragged the deer within 50 yards of his location. The officer climbed down from the stand and identified himself to the individual. Lieutenant Applegate, who was nearby, was contacted and responded to the scene. Upon inspection, it was determined the individual was trespassing, hunting without a valid muzzleloader permit, no valid rifle permit and in possession of an untagged deer. All the appropriate summonses were issued.

Lt. Panico and CO Nestel responded to a call concerning an individual who claimed to have killed a black bear in self-defense. The officers arrived at the scene and determined the hunter was hunting deer with a muzzleloader in a closed zone. Upon examining the area, the officers determined that the bear was approximately 150 feet from the hunter’s location and was actively feeding on acorns. Summonses for hunting during the closed season and killing a black bear were issued.

CO Hutchinson assisted the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission with an investigation involving individuals from six different states. The NJ resident allegedly purchased a venomous snake from an individual who was dealing reptiles in Florida unlawfully. The NJ resident was interviewed and was found to be in possession of 17 different non-venomous snakes. The individual admitted to breeding and selling the snakes without the required permits. The appropriate summonses were issued and the investigation concerning the venomous snake continues.

Lt. Panico, CO Ziegler and Sutton investigated a complaint from Division personnel at a check station involving a group of hunters who allegedly killed a deer unlawfully. The officers responded to a nearby farm and located the hunters. It was determined that they had killed a deer the previous evening using a spotlight and used a borrowed license to register it. All the appropriate summonses were issued.

CO Sutton responded to a trespass complaint late one afternoon. Upon walking the property boundary with the landowner, the officer observed an individual who immediately tried to flee the area. After a short foot pursuit, the CO apprehended the individual. The officer continued to search the area and was able to locate 3 additional individuals on the property. All four individuals were charged by the CO.

Lt. Williamson, CO Paul and Virgilio responded to a complaint involving a group of 12 hunters who were in possession of several untagged deer. The hunters were located at a nearby farm and were found to be in possession of 9 untagged deer. Upon further inspection, it was determined that 2 individuals had procured resident licenses wrongfully and one was hunting with an unplugged shotgun.     

During the six deer firearm season, CO Holmes and Chief Cussen responding to a trespass complaint, located a tree stand as well as drag marks in the snow which led to a nearby barn. Upon closer examination, the officers observed untagged deer parts at the barn. Several days later, CO Holmes returned to the area and observed an individual in the stand without hunter’s orange. Upon inspecting the hunter, a second individual who was also not wearing orange, walked to the CO’s location. Both individuals were charged with not wearing hunter orange and the owner of the barn was charged with possessing unregistered deer parts.

Central Region Highlights 

Officer McManus apprehended a local asphalt contractor who had dumped eight 55 gallon drums on the Colliers Mills Wildlife Management Area located in Jackson Township.  Two of the drums contained used motor oil, and the contents of the other six have yet to be identified.  Fortunately, the entire event was observed by a township employee who gave Officer McManus a physical description of the vehicle along with its registration. The subject later returned to the scene and during an interview admitted to illegally dumping the drums.  Emergency Response took control of the clean up and removal.  The Ocean County Prosecutors Office has been notified.  Criminal and fish and wildlife charges are pending.

Officers Tomlin and Szulecki apprehended a bow hunter who was illegally hunting in Colts Neck Township without the proper zone permit.  The subject apparently saw the officers approaching, jumped from his tree stand and ran from the officers.  Unfortunately for him, he left behind his car keys which contained a key fob.  The Officers were able to locate the subject’s car by pressing the key fob as they drove through a nearby neighborhood. When the subject was finally contacted, he returned to the scene and admitted to hunting without having a valid bow permit.  Officers were able to recover his bow which was hidden in the woods.   Charges were issued for not having the proper bow permit and interference.

In response to a number of complaints about ATV riders interfering with hunting activities on the wildlife management areas, Officers McManus, Mutone and Szulecki issued a total of thirty-four summonses in one day to individuals for various ATV infractions on the Colliers Mills and Greenwood Forest Wildlife Management Area.

While patrolling the Greenwood Forest Wildlife Management Area located in Lacey Township, Officer Mutone prepared to stop two ATV riders on Mule Rd.  After activating her vehicle emergency lights, the two riders stopped.  As she exited her patrol vehicle, the riders appeared to be complying with her verbal instructions, when suddenly the first rider accelerated his vehicle and aimed right for the officer, causing her to retreat behind the cover of her car door.  Even then, the subject struck the door as he sped past her.  The second rider was apprehended and after a field interview, identified the other rider and location of where his vehicle was parked.  With the help of Officer McManus, the rider was located and he gave a thorough voluntary written statement acknowledging his involvement. The appropriate summonses were issued.

Officers McManus, Mutone, and Lt. Sich were on foot patrol in a dense wooded section of Jackson Township during the Six-Day firearm season, when they encountered a hunter dressed in full camouflage sleeping in a tree stand, while holding a loaded muzzleloader rifle.  Officers tried to get his attention but he remained motionless with his head down.  When the subject finally awoke, it was determined that he was hunting without a muzzleloader permit and valid rifle permit.  As the subject was escorted back to his vehicle, he made a number of false and misleading statements to the officers in an attempt to conceal the fact that one of his friends was still out hunting.  After legal hunting hours ended, a male subject dressed in full camouflage exited the woods.  He told officers that he was just out taking a walk and wasn’t hunting.  In his pocket, he was carrying the first subjects’ shotgun permit.  After a short interview, Lt. Sich was able to determine that the subjects’ loaded 12 gauge shotgun was hidden in the woods.  With the help of Harley Simons and his search dog, the firearm was located and the subject was issued summonses for hunting without a valid NJ hunting license, not wearing hunters orange and interference.  His partner was issued summonses for hunt no orange, loaning a permit, no rifle permit, no muzzleloader permit and interference.

Officer Tomlin responded to a trespassing complaint in Wall Township.  Upon his arrival, the officer was met by the lease holder who complained that there were hunters illegally hunting on his leased property.  Officer Tomlin then observed three of the six individuals as they exited the woods riding on an ATV with no helmets, uncased weapons and in possession of an untagged deer. During the inspection, Officer Tomlin encountered the following violations: two untagged deer, two hunters attempting to take a second deer and three uncased weapons.  The appropriate complaints were signed.

CO O’Rourke responded to a call from the Springfield P.D. during the Six Day Firearm Season regarding an individual who had shot a turkey.  According to the two witnesses, a U.S. Marshall and a Parole Officer, they had been in their deer stands watching a flock of turkeys most of the morning when they observed a man walk into the woods and shoot one of the turkeys.  They contacted the local police who then contacted Officer O’Rourke for assistance after they apprehended the individual.  CO O’Rourke charged the individual with taking turkey out of season and illegal missile for turkey (shotgun slug).  The police department also charged the man with illegal possession of a handgun and hollow point bullets, which were found in the vehicle while searching for the turkey.

CO O’Rourke received a complaint from a landowner regarding a hunter who was trespassing on his property and had shot a deer.  CO O’Rourke responded to the property and located the hunter.  Upon inspection of the deer, CO O’Rourke noticed that the man had tagged the doe with a zone 14 shotgun permit even though he was hunting in zone 48.  The man was issued a summons for trespass and a summons for hunting in the wrong zone. 

COs Mascio and Martiak and Lieutenant Lacroix were working in the Hopewell Township area during the Six Day Firearm Season when they observed several members of a known hunting group to be out hunting on a large farm in the township.  CO Mascio has received information in the past that this group will shoot a lot of deer and not tag them.  Lt. Lacroix dropped CO Mascio off on foot on the south end of the farm and set up watching one of the suspect vehicles, while CO Martiak set up on another vehicle on the northern end of the farm.  Two shots were heard just before dusk and Lieutenant Lacroix observed a hunter leave the woods a short time later and get into his vehicle.  She stopped the vehicle as it attempted to leave the farm and observed an uncased shotgun leaning on the front seat of the pickup.  Upon questioning the driver, he admitted that he had just shot two deer (a buck and a doe) and did not tag them.  Meanwhile, CO Martiak observed a hunter come out of the woods to the vehicle he was watching and put his shotgun away and get a quad, and head back into the woods.  A short time later the man came back with an untagged buck on the quad.  Summonses for untagged deer and an uncased firearm were issued to the two hunters. 

Southern Region Highlights

CO Kille responded to a complaint of an unattended boat and shotgun discovered along the banks of Petty’s Island in Pennsauken Township, Camden County.  Petty’s Island is located in the middle of the Delaware River and hunters have historically gone to great lengths to hunt within its boundaries because of the quality of deer located there.  The complainant indicated that while inspecting the island he discovered a boat, shotgun and ammunition concealed along the perimeter of the island and left unattended.  After responding to the complaint CO Kille located a man actively hunting deer with a muzzleloader and informed CO Kille that he had just harvested a large buck.   An inspection revealed that the hunter was without his required hunter’s orange, muzzleloader permit, rifle permit, buck permit.  Further investigation also revealed that the man had hunted waterfowl with buckshot in possession.  The hunter’s deer and weapons were seized as evidence and he was charged with trespassing, hunting without permits, unlawful possession of a deer, illegal missiles and possession of lead shot while waterfowl hunting.

CO Kille investigated a gun club in Monroe Township, Gloucester County for various violations of Title 23 after receiving numerous hunting related complaints over a month long period of time. One member of the club was reported to have killed three deer earlier in the week without tagging any of them. Additional information received by the officer indicated that this subject might be prohibited from possessing firearms. CO Kille observed the individual preparing to hunt and was assisted by COs from Districts 5 and 6 in apprehending the subject.  The man was arrested and transported to Monroe Police Department.  He was charged with felony possession of a weapon, hunting without a license, hunting without a shotgun permit, three counts of failing to tag and check-in deer, three counts of unlawful possession and with harvesting three deer at one time. 
After receiving information that a party of goose hunters were taking over the limit of geese, COs Stites and Risher inspected three goose hunters in Pilesgrove Township. They were found with four geese in their possession in the field. Information received earlier led them to inspect an out building that contained a total of eleven more geese putting the party 6 geese over their limit. One of the hunters also had an unplugged gun. The appropriate summonses were issued.

Conservation Officer Ciraolo received a complaint from a local farmer that someone had broken into his fields and driven around them causing extensive damage.  Additionally, the car then drove off the farm through a patch of woods onto a wildlife management area causing more damage.  The farmer had located a beat up motor vehicle tag from the car and plastic from a damaged light.  CO Ciraolo took the information from the registration and located the cars owner.  Along with Officer Ely they conducted an interview where they established that the car had been loaned to a friend.  After several days of checking they were able to locate the motor vehicle and driver.  Numerous summonses were issued for the damage to property.

Conservation Officer Ciraolo received information regarding the theft of a deer stand.  In talking to the complainant she found that the he was sitting on a car that had his stolen deer stand in it.  CO Ciraolo contacted Conservation Officer Fox for assistance and responded to the complainant.  CO’s Ciraolo and Fox located the complainant and found the owner of the truck with the stolen stand.  While interviewing the suspect, who admitted to taking the stand, a trail camera and a pair of bolt cutters were found in the woods.  CO Ciraolo was able to obtain a written confession regarding the theft of the stand.  Hunter harassment was just one of the charges issued.

Conservation Officer Fox and Lieutenant Massey were conducting routine patrols in Cumberland County during six day firearm deer week when they came upon a Gun Club conducting a deer drive.  While observing the drive for several minutes the officers saw a deer running through the drive.  There were repeated shots taken at this deer and the deer was seen going down past the standers.   After the drive Lieutenant Massey approached a group of hunters in the area that the deer was shot.  The hunters claimed that they could not find the deer and they would run another drive and see if they could find it.  Lieutenant Massey called on Officer Fox to assist and both officers were able to track the deer much to the apparent reluctance of the hunters.  The deer was found approximately 40 yards from where the hunters had been standing.  The deer, a doe, was seized by the officers. The last hunter to fire at the deer was issued summonses.

Marine Region Highlights

Joint operations with NMFS agents and NJ CO’s were conducted in response to the black sea bass closure in federal waters. On 11/3/09 CO Scott along NMFS agents boarded the party fishing vessel Ocean Explorer in Belmar. Undercover agents aboard the vessel documented the vessel fishing for black sea bass in federal waters as well as short black sea bass filleted by the mate and hidden on the vessel. CO Scott issued a summons for undersized black sea bass to the mate. A federal case has been initiated for the closure and other violations. On 11/9/09 another joint operation for black sea bass enforcement was conducted aboard the party fishing vessel Dauntless in Point Pleasant Beach. Undercover agents documented this vessel fishing for black sea bass in federal waters. The agents also observed the mates filleting undersized black sea bass which were discarded as the vessel entered the Manasquan Inlet prior to docking. This is a violation of the requirements of the vessel’s state-issued fillet permit. When the vessel docked and the officers boarded the vessel, the patrons left behind 152 undersized black sea bass and 45 legal size black sea bass. Based on information supplied to CO Swift, three patrons were issued summonses for possession of undersized black sea bass. The vessel’s owner, captain and two mates were issued summonses for filleting undersized black sea bass and discarding carcasses prior to docking. Along with penalties ranging from $300-3000, a 60 day suspension of the fillet permit will be assessed upon conviction.

CO Swift was provided information in reference to the party fishing vessel Queen Mary II keeping any striped bass that were caught on their annual Thanksgiving Day fishing trip. On Thanksgiving Day, COs Scott and Swift boarded this vessel as it returned to its dock in Point Pleasant Beach. The inspection uncovered five undersized striped bass carcasses. A summons was issued to the captain.

On 11/28/09 CO Dravis inspected a recreational vessel named "Earley Bird" as it pulled into Southside Marina in Brielle. When the three occupants of the vessel observed CO Dravis at the dock they pretended they were having trouble docking the vessel and stated they would be going to a more sheltered slip on the other side of marina.  As they pulled away, CO Dravis reacted by jumping off the dock onto the deck of the boat. CO Dravis found one bluefish and nine striped bass.  Eight of the stripers measured less than 28 inches. The captain/owner of the vessel was written a court mandatory summons for possession of eight undersized striped bass and three over limit.

CO Swift settled a case in Neptune City on 12/3/09 in reference to the FV Last Lady II where a $300 penalty was assessed and a 60 day fillet permit suspension for discarding scup carcasses prior to docking.

On 12/3/09 COs Scott and Swift conducted a patrol of the Barnegat Light jetty in the Barnegat Inlet. Inspections were made as fishermen exited the jetty and returned to their vehicles. A total of 13 summonses were issued for possession of undersized tautog and possession of over daily bag limit of six tautog. A summons for interference with the duties of a Conservation Officer was issued to an individual who tried to elude detection by the COs. A total of 30 illegal tautog were seized by the officers.

On December 18th at 2100 hrs Lt Canale assisted National Marine Fishery Service Special Agent Jason Couse with the boarding of FV Carol Marie at Lunds Fisheries in Cape May.  The FV Carol Marie was landing a General Category sea scallop trip also known as a “day” scallop trip limited to 400lbs.  The vessel which was identified as a result of their vessel monitoring system was observed entering the Hudson Canyon Closed area which is located 80 miles from the coast of NJ.  Lt Canale and SA Couse inspected the vessel when it landed, interviewed the captain and crew about their recent, as well as their two previous trips into the closed area.  Officers seized their catch of 400lb of sea scallops.  During this investigation, while the crew was being identified, one crewman provided a false name, date of birth and social security number.  Numerous warrants for this individual were identified. Officers turned the individual over to Lower Twp police for processing on the active warrants.

On December 12th,   weather conditions created blow-out conditions at low tide.  Lieutenant Canale assisted CO Nicklow on a patrol of the dock areas along the bay-shore in Brigantine.  CO Nicklow and Lieutenant Canale apprehended three commercial clammers harvesting clams within dock areas off of 17th St. South. Appropriate enforcement action was taken and all clams were returned to the water.

Training Unit Highlights

Lieutenant Leonard conducted a 5 hour block of instruction in Defensive Tactics for the officers of the Marine Region.  Topics covered included use of the expandable baton, handcuffing and take-downs.

Quarterly Scoped Rifle qualifications were recently conducted for the Wildlife Control and Bureau of Law Enforcement Precision Rifle shooters.

Lieutenants Tim Williamson and Mark Leonard conducted a training class at the Colliers Mills Training Center and the Morris County Police Academy on Black Bear Incident Response for Law Enforcement Officers.  These were the 29th and 30th training classes held on this subject with a total of 50 officers from various municipalities, State and federal agencies attending. 

The Training Unit hosted a ballistic workshop at the Black River WMA Law Enforcement Range.  The workshop evaluated and compared penetration, expansion and weight retention of a variety of duty ammunition, carried by law enforcement officers, as it was fired into “ballistic gel”.  All of these measurements and procedures were followed according to the F.B.I. protocol for conducting ballistic testing and evaluating/comparing different rounds of ammunition.

An annual firearms training session was conducted for all Wildlife Services Section personnel issued rim-fire rifles and shotguns.  

Lieutenants Williamson and Leonard and Captain Brown assisted various Regions with their Patrol effort during the Six-Day Firearm Deer Season.