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POLICE BLOTTER: Michigan Department of Natural Resources

Recent actions by law enforcement agencies in Northeast Michigan. This has been only lightly edited.

MICHIGAN DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES

Sept.20-Oct. 3

ALPENA COUNTY

CO Jessie Curtis was patrolling Devil’s Lake in Alpena County for waterfowl hunting activity on the season’s opening day when she observed hunters in the distance shooting at a bird flying over. Upon further investigation, the hunters had shot an American bittern which is a protected species similar to a heron. The hunters stated that the bittern appeared to be a hen mallard when it flew by them and when they retrieved it, they thought it was some type of merganser. CO Curtis educated the hunters on positively identifying the waterfowl species before shooting. CO Curtis issued a ticket to the subject who had shot the bittern.

PRESQUE ISLE COUNTY

CO Jon Sklba received a complaint of subjects in Presque Isle County placing a dam of trees and shrubs in a river to stop the flow of water. The complainant speculated that subjects blocked the river to slow or stop the passage of salmon and to congregate the fish for easy poaching. CO Sklba responded to the area and found the air smelled of castor. CO Sklba also observed what appeared to be a beaver slide and multiple sticks that had been chewed by beaver. CO Jon Sklba is very familiar with the area and about every other year beavers dam the exact area and there is a beaver lodge within 100 yards of the dam. Based on the evidence, CO Jon Sklba concluded the dam to be the work of beaver.

MONTMORENCY COUNTY

CO Dan Liestenfeltz was patrolling Albert Township in Montmorency County when he observed an ORV traveling down the middle of the roadway at a very high rate of speed. When attempting to catch up to the ORV, CO Liestenfeltz observed it pass a vehicle. CO Liestenfeltz eventually was able to stop the ORV. The operator was issued a ticket for operating an ORV on a public highway and a warning given for careless operation.

Sgt. Mike Mshar was checking a landlocked section of state land in Montmorency County when he discovered a large gun blind on a trailer. Further investigation discovered several bait piles consisting of corn, acorns, and salt. Sgt. Mshar was familiar with the blind as he had previously warned the same subject two years prior for the same violations. The subject was also accessing the state land by going through a locked gas facility which was not a legal access. Sgt. Mshar removed the blind and contacted the subject. The subject became very belligerent with Sgt. Mshar, blaming him for the terrible hunting conditions in Michigan as well as numerous other world issues. The subject ended the conversation stating he was moving back to Ohio.

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