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

MICHIGAN DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES

Nov. 15-28

MONTMORENCY COUNTY

CO Sidney Collins received a complaint in Montmorency County of a stolen tractor implement off a cabin property. The property owner had pictures of the subject stealing the item. After some investigation, the subject was identified as a local logger. COs Collins and Dan Liestenfeltz interviewed the subject who claimed he was on the property to retrieve his dog. CO Collins showed the subject the picture of him taking the item to which he then admitted to stealing the item off the property. The subject retrieved the item off his property and the COs returned the item back to the victims. Charges were submitted to the prosecutor’s office.

CO Dan Liestenfeltz received a complaint in Montmorency County about a single gunshot that was heard just after shooting hours had ended. CO Liestenfeltz responded to the location where the violation had taken place. When arriving, CO Liestenfeltz observed a subject walk out of a barn with blood on his hands. CO Liestenfeltz asked the subject if he had shot a deer and the subject stated, “Yes, and I was just about to go inside and grab my tag to tag it.” CO Liestenfeltz spoke with the subject for a while and it was determined the deer was also shot over bait. They walked to the back of the property where there was a large, baited area consisting of a corn feeder, sugar beets, and apples. CO Liestenfeltz seized the deer and issued the hunter tickets for possessing an untagged deer.

COs Dan Liestenfeltz, Sidney Collins, Paul Fox, Jon Sklba, Jon Sheppard, Jessie Curtis, and Sgt. Mike Mshar conducted a traffic detail on M-33 south in Montmorency County with MSP Troopers Michael Perkins, Jason Kunath, and Norman Berry. During this detail, the COs and troopers made a total of 51 traffic stops and contacted 63 people, mainly hunters, and 22 deer and 16 firearms were checked. Verbal warnings for 48 traffic violations were given and one civil infraction ticket was issued. There were also two misdemeanor arrests and one felony that will be submitted to the Montmorency County Prosecutor’s Office. One warning was issued for a deer tagging issue and two warnings were issued for handgun violations.

PRESQUE ISLE COUNTY

COs Sidney Collins, Dan Liestenfeltz, Jon Sklba, and Paul Fox investigated a complaint of illegal baiting on a large private hunting camp south of Millersburg. The suspect camp placed large amounts of bait, which was visible from neighboring properties. In addition, complaints were made regarding truckloads of bait being brought into the camp. Furthermore, an individual who had outstanding DNR warrants was believed to be at the suspect camp. The COs located the bait and attempted to contact the responsible parties. COs Fox and Sklba saw a fresh set of foot tracks leading away from the camp and followed them through the woods, locating an individual hunting over a large amount of bait. The subject with the outstanding warrant was not located, but later turned himself in. Enforcement action was taken for the bait violation.