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

MICHIGAN DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES

Nov. 1-13

PRESQUE ISLE COUNTY

CO Jon Sklba contacted a hunter coming out of the woods in Presque Isle County. After speaking with the hunter, CO Sklba asked if the hunter had any bait out. The hunter advised he did, and the hunter and the CO went to the stand to check it out. While at the stand, CO Sklba also noted the litter the hunter had been leaving behind and that his stand was without any identification. Tickets were written for the litter and unmarked stand and the bait was cleaned up.

MONTMORENCY COUNTY

COs Sidney Collins and Dan Liestenfeltz were patrolling Montmorency County late at night when they noticed a suspicious vehicle driving slowly with their windows down. The COs followed the truck for several miles and saw spotlights come on both the driver’s and passenger sides of the vehicle. CO Collins made a stop on the vehicle. The driver did not have any weapons but admitted to shining for deer. The driver also was in possession of open alcohol in the vehicle. The driver was issued tickets for the violations.

CO Dan Liestenfeltz received a complaint of an illegal tree stand and bait site this past August in Montmorency County. The bait site had a large amount of corn, carrots, and apples as well as a mineral block. CO Liestenfeltz had also observed that the tree stand did not have a name or address and there were also trees and limbs cut to create shooting lanes at the site. After monitoring the site for many weeks, CO Liestenfeltz was able to contact the hunter at the site while actively tending the bait. The hunter admitted to running the bait site year-round to keep deer in the area. CO Liestenfeltz issued the hunter a ticket for baiting and having no name on the stand. Warnings were issued for keeping the tree stand on state land year-round as well as the cutting of trees and limbs. The area was cleaned up and the stand was removed.

ALPENA COUNTY

CO Jon Sheppard received a complaint from a hunter in Alpena County that two dirt bikes drove around his fence and through his property while he was hunting. CO Sheppard responded to the area and located a truck leaving the area with two dirt bikes loaded into the truck bed. The dirt bikes matched the description given by the hunter. CO Sheppard initiated a traffic stop on the truck. CO Sheppard questioned the two subjects about the trespass. The subjects eventually admitted to driving around a fence on the property. CO Sheppard returned to the scene of the trespass and was able to locate two sets of tire tracks from dirt bikes. A report is being submitted to the Alpena County Prosecutor’s Office and charges are pending.

CO Jon Sheppard assisted Michigan State Troopers (MSP) troopers in conducting a search warrant in Alpena looking for hunting equipment purchased fraudulently online. The equipment was located, and the investigation is ongoing.