West District

Hunter Harassment

EnCon Police officers in the Northwest Sector had received complaints of a hunter harassment issue in Sharon occurring during early morning hours. The complainant stated that around 5 AM a vehicle would stop on a public roadway adjacent to a block of woods that was frequented by deer hunters and begin blowing the vehicle’s horn. On October 20th, EnCon Police Officer Crossman set up surveillance before sunrise in the location. She saw a vehicle with a New York registration stop on the roadway and the operator began blowing the vehicle’s horn. Officer Crossman approached the vehicle and confronted the operator. The operator stated that he was blowing the horn because there were deer in the road. Officer Crossman observed the entire event and never saw any deer. As the vehicle operator did not leave the public roadway and interject himself in the line of fire for the hunters and the complainant was not actively hunting at the time, the “hunter harassment” law was not applicable. However, in Officer Crossman’s opinion the operator was purposely trying to interfere with the hunters. The operator was issued an infraction for causing unnecessary noise and creating a public disturbance.

Deer being kept as pets

On Saturday October 17th, EnCon Police received a report of a small deer that was tied to a post with a rope in a yard of a private residence in Danbury. EnCon Police Officer Bernier responded and upon arriving at the residence observed two small does contained in a large fenced area next to the house. Officer Bernier estimated that the does were young of the year from this season. The deer appeared to be about 50 pounds each and appeared to be in good health. They were observed feeding on vegetable leaves. The deer were outfitted with dog harnesses and attached to the fence with a leash.

Officer Bernier was able to locate the homeowner at his place of employment and determined that he had found the two deer on his property when they were still fawns with spots. He advised Officer Bernier that he observed a dead mature doe nearby so he took both the fawns into his home where he and his wife cared for them. He stated that they put the dog harnesses on the deer so that his wife could walk them around their property. He kept the deer inside their house at night and began leaving them outside during the daytime in the fenced in area.

Both deer were tranquilized and relocated to a wildlife sanctuary that does not allow hunting. The subject was arrested for Illegal possession of fawn deer.

Hunting over bait in Oxford

On October 19th EnCon Police Officer Blackwell received a complaint regarding possible illegal deer hunting behind a residential home in Oxford. Officer Blackwell met with the homeowner who showed her a gut pile from a deer. Officer Blackwell investigated the incident which resulted in locating a deer carcass that had all of the usable meat and head removed. Officer Blackwell then located a ladder stand in close proximity to a neighboring residence. She approached the residence and observed the head, hide and four legs of an eight point buck in the driveway. The carcass and the head did not have a deer tag attached.

Officer Blackwell and Sergeant Williams made contact with the homeowner who advised the officers that he had shot the deer with a crossbow the previous day from his ladder stand. He brought Officer Blackwell back to the ladder stand and showed her where he had shot the deer. Officer Blackwell observed a pile of corn where the subject said he had shot the deer from. He then admitted to placing the corn there. The town of Oxford is not in Deer Zone 11 or 12 and therefore it is illegal to hunt over bait in that area. The subject further admitted to knowing that to Officer Blackwell. He was arrested and charged with Failure to complete a deer harvest tag and hunting deer over bait.

East District

Fishing

On October 3rd 2014 Officer Wojcik was sent to a complaint of people fishing in Konomac Reservoir in Oakdale. Upon arrival he could see two individuals wading and fishing a peninsula out into the reservoir. After making a lengthy hike and approaching them unseen, he identified himself as a police officer at which time both anglers took off running. After a short foot chase he caught up to them at which time they were each charged accordingly.

Hunting

On Saturday, October 11th 2014 Officer Ruggiero received a tip that illegal deer hunting was taking place in Middletown, CT. While off-duty and knowing Officer Chemacki was in the area, Officer Ruggiero reached out and advised Officer Chemacki of the situation. Officer Chemacki made contact with the complainant and upon arriving to investigate found the suspect in a deer stand on posted ‘No trespassing’ property. The suspect was charged with Criminal Trespass 3rd Degree and Hunting deer on private property without consent. He was released on a summons and is scheduled to appear in court.

On October 13th 2014 Officer Wojcik investigated a complaint that he and Sgt. Wolfe had received previously. Upon checking a known baited deer stand in Salem he found a man actively hunting over it. The poacher was there without written consent, did not have his hunting license on him as required. The man later admitted to placing several different kinds of bait around the area. The man was charged with Illegal Deer Hunting and is scheduled to appear in court later in the month.

On Saturday, October 18th 2014 Officer Lindo made contact with a subject he had been looking for since first receiving the complaint on September 9th. The complaint pertained to someone hunting over a baited area on Maromas Property in Middletown. Officer Lindo found the baited area and continuously checked the stand finding that the baited area was continuously was refreshed with apples, corn, and a salt block. On October 18th Officer Lindo located the suspect hunting over the bait and determined that the suspect was indeed responsible for the illegal activity. The suspect further stated that he knew that it was illegal to do so. The male suspect was arrested and processed on scene. He was released on a summons and is scheduled to appear in court.
On Saturday, October 18th 2014 Officers Scatena and Arsenault received a complaint of a man hunting the Mansfield Wildlife Management Area with archery equipment over bait. Upon investigation they located the male subject in his deer stand hunting over corn that he had brought in to attract deer to the area. The subject was arrested, processed on scene and released on a summons to appear in court.

On the morning of Monday, October 20th 2014 Officers Ruggiero and Nivolo received an anonymous complaint that someone had just shot and killed three wild turkeys with archery equipment in Middletown. They arrived at the suspect’s residence and while attempting to make contact with him they noticed in plain view three freshly killed wild turkeys lined up in a row on the ground. Aside the turkeys were three bloody arrows. Upon making contact with the homeowner he initially claimed that he had killed two turkeys and his wife had taken one. After a short investigation it was determined that the man had killed all three birds. The male was issued a summons to appear in court and was released on a promise to appear.

On Friday, October 24th 2014 Officers Ruggiero and Nivolo were patrolling an area that was known to Officer Ruggiero to have been illegally baited for deer in the past. As they passed by the tree stand they noticed that the stand was occupied. They entered the woods on foot and obtained a vantage point where they could watch the subject without being detected. This confirmed the illegal activity of hunting deer on a baited area with a loaded crossbow. After a short investigation it was determined that the subject had indeed been baiting the area for deer and was illegally hunting deer over corn and sweet feed. He also did not have written consent to hunt on the private property. The subject was issued a summons to appear in court and was later released with a promise to appear.

On Saturday, October 25th 2014 Officer Golet was patrolling an area near Bartlett Brook WMA in Lebanon when he noticed a hunter in full camouflage with archery equipment. He approached the hunter and while conducting a compliance check Officer Golet noticed several piles of corn and a feed block with molasses poured over it. The area in question is not an area that is legal to hunt deer over bait. Officer Golet placed the man under arrest, processed him in the field, and released him on a summons to appear in court.

Park & Forest

On October 5th 2014 Officers from the East District worked an ATV Enforcement Detail on the Airline Trail State Park in North Windham. Numerous infractions were issued to a dozen violators. In one of the incidents one of the operators took off on an ATV in an attempt to evade officers but was later apprehended and arrested for evading, possession of a stolen ATV, and other probation violations. He was taken into custody and processed at the Connecticut State Police barracks at Troop K. Another individual took off from Officer Golet and was later apprehended by Officer Danielson. He was issued an infraction totaling $677 dollars in fines including operation of an unregistered ATV, Failure to stop upon command of an officer and operating an ATV on a public highway.

Marine District

Fishing violation

On October 6, 2014 officers from the East Marine sector were conducting fisheries enforcement in the Stonington area. Officers were acting on a complaint of a specific individual taking over the creel limit of fish. Officers watched as a vessel matching the description given offloaded its catch at a small marina. Officers conducted an inspection which resulted in a fisherman not possess a fishing license and a licensed fisherman who possessed a total of forty five Scup and eighteen Black Sea bass. The creel limit for Scup is twenty fish and Black Sea bass is eight fish. The excess fish were seized and sold to a licensed seafood dealer for $67.00. Both fishermen were issued infractions for the fisheries violations.

On October 28, 2014 officers in the district received a complaint of a vessel and its two occupants keeping a large quantity of fish over the allowed legal limit. The vessel description matched that of past fishing violations. Officers saw the vessel enter Port in the Niantic River and conducted an inspection. The two males on board were in possession of twenty-four Tautog combined. The creel limit for Tautog is four each. The fisherman were not licensed, possessed over their daily creel limit of fish and possessed twenty fish under the legal size limit of sixteen inches. The illegal catch was seized and both fishermen were issued infractions for the violations.
Marine District officers issued over 40 citations for marine fisheries violations during the month of October. A majority of the violations were for Tautog size or creel limits.

Illegal Navigation Markers

On October 2, 2014 a complaint was received from an attorney representing a Greenwich shellfisherman concerning navigation buoys placed on his leased grounds. The complaint was against the Rocky Point Club in Old Greenwich, which allegedly placed six navigation markers and numerous moorings on shellfish beds that were currently leased. These buoys and moorings prevented harvesting of oysters / clams in the area and the club had been asked to remove them in a formal letter. Officer Stone conducted a thorough investigation and discovered that the buoys were not permitted by the U.S. Coast Guard or the DEEP Boating Division. The Club president was issues an infraction for violation of boating regulations specific to regulatory / navigational markers and trespassing on designated (shellfishing) grounds. The club was advised to remove the markers as soon as practical. The incident is also being investigated by the local Harbormaster and the Office of Long Island Sound.

Great job as always. So many people baiting deer. Just show how lazy most people are. Thanks for calling them what they are poachers.