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FISH & WILDLIFE DIVISIONMonthly Field Review
OREGON STATE POLICE
OCTOBER2017
ContentSuccessful Hunters
Community Involvement
Enforcement of Wildlife Laws
Enforcement of General Laws
Turn In Poachers
OSP F&W Recruitment PageClick here for recruitment video
Night Operations
Successful Hunters
Hunters from around the state were kind enough to share their success photos with our troopers. OSP Fish & Wildlife has been busy patrolling and checking hunters throughout the fall seasons.
A F&W trooper participated in the Odd Fellows Lodge “Pumpkin Patch”, a two day event for Tillamook County area kids from preschool to 3rd grade. On display were a robotic wildlife enforcement decoy and several elk antlers. The trooper discussed OSP’s role in protecting the natural resources and why it’s important. 717 kids participated over the two day event plus several parents and volunteers. While working the event, one of the Odd Fellows volunteers and our trooper realized they have a common interest in the Montana Grizzlies. The trooper’s daughter is there studying wildlife biology, and his grandson is also a student there! The volunteer brought a Montana Grizzlies sign with him the second day and asked our trooper to pose with him.
A F&W trooper was asked to speak during a Haines Elementary School field trip at the Powder River Recreational Area below the Mason Dam. The trooper spoke to approximately 65 students (K-2nd Grade) about his job as a F&W Officer and the various species of fish and wildlife in Oregon. The students thoroughly enjoyed seeing “Scruffy” the deer and other related items.
In his off-duty time, a F&W Sergeant participated as dog handler and mentor for a women’s pheasant hunt in the Grande Ronde Valley, near La Grande. The hunt was facilitated by the Union County Chapter of the Oregon Hunters Association and was attended by eleven women and six dog handlers/mentors. OHA released 35 pheasants for the hunt, which provided a great experience for both the hunters and their mentors.
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
The Yamhill Chapter of the Oregon Hunters Association presented our McMinnville office with equipment to assist in the continued enforcement of fish and wildlife laws. Items included, among other things, trail cameras, spotting scopes, and binoculars. Huge thank you for the generous donations!
Enterprise and La Grande Troopers conducted a night flight for the last night of deer season. During the operation the pilot observed a vehicle working a light in the Wenaha hunt unit. The Pilot guided Troopers on the ground to the vehicles location and the occupants were contacted. Three individuals were cited for Casting an Artificial Light while Armed.
F&W Troopers conducted a nighttime Wildlife Enforcement Decoy (WED) operation in rural Yamhill County. Approximately one hour after legal shooting light, the driver of a vehicle stopped and shot towards the WED from the driver’s seat. The driver stated they could not be sure of an impact and one could not be located. The driver was cited criminally for Hunting Prohibited Hours and a .270 rifle was seized as evidence. A second vehicle later stopped in the road and shut off its engine while shining a flashlight on the decoy. When contacted, the driver made statements indicating he had considered shooting the decoy and was in possession of a loaded 9mm semi-automatic handgun. The driver was cited for Casting Artificial Light from Vehicle While in Possession of Certain Weapons.
On October 27th, 2017 Fish and Wildlife troopers conducted a blacktail deer WED operation in the Siuslaw Wildlife Management Unit after legal shooting hours had ended. During the operation, a pickup occupied by two subjects passed by the decoy. The driver stopped the pickup and backed up casting his headlights onto the decoy. The passenger exited the pickup and fired two rounds at the decoy using the driver’s rifle. Immediately after the second round was fired, the passenger got back in the pickup and the driver quickly accelerated away before being stopped by the troopers. Upon contact with the occupants they acknowledged what they had done was wrong. The passenger was issued a citation for Unlawful Take of Blacktail Buck Deer Decoy – Hunting Prohibited Hours and the driver was issued a citation for Aiding/Counseling in a Wildlife Violation. In addition the hunting rifle used was seized.
Nighttime Wildlife Enforcement Operations
While transporting a road struck elk back to the Central Point office, a F&W trooper received a report of trespassing and gunshots on a property outside of Jacksonville. Upon arrival, the trooper was directed to the area where two suspects were located. During an interview the trooper noticed one suspect had blood on his hands and on his pants. Although first claiming to have only fired his rifle by accident while unloading the truck, he soon admitted to shooting a deer and pitching it to come back later to pick it up. The suspects admitted to shooting the deer from the vehicle, on the road, with the aid of headlights and after legal shooting hours. Both subjects were cited for Hunt Prohibited Method-Aid of Light and Aiding in a Game Violation. The deer was located and seized along with the rifle. The suspects aided in field dressing and loading the deer.
A F&W trooper was notified of a deer on Southbank Rogue River. The animal had its head cut off and the body was left in a ditch. The investigation is ongoing.
A Fish and Wildlife trooper investigated a spike buck that had been shot and left to waste near Bastendorff Beach. It was likely shot Wednesday night, October 25th. The investigation is ongoing.
Administration and Enforcement of Wildlife Laws
F&W troopers followed up on a report from ODFW Licensing about an individual who had tried to get a tag after killing a buck. It was determined he thought his father had purchased a tag that they had successfully drawn for. ODFW denied the purchase so he used another hunter’s tag to place on the animal to get it processed. The suspect was cited for Unlawful Take of Buck Deer. The deer was seized and will be donated to charity.
On October 29th, F&W troopers followed up on a tip of an illegally taken bull elk during the Cascade Rifle Elk Season on private property near Cottage Grove. Three subjects were contacted at a residence near Lebanon. After interviews, the following citations were issued; Unlawful Take/Possession of Bull Elk-No Cascade Elk Tag, Borrowing an Elk Tag, Loaning an Elk Tag, and Aiding in a Wildlife Offense. A rifle, wrapped elk meat, and an elk hide were seized. A 6x6 set of elk antlers was seized at a taxidermist in Albany.
A F&W trooper responded to a complaint of a shot fired from the roadway east of Myrtle Creek. While speaking to the witness a vehicle slowly drove by twice, stopping the second time to ask if everything was ok. The Trooper asked them if they had been in the area earlier. They said yes and looked at each other nervously when the trooper mentioned a deer was shot. Based on their
reaction the Trooper questioned them further and they confirmed they had returned to pick up the deer which was dead along the roadway. Following the investigation the passenger was cited criminally for Hunting Prohibited Area-Public Roadway, the rifle and deer was seized.
Administration and Enforcement of Wildlife LawsWhile patrolling the Gilbert River Boat Ramp on Sauvie Island a F&W trooper watched as a man placed a live sturgeon into a blue nylon folding chair bag. He then quickly began walking towards the parking lot with the bag and placed the sturgeon into the trunk of his SUV. Upon being contacted, the subject stated he was angling for catfish and had caught one. When asked where the fish was, he stated it was in his trunk. The man pulled the sturgeon out of the bag, which had been covered up with a chair to conceal it. He again said he thought it was a catfish. After further questioning, the man admitted to knowing it was a sturgeon and illegal to keep. The man was cited for Take/Possession of Sturgeon. The sturgeon was able to be revived and released.
A F&W trooper located a camp with litter all around and valuables left in the open. While preparing
to clear the area, a male subject walked out from a sand road. He was in
possession of over six gallons of King Bolete mushrooms. He did not have a permit for the mushrooms and was found to have a felony warrant for his arrest for ID Theft, from Coos Bay PD. The warrant was confirmed, and he was taken into custody. The mushrooms
were seized and the suspect was cited for Unlawful Cutting/
Transport of Special Forest Products, and transported to the
Coos County Jail.
F&W Troopers responded to a truck stuck in the surf North of Gardiner. The truck was on its side, somewhat buried in the sand. A local towing company was able to recover the vehicle. The owner stated the truck became disabled the night before and they left it overnight.
Enforcement of General Laws
A Fish and Wildlife trooper was conducting a joint boat patrol with Klamath County Sheriff’s Office on opening day of duck season. A call came in regarding two hunters that were tossed from their boat by a freak wave in Pelican Bay. The boat continued on with their dog, under full power. The two hunters were located on the bank of the marsh and were recovered by the patrol boat. They were showing early signs of hypothermia and were evaluated by EMT’s at Rocky Point. The boat was located up on the bank of the marsh, 100 yards from open water. An airboat was brought to the scene and the dog was recovered. During an attempt to recover the boat, the trooper ended up in the swamp. It was determined that the boat was not recoverable by the equipment available to the officers.
Enforcement of General Laws
Oregon State Police work hand in hand with OHA and the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife to protect Oregon’s natural resources. OHA sponsors the Turn In Poachers (TIP) program, which rewards individuals for reporting unlawful activity.
TURN IN POACHERSWhat Should I Report?POACHING (otherwise known as the illegal take of game or fish), trespassing, littering, theft, destroying of property and road closure violations. Poaching affects all Oregonians. When making a report, provide as much of the following information as possible:
- Nature of violation or activity observed or advised about- Location of activity (Road, Milepost, GPS, etc.)- Date and time of violation/activity- Description of any vehicle involved- Name and/or description of violator
The TIP reward is paid for information leading to an arrest or issuance of a citation for the illegal killing or taking of wildlife and/or for illegally obtaining Oregon hunting/angling licenses or tags.
People who “work” the system and falsely apply for resident license or tags are not legally hunting and/or angling and are considered poachers.
TIP rewards can also be given for the illegal taking, netting, snagging, and/or dynamiting of salmon, steelhead, sturgeon, and/or large numbers of any fish listed in Oregon statue as a game fish.
[email protected] or *OSP(677)
Rewards:$1,000 Bighorn Sheep, Mountain Goat & Moose $500 Elk, Deer & Antelope $300 Bear, Cougar & Wolf $300 Habitat Destruction $200 Illegally obtaining Oregon hunting/angling license / tags
$100 Game Fish & Shellfish$100 Upland Birds & Waterfowl$100 Fur Bearers
TURN IN POACHERS OREGON STATE POLICEFish & Wildlife Division
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