ILLEGAL KILLING OF BEAR AND DEER CASE RESULTS IN OTHER CHARGES

HARRISBURG - A Pennsylvania Game Commission Wildlife Conservation Officer filed multiple charges against David N. Hartzell Jr., 28, of Centre Township, Perry County, for his involvement in the illegal killing of a black bear and two deer.  All charges were filed with District Justice Donald F. Howell in Newport on Feb. 14.

Following a preliminary investigation, Game Commission officers On Jan. 26, secured a search warrant and, on Jan. 26, seized from Hartzell's home wildlife parts, photographs, hunting licenses and two crossbows.  Following the search, additional information was received that prompted a probe into the origin of one of the seized crossbows.  Through this investigation, it was learned that the crossbow, valued at more than $1,000, was stolen from a sporting goods store near Hamburg, Berks County.

Based on the investigation, WCO Steve Hower charged Hartzell with: one count of receiving stolen property, a first-degree misdemeanor, which carries a possible prison term of up to five years and up to $10,000 in fines; three counts of unlawful killing or taking of big game (one black bear and two deer), which carries fines of up to $1,500 for the bear and up to $800 each for each deer; one count of failure to tag and report big game, which carries fines of up to $200; and two counts of permit violations, for the unlawful possession of parts from two deer without first securing the proper permits from the Game Commission, which carries fines of up to $200 for each count.

"It appears that numerous people were aware of the alleged poaching of various species by this individual over the past several years, but no one spoke out," Hower said.  "Unfortunately, there seems to be a high degree of tolerance among some citizens in this area for crimes against our wildlife resources and these species suffer as a result."

Created in 1895 as an independent state agency, the Game Commission is responsible for conserving and managing all wild birds and mammals in the Commonwealth, establishing hunting seasons and bag limits, enforcing hunting and trapping laws, and managing habitat on the 1.4 million acres of State Game Lands it has purchased over the years with hunting and furtaking license dollars to safeguard wildlife habitat.  The agency also conducts numerous wildlife conservation programs for schools, civic organizations and sportsmen's clubs. 

The Game Commission does not receive any general state taxpayer dollars for its annual operating budget.  The agency is funded by license sales revenues; the state's share of the federal Pittman-Robertson program, which is an excise tax collected through the sale of sporting arms and ammunition; and monies from the sale of oil, gas, coal, timber and minerals derived from State Game Lands.

OHIO RESIDENTS PLEAD GUILTY IN CLEARFIELD COUNTY DEER CASE

What started out as an investigation about illegally dumped deer carcasses resulted in six Ohio residents pleading guilty to numerous charges filed by Pennsylvania Game Commission Wildlife Conservation Officer (WCO) Dave Stewart for illegally killing five deer in Clearfield County.

Gordon Blanton, 53, of Franklin Furnace, Ohio, pled guilty on Oct. 24, to killing one 8-point antlered deer and one antlerless deer on Sunday, Oct. 1, in WMU 2G.  Additionally, Blanton used an antlerless deer license from WMU 2D to tag the antlerless deer, and stated on both harvest tags that he killed both deer on Sept. 30. Blanton was fined $1,150.

Robert E. Blanton, 59, also of Franklin Furnace, pled guilty on Oct. 19, to illegally killing a protected antlered deer that did not meet the minimum antler point restrictions and an antlerless deer in WMU 2G.  He also tagged his antlerless deer with a WMU 2D antlerless tag, and there was no harvest tag on the protected four-point antlered deer.  Blanton was fined $1,150.

Kevin Duane McDavid, 45, also of Franklin Furnace, pled guilty on Oct. 24, to illegally killing an antlerless deer in WMU 2G that he tagged with a DMAP Unit #1112, Coupon 139 on that animal.  The DMAP coupon that McDavid used was not issued for Clearfield County.  McDavid was fined $500.

Wesley Ray Bussey, 56, of Sciotoville, Ohio, pled guilty on Oct. 24, to aiding, assisting and conspiring with Gordon Blanton to take deer on Sunday.  He also aided and assisted in processing all five unlawfully taken and possessed deer.  Bussey was fined $400.

Nathaniel G. Blanton, 32, and John Steven Blanton, 37, both of Franklin Furnace, pled guilty on Oct. 24, to aiding, assisting and conspiring in processing five illegally taken and possessed deer.  Both defendants were fined $400.

On Oct. 2, WCO Stewart received information regarding a deer carcass and entrails found along Blackwell Road in Huston Township, Clearfield County.  While investigating, WCO Stewart obtained further information that led him to the group of Ohio residents who were staying at Parker Dam State Park.  As part of the investigation, Stewart was able to use forensic techniques to determine that five of the six deer taken had been killed illegally on Sunday. 

Created in 1895 as an independent state agency, the Game Commission is responsible for conserving and managing all wild birds and mammals in the Commonwealth, establishing hunting seasons and bag limits, enforcing hunting and trapping laws, and managing habitat on the 1.4 million acres of State Game Lands it has purchased over the years with hunting and furtaking license dollars to safeguard wildlife habitat.  The agency also conducts numerous wildlife conservation programs for schools, civic organizations and sportsmen's clubs. 

The Game Commission does not receive any general state taxpayer dollars for its annual operating budget.  The agency is funded by license sales revenues; the state's share of the federal Pittman-Robertson program, which is an excise tax collected through the sale of sporting arms and ammunition; and monies from the sale of oil, gas, coal, timber and minerals derived from State Game Lands.

THREE PLEAD GUILTY TO POACHING DEER IN TWO COUNTIES

In a case that Game Commission Wildlife Conservation Officers (WCOs) said proves "there is no honor among poachers," multiple charges were filed against four residents from northwestern Pennsylvania for unlawful use of lights while hunting, unlawful possession of a loaded firearm in a vehicle and unlawful possession of a deer that was killed by another group of unidentified poachers.   The charges were the result of several years worth of information provided by concerned citizens.

Carl Martin Hall, 20, of Edinboro, and Keith Patrick Tarr, 21, of Titusville, pled guilty to one count each of unlawful use of lights while hunting and one count each of possessing a loaded firearm in a vehicle.  They each paid fines of $800, in addition to court costs, to these charges, filed by Erie County WCO Michael Wojtecki, stemming from an incident on Oct. 22, 2006.

Hall and Tarr also pled guilty to one count each of unlawfully attempting to take wildlife, and Hall pled guilty to possessing a loaded firearm in a vehicle on Oct. 15, 2006.  Both also pled guilty to one count each of unlawful possession of deer parts on Oct. 22, 2006.  Hall paid fines of $1,400 and Tarr paid fines of $1,250, in addition to court costs, to these charges, filed by Crawford County WCO Mark Allegro, stemming from these incidents on Oct. 15 and 22, 2006.

Incidental to the investigation of the Oct. 15 and 22 violations, information was developed and statements were obtained from Timothy W. Stover, 36, of Warren, and Michael Baer, 23, of Cambridge Springs, about unlawful taking of deer in September of 2005.  Stover was charged with three counts of unlawful taking or possession of game or wildlife.  Baer pled guilty to one count of unlawful taking or possession of game or wildlife, and was ordered to pay a $600 fine and court costs.  Stover, however, faces fines of up to $2,400, in addition to court costs, and has an outstanding warrant for his arrest.

"Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Timothy Stover should contact the Northwest Region Office at 814-432-3188," WCO Allegro said.  "All information will be kept confidential."

All charges were filed before Magisterial Judge Lincoln Zilhaver in Sagertown, Crawford County.

At 9:30 p.m. on. Oct. 22, a concerned landowner contacted the Game Commission Deputy WCO Jack Kasony to report shooting in the field by his home on Florek Road, Edinboro, near the Erie/Crawford county line.  WCO Wojtecki and Deputy WCO Jack Kasony met the landowner, who also provided a description of the vehicle he saw in the area. 

With the assistance of the Pennsylvania State Police from the Meadville Barracks, the suspect's vehicle was found in a field a short distance away from where the shooting took place.  The suspect's were in the house on Capp Road and, during the interview, admitted to the officers that they had poached deer.  A scoped 22-caliber rifle and spotlight were found in the car, and two spent cartridges were on the floor. 

During the investigation, WCO Wojtecki and Crawford County WCO Mark Allegro found dried blood and deer hair inside of the trunk from a previous event a few days earlier.  From this evidence, WCOs Wojtecki and Allegro discovered that Hall and Tarr were driving around the Titusville area and, as they drove around, saw another vehicle shine a light in a field and kill a deer.

According to WCOs Wojtecki and Allegro, it appears that the unidentified poachers were scared off when they saw the two defendants approaching in another vehicle.  Once the unidentified poachers took off, the two picked up the deer and placed it in their vehicle.

Created in 1895 as an independent state agency, the Game Commission is responsible for conserving and managing all wild birds and mammals in the Commonwealth, establishing hunting seasons and bag limits, enforcing hunting and trapping laws, and managing habitat on the 1.4 million acres of State Game Lands it has purchased over the years with hunting and furtaking license dollars to safeguard wildlife habitat.  The agency also conducts numerous wildlife conservation programs for schools, civic organizations and sportsmen's clubs. 

The Game Commission does not receive any general state taxpayer dollars for its annual operating budget.  The agency is funded by license sales revenues; the state's share of the federal Pittman-Robertson program, which is an excise tax collected through the sale of sporting arms and ammunition; and monies from the sale of oil, gas, coal, timber and minerals derived from State Game Lands.

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