---

Northern Region

Captain Fletcher responded to a complaint of shots fired from a vehicle the previous evening near a farm in Lafayette Township. He was able to locate a gut pile and drag marks in an adjacent field and a spent shell casing in the roadway. The farmer provided Captain Fletcher with the license plate number of a van he observed on the road minutes after he heard the gunshots. Captain Fletcher, CO Hutchinson and DCO Struble proceeded to the residence of the van owner and located it parked on the street. The officers noticed a drop of blood on the rear bumper and interviewed the owner of the van concerning the complaint and the blood on the bumper. She said she had no knowledge of the incident the previous evening and wasn’t involved because she was at work. A second individual came to the front door and said “I shot the deer, fellows”. The individual admitted to shooting a deer from the van the night before. He said the vehicle was registered to his brother’s girlfriend because both he and his brother’s driver licenses were suspended. CO Hutchinson noticed a blood smeared cooler on the porch. When asked about it, the individual said it contained parts of a second deer he shot at the same location at night earlier in the week. The appropriate complaints were signed.

CO Paul investigated a transaction on e-Bay involving the sale of white-tailed deer antlers. Two individuals attempted to sell three sets of deer antlers. One individual claimed responsibility for the sale and was issued the appropriate summons.

During the six-day firearm season, CO Nestel assisted the National Park Service Rangers with a complaint of hunting under the influence of a Controlled Dangerous Substance. NPS rangers observed a hunter sitting in his vehicle snorting a powder later identified as heroin. The individual was arrested and submitted to a blood test. CO Nestel charged the individual for hunting under the influence when the test result was positive for heroin.

Todd Dicksen and Kyle Ziegler were appointed as Conservation Officer III to fill vacant administrative areas in Hunterdon and Sussex Counties, respectively. The new officers are a welcomed addition to the Northern Region staff.

CO Nestel completed a trespass investigation that began during the six-day firearm season in Wantage Township in Sussex County. A landowner reported that he observed an individual not wearing hunter orange trespass on his property and shoot an antlered deer. The landowner recognized the individual and contacted CO Nestel. The officer interviewed the individual who claimed he didn’t realize he was trespassing and that he tagged and registered the buck at his brothers check station. He said he had eaten all the meat and threw the possession seal away. A records check showed the individual obtained his hunting license four days after the incident and hadn’t registered any deer. The appropriate summonses were issued.

While conducting a foot patrol during the permit shotgun season, CO Paul contacted a hunter who was part of a deer drive. The hunter said there were four others hunters in his group and they were about to return to their vehicles. The officer waited for the hunters at the vehicles and one came out of the woods without a gun. The individual claimed he wasn’t hunting and was just helping with the drive. When questioned about an extra gun case in the vehicle, the hunters said they always bring an extra case with them. After a lengthy conversation, the individual admitted hiding his shotgun and shotgun shells in the woods because he didn’t have a permit. The appropriate summons was issued.

CO Hutchinson assisted the Edgewater Police Department with the prosecution of four individuals apprehended in the Bergen County town. The individuals, members of a New York City street gang, were using dip nets to capture nesting Monk Parakeets in the eaves of an apartment complex. CO Hutchinson charged the individuals for possessing a potentially dangerous species without a permit and the PD signed criminal complaints. The individuals claimed they sell the parakeets for $50.00 a piece to a dealer who re-sells them on the street in NYC for $100.00. A total of nine birds were found in their possession.

CO Nestel attended the January meeting of the Sussex County Sportsmen’s Federation

---

Central Region

Officers from the Central Region have received a number of complaints of illegal ATV activity on wildlife management areas interfering with hunting activities. With the help of sportsmen and women, Officers Mutone, Tonnesen and Szulecki apprehended eighteen ATV riders on the Colliers Mills and Turkey Swamp Wildlife Management Areas during one weekend. One particular incident occurred when two ATV riders ignored the officer’s instruction to stop and fled from Officers Mutone and Tonnesen. After tracking the two riders for over a mile, the officers found the suspects ATV’s hidden in a swamp and the two riders hiding at a friend’s nearby home. After some coaxing, the two twenty-five year old riders exited the home and admitted to their involvement. The appropriate summonses were issued.

Officer Tonnesen has been very busy patrolling the Barnegat Bay during the past month and has made a number of illegal duck hunting apprehensions. One noteworthy incident occurred while inspecting two duck hunters on the bay in Barnegat Township. The first subject, the owner of the boat, readily produced the necessary credentials. When the officer asked the second hunter for his license, he hesitated and then stated that he didn’t have a hunting license, state duck stamp, H.I.P number or federal duck stamp. In his defense, he claimed that he only shot one duck, which later was identified as a Dunlin shore bird. The subject was summonsed appropriately.

Officers McManus and Tonnesen had their hands full on two separate occasions while conducting inspections. While Officer McManus was issuing summonses to two individual for fishing without valid fishing licenses at Dove Mill Pond in Jackson Township, he was notified by the DEP Communication Center that one of the subjects had active warrants out of Howell Township. Officer McManus placed the subject under arrest and transported the subject to the appropriate authority. Officer Tonnesen apprehended a suspect for illegally operating an ATV on wildlife management property and was informed that there was an active warrant out of Ringwood, New Jersey. Ringwood Police requested that the subject be held until one of their officers could drive down and take him into custody. Officer Tonnesen transported the subject to Lacey Township Police Department where he was later met by Ringwood Police Officers.

Officer Szulecki responded to the sounds of shots being fired close to a road in Upper Freehold Township. When the officer arrived on scene, he noticed that three hunters had set up a blind in a field approximately four hundred feet from the road. During his investigation, he had determined that two of the hunters, while shooting at geese, had shot across the road. The two individuals were issued the appropriate summonses.

CO Szalaj was on patrol in Medford Twp. during the six-day firearm season, when he stopped to check a group of hunters. During the inspection, he found a loaded firearm in a motor vehicle and an untagged deer. The appropriate summonses were issued.

CO McManus received information that several known waterfowl poachers had been shooting geese after hours in the Crosswicks Creek on the border of Hamilton Twp. and Bordentown on a regular basis. CO McManus relayed the information to CO O'Rourke who contacted NJ State Marine Police out of Burlington. They provided a trooper and a jet boat for the enforcement detail. CO McManus rode with the trooper while CO O'Rourke found a location on land to observe the area. At 1650 hours a small boat with one occupant was seen motoring up the creek. Geese began flying into the area well after sunset and numerous shots were heard. CO McManus and the trooper approached the area by boat. CO McManus spotted the eye shine from the hunter's dog, but the hunter would not respond to orders to come out of the reeds. CO McManus jumped out on land and located the hunter who was trying to dismantle his firearm. Charges are pending, but will include hunting after hours, unplugged firearm, interference and attempting to take over the limit. The State Police charged the individual with operating an unregistered vessel.

---

Southern Region

CO Batten decided to check several special stands on Christmas day. This diligence resulted in the apprehension of an individual hunting deer closed season. Officer Batten observed the subject without orange in a stand with a bait pile made up of various vegetables. The hunter insisted that he was legally hunting coyotes, because they kill “his” deer. During the interview the hunter admitted that the bait pile was for deer, but he would only shoot at coyotes that happen by. Officer Batten advised him that the use of buckshot was illegal for coyotes. The hunters parting words provided the cap on the day. “If I’d seen ya coming I’d jumped down and run away. You’d never have caught me.” Appropriate complaints have been signed.

While conducting operations on woodcock hunters in Higbee Beach WMA Officer Vazquez had occasion to inspect a hunter who was missing his HIP #. The hunter was able to rattle off his DOB and address but stated that he had left his DL at home. A routine check of his data showed Officer Vazquez that there was a height difference. When questioned, the hunter stated that it was a mistake but then got hung up on his address when asked again. Similar results occurred with other questions, at this point the hunter admitted that the license had been loaned to him and he was on the revoked list. Appropriate summons have been issued to the hunter and the subject that loaned him the license.

CO Ely worked Atlantic Co. coastal waterfowl season with SA Manera and Lt. Massey. During this operation four hunters were observed making repeated runs to and from a pair of lay out boats. A pair of hunters would exchange places from the lay out boats to the powerboat. On three occasions Officer Ely and SA Manera observed the powerboat making runs around the bay after the exchange. All these trips around the bay resulted in the powerboat pushing rafts of ducks and Brant toward the hunters in the lay out boats. After several hours of observation the officers approached the group. One hunter was found with unsigned stamps. And the use of the boat to drive birds to the hunters was discussed. Appropriate summonses have been issued.

Working information CO Batten and CO Stites conduct surveillance in the Bevans WMA. A vehicle was observed driving slowly and methodically using a spotlight. Upon stopping the motor vehicle an uncased shotgun was observed in the back seat and both occupants were taken into custody. The shotgun was found loaded with buckshot. An interview at the police station resulted in an admission that the suspects were going to sell the deer for $40.00, which they were going to use for gas money. When asked by a trooper whether they were hunting deer the suspect honestly answered, “No we were poaching a deer.” Appropriate summons were issued.

Officer Vazquez had a busy Saturday, during the late muzzleloader deer season. Working Camden Co. in the morning Officer Vazquez inspected a hunter as he exited the woods. The hunter provided a Bow and Arrow license but finally admitted that he was hunting with a muzzleloader. The hunter was also hunting without a valid permit for the zone and he failed to bring any orange with him. Officer Vazquez next found an ATV operator in Cedar Lake WMA. Finally, Officer Vazquez located a hunter in the Hamilton section of Egg Harbor River WMA hunting without a valid permit. Appropriate summonses were issued.
Officer Batten received information regarding illegal waterfowl hunting on Delaware Bay. With CO Ely and Lt. Massey’s assistance, Officer Batten was able to apprehend three hunters with multiple violations. An adult and two juveniles were found hunting late. Lead shot and buckshot was found on the two juveniles and the adult was hunting without a valid license. The trio shot a Ruddy duck and Snipe. The adult was found with an unplugged gun and finally, had driven his truck onto the marsh of the WMA. Appropriate summons will be issued.

CO Stites led an investigation involving the use of dogs to hunt deer in Winslow Twp., Camden County. CO Stites assigned Lt. Honachefsky, CO Risher, and CO Batten to positions at various locations in about 500 acres of mixed woodland, and agricultural farm land. The officers arrived at the patrol area in the pre dawn darkness. No activity took place until approximately 9:00 AM. CO Batten watched two hunters attempt to start their hounds on a bait pile. Other officers watched hunters take up stands in the surrounding woods and fields. At about 1130 AM the CO’s decided to attempt to round up the hunters. In total 4 hunters were apprehended. The charges filed include hunting without a license, failure to wear orange, hunting deer closed season, possession of illegal missiles, pursuing deer with dogs, and uncased firearms in a motor vehicle. The hunters charged were part of a group that had generated complaints from legal hunters for years. CO Stites believes that 2 of the hunters apprehended were the ringleaders in these illegal deer hunts.

CO Stites investigated a complaint from a farmer in Lower Alloway Creek Township Salem County. The farmer claimed that he had just watched hunters in a pickup truck shoot at a doe from the window of their truck. The farmer in fact was in pursuit of the hunters, in his own vehicle. CO Stites contacted the Lower Alloway Township Police and asked if they could assist the farmer. The police officers were able to locate and stop the hunters. CO Stites conducted an interview with the hunters who initially denied shooting at a deer. They next stated that they might have shot at a deer, but they did so because they had hit the deer accidentally with their truck and wanted to put the deer out of its misery. CO Stites inspected the hunter’s truck and found that there was no damage to the vehicle. Finally the hunters ran out of excuses and admitted to shooting the doe just as the farmer who complained said. The appropriate complaints were issued and a firearm was seized.

CO Batten received information that a trophy class buck had been killed illegally in Pittsgrove Township, Salem County. Lt. Honachefsky and CO Batten went to the field where the kill was alleged to have been made. The Officers found the animal’s blood trail, associated foot prints, truck tire tracks, the hunter’s lost flashlight, and cigarette butts. While Honachefsky and Batten were in the field CO Risher went to nearby registration stations to determine if the deer had been checked in. CO Risher did find that the deer had been registered but not by the person who had claimed to have killed the deer. CO’s Stites, Batten, Risher, and Lt. Honachefsky conducted simultaneous interviews with the subjects who were of interest in the case. The first hunter admitted he had lent his buck stub to his friend, who did not have a muzzleloader permit. The actual shooter admitted that he had killed the deer after legal hunting hours, hunting without a permit, and illegally registering the deer. Both hunters could not believe that the investigating officers knew exactly what happened in that field on that night, saying “I can’t believe that you know that.” CO Batten established a new world record by getting his hunter to confess in a blazing 2 minutes and 8 seconds. Subsequently a 10-point buck was seized from the gun club. The rough estimate is that this buck will score 140 +. Appropriate summonses were issued.

CO Risher and DCO Alteri responded to a complaint in Harrison Township, Gloucester County. A home owner contacted the Harrison Township Police reporting that his neighbor had just shot a wild turkey out of season. Harrison Township Police Officers responded, but the alleged shooter would not come to the door. Officers Risher and Alteri responded to the alleged violator’s home. On the second try at contacting the subject, the local Police went to the front door while the CO’s went to the back door. Much to their surprise, the homeowner came bursting out of the backdoor and headed for the woods. He did not get far before being arrested. He eventually gave a video taped confession, and turned over two firearms to the officers. The appropriate fish and wildlife and criminal charges were filed.

---

Marine Region

CO Dravis settled his case against a fisherman charged with the sale of 93 striped bass fillets (47 whole fish) to the Seville Diner in East Brunswick. In addition to the sale of striped bass, this individual was also charged with filleting prior to preparation, possession of 45 striped bass over legal limit, and possession of 47 striped bass measuring less than 28 inches. On 1/8/08 the defendant appeared in East Brunswick Municipal Court, entered into a plea agreement and paid $6,000.00 in penalties plus court costs. The Seville Diner separately paid a penalty of $800.00 plus costs.

On 1/13/08 Lt. Fresco and CO Dravis inspected the scallop dredge vessel F/V Nautilus, in Point Pleasant. Under a Federal General Category Scallop Permit, this vessel was allowed to land a maximum of 400 pounds of shucked scallops per trip. The inspection uncovered a total of 484 pounds of scallops. The vessel also possessed 111 pounds of monkfish tails, in violation of allowable maximum by catch for that species (100 pounds). The captain failed to complete a fishing vessel trip report, also a violation of the federal permit. The entire catch valued at $3404.00, was seized by the officers and sold to a seafood dealer. The maximum fine for these violations is $180,000.00. The case file will be turned over to the general counsel of NMFS for prosecution.

CO Dravis has completed an investigation of the F/V Skimmer, a state licensed bait clam vessel. The owner of the vessel was contacted many weeks ago by Shellfisheries for failing to submit the weekly bait clam harvest report and landing fee, as required by regulations. The owner continued to neglect the warning and 26 summonses were issued for failing to file reports for 26 weeks. Penalty is $300 - $3,000 for each summons.

On 1/5/08 Conservation Officer Petruccelli received a call from the captain of a Cape May Charter Boat, Adam Bomb. The captain told CO Petruccelli that he was landing a tautog which was close to world record size. CO Petruccelli met the vessel at the dock and inspected the 33 inch tautog. The fish was initially weighed at 23.3 lbs., 1.5 lbs. shy of the world record. CO Petruccelli facilitated the transfer of the fish to Division biologist Peter Himchak for aging and other data collection.

On 1/6/08 New Jersey’s commercial summer flounder season opened with a daily trip limit of 7500 lbs. Conservation Officer Snellbaker boarded the F/V Little Sammie as it offloaded its catch at Cold Spring dock in Cape May. CO Snellbaker observed the vessel offload 8200 lbs. of summer flounder, 700 lbs. over their landing limit. CO Snellbaker issued one summons each to the Captain of the vessel and the owner of the vessel for violations of New Jersey’s commercial summer flounder regulations.

Conservation Officer Petruccelli prosecuted the F/V Jessica J I for its violation of New Jersey’s commercial summer flounder regulations. The vessel’s owner plead guilty in Lower Twp. Municipal Court to landing 100 lbs. of summer flounder during New Jersey’s closed season. To settle the state violations, the owner accepted a penalty of $1000.00 and 60 day suspension of the vessel’s privilege for a NJ Landing Permit. Federal violations issued by CO Petruccelli for violation of the sea scallop regulations and for failing to accurately complete a vessel trip report encountered during the boarding of this vessel are still pending.

On 1/12/08 Conservation Officer Petruccelli conducted an inspection of 10 patrons of the party boat Capt. Robbins as they left the vessel. CO Petruccelli apprehended two individuals who were in violation of New Jersey’s recreational tautog regulations. CO Petruccelli issued two summonses and a warning.

---

HOME    |    REGULATIONS    |     LINKS   |    MEMBERS AREA   |    EVENTS   |    KIDS   |    SHOP
PHOTOS   |    HIGHLIGHTS   |    CONTACT US   |    DONATE    |    MEMBERSHIP    |    MISSION