11/24/2005
Tom McMahon , Staff Writer
WOODBINE - Seven out-of-state poachers racked up nearly 70 violations
and more than $45,000 in fines and liquidated damages relating to the
illegal hunting of antlered deer with rifles in Harrison County near
Woodbine. All had non-resident antlerless archery tags.
The Department of Natural Resources said law enforcement officers
charged seven people Saturday evening following a weeklong surveillance.
They pleaded guilty to all of the charges and were released after paying
more than $8,000 in fines and making restitution of $40,000 in
liquidated damages for illegally shooting eight deer, the DNR said. A
number of rifles, bows, optic equipment and other hunting-related items
were seized.
Conservation Officer Dave Tierney initiated the investigation after
he became suspicious of the same out-of-state individuals coming to the
county over a number of years with antlerless bow tags.
The hunters, from North Carolina and Georgia, paid fines on charges
that included illegally shooting deer, unlawful killing of antlered deer
without a license, having a loaded gun in a vehicle, illegal
transportation of deer, illegal use of a vehicle for hunting, shooting a
rifle from a roadway, wanton waste, illegal use of an artificial light
for hunting and shooting after hours.
Also charged on Monday as a result of the investigation was Dennis
Snyder, 34, of Woodbine, for two counts of aiding and abetting illegal
activity for allegedly selling two landowner deer tags to the group.
The investigation is continuing and the DNR said it expects
additional charges to be filed.
Iowa DNR officers were assisted in the investigation by agents from
the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, an officer from the DeSoto National
Refuge, the Harrison County Sheriff's Department, Woodbine Police
Department, an agent from the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement and
the Iowa State Patrol.
