MN: Two men charged with hunting violations

April 13, 2010

Two men charged with hunting violations

Two Minnesota men face numerous charges, thousands of dollars in fines and possible jail time if convicted of hunting related violations after an investigation by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR).

Two Minnesota men face numerous charges, thousands of dollars in fines and possible jail time if convicted of hunting related violations after an investigation by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR).

Daniel E. Chase, 64, Marine on St. Croix, is charged with failure to register big game, two counts of lend/borrow a license, two counts of unlawful party hunting, hunting deer without a license, illegally taking big game, and illegally possessing big game.

Investigators charged Steven J. Meister, 58, Stillwater, with two counts of lend/borrow a license, two counts of transporting illegal big game, and illegally possessing big game.

The charges are the result of a Turn-in-Poachers call to State Conservation Officer Alex Gutierrez of Forest Lake last December alleging Chase had used Meister's deer tag for years to take extra big game. An individual hunter may only tag one legal buck per year, without exception in Minnesota.

The investigation by the DNR that followed led to the seizure of a muzzleloader rifle, six whitetail deer mounts and one whitetail deer cape during the execution of a search warrant at Chase's home. A search of an outbuilding on the premises revealed approximately 35 male white tail deer mounts.

The charges against Chase total $12,000 in fines and nearly four years in jail. Meister faces $11,000 in fines and nearly four years in jail.

Chase and Meister are scheduled to appear in Washington County District Court on May 5.

Anyone who witnesses a game or fish violation in Minnesota can report the incident to the Turn- in-Poachers hotline at 800-652-9093.

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