"Wardens of the North" Silver Lake Sand Dunes

1 00:00:09,066 --> 00:00:12,000 The first priority is gonna be safety. 2 00:00:12,166 --> 00:00:14,367 This is how fist fights start out here. 3 00:00:14,533 --> 00:00:16,800 Before you start chewing him out, why don't you think 4 00:00:16,967 --> 00:00:19,900 about you being... Hey, watch it! 5 00:00:20,066 --> 00:00:21,800 It really kind of grinds my gears a little bit 6 00:00:21,967 --> 00:00:25,767 because, you know, they're out there breaking the rules on purpose. 7 00:00:25,767 --> 00:00:27,500 Same guy, three different spots. 8 00:00:27,667 --> 00:00:30,100 -[ominous bell tolls] -That's our place. 9 00:00:30,100 --> 00:00:33,867 [Budreau] This is self-incrimination at its finest right here. 10 00:00:33,867 --> 00:00:35,000 <i>[Narrator] Wild animals...</i> 11 00:00:36,000 --> 00:00:38,667 <i>and wild places.</i> <i>They're more than a picture.</i> 12 00:00:38,834 --> 00:00:42,800 <i>They're inspiration,</i> <i>excitement, and adventure.</i> 13 00:00:42,967 --> 00:00:45,800 <i>Patrolling and protecting</i> <i>these natural resources is</i> 14 00:00:45,967 --> 00:00:48,700 <i>a first-class band</i> <i>of peace officers.</i> 15 00:00:48,867 --> 00:00:53,266 <i>These are the wardens,</i> <i>dedicated to the preservation</i> 16 00:00:53,433 --> 00:00:54,600 <i>of our great outdoors.</i> 17 00:00:54,767 --> 00:00:56,767 [theme music plays] 18 00:00:58,000 --> 00:01:04,074 Watch Online Movies and Series for FREE www.osdb.link/lm 19 00:01:20,266 --> 00:01:23,700 <i>Michigan's District 4 is home</i> <i>to Silver Lake State Park.</i> 20 00:01:27,867 --> 00:01:31,100 <i>The park is nearly 3,000 acres</i> <i>in size and borders</i> 21 00:01:31,266 --> 00:01:33,166 <i>Lake Michigan to the east.</i> 22 00:01:33,166 --> 00:01:36,467 <i>Inside the park is a large</i> <i>sand dune that is broken up</i> 23 00:01:36,467 --> 00:01:37,767 <i>into three sections.</i> 24 00:01:37,934 --> 00:01:40,767 <i>The first section is a private</i> <i>concession that allows for</i> 25 00:01:40,767 --> 00:01:43,467 <i>tours via Mac Wood's</i> <i>dune rides.</i> 26 00:01:43,467 --> 00:01:46,100 <i>The middle section is</i> <i>a pedestrian-only area.</i> 27 00:01:46,100 --> 00:01:49,700 <i>The northern section is</i> <i>430 acres of sand dunes</i> 28 00:01:49,867 --> 00:01:51,800 <i>dedicated to off-road vehicles.</i> 29 00:01:57,500 --> 00:02:00,667 That is the only sand dune riding area for ORVs 30 00:02:00,834 --> 00:02:02,567 east of the Mississippi. 31 00:02:02,567 --> 00:02:05,000 So we get a lot of visitors from states 32 00:02:05,000 --> 00:02:06,600 all around the area. 33 00:02:06,767 --> 00:02:08,967 <i>Park rangers typically handle</i> <i>enforcement of</i> 34 00:02:09,133 --> 00:02:11,400 <i>park rules and regulations.</i> 35 00:02:11,567 --> 00:02:14,867 <i>During the busy summer season,</i> <i>particularly holiday weekends,</i> 36 00:02:14,867 --> 00:02:18,266 <i>Michigan Conservation Officers</i> <i>rotate in to help manage</i> 37 00:02:18,266 --> 00:02:19,467 <i>the swelling crowds.</i> 38 00:02:19,467 --> 00:02:22,500 <i>Their training in general</i> <i>law enforcement allows them to</i> 39 00:02:22,667 --> 00:02:24,500 <i>handle more serious violations.</i> 40 00:02:24,667 --> 00:02:26,600 [upbeat rock music plays] 41 00:02:33,667 --> 00:02:35,767 Whoo! 42 00:02:36,700 --> 00:02:38,667 Going out, obviously, the first priority is 43 00:02:38,667 --> 00:02:39,900 gonna be safety. 44 00:02:40,066 --> 00:02:41,567 Shouldn't be driving like that out here. 45 00:02:41,567 --> 00:02:42,867 -Two things. -Watch it. 46 00:02:42,867 --> 00:02:44,967 Do you at least have a driver's license so I can write down 47 00:02:45,133 --> 00:02:46,200 that I spoke with you? -[driver] Absolutely. 48 00:02:46,200 --> 00:02:47,967 What did all those signs say that come up through? 49 00:02:48,133 --> 00:02:50,467 But if someone else comes in and this rolls over, 50 00:02:50,467 --> 00:02:51,667 they have no protection. 51 00:02:51,667 --> 00:02:53,700 <i>CO Ben Shively has been working</i> 52 00:02:53,867 --> 00:02:55,867 <i>out of Oceana County</i> <i>in District 4</i> 53 00:02:56,033 --> 00:02:57,567 <i>for the last two years.</i> 54 00:02:57,734 --> 00:03:00,367 When you find that job where you wake up and you don't 55 00:03:00,367 --> 00:03:02,967 lean over and hit the snooze button or lay in bed and think, 56 00:03:03,133 --> 00:03:05,166 "Man, I want to call in sick to work today," 57 00:03:06,100 --> 00:03:08,900 that you've really found what your calling is, 58 00:03:09,066 --> 00:03:10,867 and that's what I find with this job. 59 00:03:10,867 --> 00:03:14,000 I don't wake up and not want to go to work. 60 00:03:14,166 --> 00:03:16,400 You get in November 14th, and that's more or less like 61 00:03:16,567 --> 00:03:18,100 Christmas Eve for me. 62 00:03:18,100 --> 00:03:21,000 <i>In the state of Michigan,</i> <i>November 15th is</i> 63 00:03:21,166 --> 00:03:24,100 <i>the opening day</i> <i>for whitetail firearm season.</i> 64 00:03:24,100 --> 00:03:27,100 <i>More than 1.3 million</i> <i>deer licenses were sold</i> 65 00:03:27,100 --> 00:03:28,767 <i>in Michigan in 2016.</i> 66 00:03:28,934 --> 00:03:32,567 <i>On this day, he's patrolling</i> <i>the ORV section of</i> 67 00:03:32,567 --> 00:03:33,700 <i>the sand dunes.</i> 68 00:03:33,700 --> 00:03:36,667 <i>His main concerns are keeping</i> <i>the park alcohol-free</i> 69 00:03:36,834 --> 00:03:40,767 <i>and making sure ORV operators</i> <i>are being as safe as possible.</i> 70 00:03:40,767 --> 00:03:42,300 We're gonna go out and make sure everyone 71 00:03:42,467 --> 00:03:44,166 is operating safely. 72 00:03:45,767 --> 00:03:48,734 We're gonna check some high-volume areas. 73 00:03:51,200 --> 00:03:52,967 We're gonna be looking for alcohol. 74 00:03:53,133 --> 00:03:55,500 We're gonna make sure that people have their seat belts on 75 00:03:55,667 --> 00:03:58,100 and helmets and everyone has their flags. 76 00:04:03,467 --> 00:04:05,967 <i>These living sand dunes</i> <i>are constantly changing</i> 77 00:04:06,133 --> 00:04:08,166 <i>with the weather</i> <i>and human usage.</i> 78 00:04:09,500 --> 00:04:12,467 <i>It takes a watchful eye to keep</i> <i>the crowds under control.</i> 79 00:04:14,000 --> 00:04:17,767 <i>The park entrance is</i> <i>a no-passing zone.</i> 80 00:04:17,767 --> 00:04:21,500 <i>Heading up the ORV entrance</i> <i>ramp, Officer Shively notices</i> 81 00:04:21,667 --> 00:04:25,166 <i>a dirt bike that is not abiding</i> <i>by the posted park laws.</i> 82 00:04:25,166 --> 00:04:27,600 I see a dirt bike that's making his way up, 83 00:04:27,767 --> 00:04:30,066 passing one vehicle and cutting back in, and then 84 00:04:31,266 --> 00:04:34,867 continually passing about four or five vehicles behind me. 85 00:04:34,867 --> 00:04:36,867 Obviously, it's posted about four different spots 86 00:04:37,033 --> 00:04:39,867 through there that there's no passing on the up ramp, 87 00:04:40,033 --> 00:04:41,166 and it's a safety issue. 88 00:04:41,166 --> 00:04:43,166 That's a very narrow road that comes up through there. 89 00:04:43,900 --> 00:04:45,100 How you doing? 90 00:04:45,867 --> 00:04:47,300 -Pretty good. -Good. 91 00:04:47,467 --> 00:04:49,967 [Shively] Two things -- first of all, helmet's not done up. 92 00:04:50,133 --> 00:04:52,800 It does you no good, correct, if you hit and that 93 00:04:52,967 --> 00:04:54,066 falls off and everything. 94 00:04:54,233 --> 00:04:56,300 OK, second of all, what did all those signs say 95 00:04:56,467 --> 00:04:57,500 that come up through? 96 00:04:57,500 --> 00:04:58,800 -[motorist] Do not pass. -[Shively] Do not pass. 97 00:04:58,967 --> 00:05:00,667 And how many vehicles do you think you passed, 98 00:05:00,834 --> 00:05:02,367 or at least that I watched you pass as you 99 00:05:02,533 --> 00:05:04,100 came up through there? -Four. 100 00:05:04,100 --> 00:05:05,333 OK. 101 00:05:05,333 --> 00:05:07,400 You understand the resaon why you do not pass through there? 102 00:05:07,567 --> 00:05:08,400 No. 103 00:05:08,400 --> 00:05:10,266 OK, it's very narrow, it's one lane. 104 00:05:10,433 --> 00:05:11,967 So if someone's trying to avoid a bump 105 00:05:12,133 --> 00:05:14,100 or something like that, they come across into you, 106 00:05:14,100 --> 00:05:16,400 or you would throw sand up on them as you pass around. 107 00:05:16,567 --> 00:05:17,367 HAve you been here before? 108 00:05:17,367 --> 00:05:18,567 Yeah. 109 00:05:18,567 --> 00:05:20,066 Okay, so you're familiar with the rules asd regularions 110 00:05:20,233 --> 00:05:21,567 that require to have your driver's license on you 111 00:05:21,567 --> 00:05:23,166 -at all times, OK? -Absolutely, Absolutely. 112 00:05:23,166 --> 00:05:24,500 What's your first name? 113 00:05:24,667 --> 00:05:26,166 [narrator] <i>While running</i> <i>his driving record,</i> 114 00:05:26,166 --> 00:05:28,567 <i>CO Shively finds that</i> <i>this rider was ticketed</i> 115 00:05:28,734 --> 00:05:31,266 <i>for another violation</i> <i>just a few hours before.</i> 116 00:05:31,433 --> 00:05:34,100 Come to find out it was, he had already been stopped 117 00:05:34,266 --> 00:05:37,166 earlier today for operating out of bounds and he was issued 118 00:05:37,333 --> 00:05:38,767 a citation on that. 119 00:05:38,934 --> 00:05:40,300 [Shively] Sit tight, back with you in a sec, OK? 120 00:05:40,467 --> 00:05:43,066 <i>The rider's earlier ticket for</i> <i>operating out of bounds is</i> 121 00:05:43,233 --> 00:05:47,200 <i>a civil infraction and carries</i> <i>a fine of $110.</i> 122 00:05:47,367 --> 00:05:50,367 <i>Officer Shively then writes him</i> <i>a second ticket for passing on</i> 123 00:05:50,367 --> 00:05:52,367 <i>the park entrance ramp,</i> <i>which is another</i> 124 00:05:52,533 --> 00:05:56,367 <i>civil infraction</i> <i>and a fine of $130.</i> 125 00:05:56,533 --> 00:06:00,467 <i>All told, it's a total of</i> <i>$240 in fines</i> 126 00:06:00,634 --> 00:06:02,000 <i>for this dirt bike rider.</i> 127 00:06:02,166 --> 00:06:04,266 [Shively] This is how fist fights start out here. 128 00:06:04,266 --> 00:06:06,600 People passing, paddle tire throwing sand up on 129 00:06:06,767 --> 00:06:08,667 another person's vehicle and everything like that, 130 00:06:08,667 --> 00:06:10,900 or collisions happening up there, OK? 131 00:06:11,066 --> 00:06:12,867 How late are you staying up here tonight? 132 00:06:13,033 --> 00:06:14,767 Probably just until the fireworks, then leaving. 133 00:06:14,934 --> 00:06:16,900 [Shively] OK, well, understand, you do not have a headlight 134 00:06:17,066 --> 00:06:18,467 or a taillight on this. -So you can't ride at night? 135 00:06:18,634 --> 00:06:20,900 [Shively] You can't ride at night, how are you supposed to see? 136 00:06:21,066 --> 00:06:24,100 I'm trying to save you an extra ticket right now 137 00:06:24,100 --> 00:06:25,967 and everything, OK, so... 138 00:06:26,967 --> 00:06:29,367 basically it's a -- 139 00:06:29,367 --> 00:06:32,000 it starts getting dark, you need to be loaded up in the back 140 00:06:32,000 --> 00:06:34,367 of a truck, or you need to be down a lot and ride up 141 00:06:34,367 --> 00:06:35,600 with your buddies or something. Do me a favor, 142 00:06:35,767 --> 00:06:37,367 putting your sunglasses on, loop that helmet up 143 00:06:37,533 --> 00:06:38,600 like what we talked about, OK? 144 00:06:38,767 --> 00:06:41,000 That was one of the other reasons that I had 145 00:06:41,166 --> 00:06:43,567 that I had stopped him, his chin strap was not done up, 146 00:06:43,567 --> 00:06:45,867 and unfortunately, out here, if you're involved 147 00:06:45,867 --> 00:06:47,467 in an accident especially on a dirt bike 148 00:06:47,467 --> 00:06:51,066 where you're ejected from that, if that safety strap is not done 149 00:06:51,233 --> 00:06:52,100 underneath the helmet, 150 00:06:52,100 --> 00:06:53,900 that helmet comes off in a heartbeat. 151 00:06:54,066 --> 00:06:55,467 Not saying that you're wiping out 152 00:06:55,634 --> 00:06:56,967 or anything, but if someone hits you 153 00:06:57,133 --> 00:06:59,367 and you go flying and that brain bucket goes off, 154 00:06:59,533 --> 00:07:02,767 that's not what we want. So, good to go, man. 155 00:07:02,767 --> 00:07:04,200 All right, have a good 4th. Be safe. 156 00:07:05,467 --> 00:07:07,567 [motor revving] 157 00:07:09,266 --> 00:07:11,367 [upbeat rock music plays] 158 00:07:19,467 --> 00:07:22,700 Almost every vehicle that comes out here has got some form of 159 00:07:22,867 --> 00:07:26,500 aftermarket on it, whether it be rims and tires, 160 00:07:27,967 --> 00:07:29,266 exhaust, engine, 161 00:07:30,600 --> 00:07:33,266 body lifts or something to that extent. 162 00:07:33,266 --> 00:07:37,400 So you have to stay up, especially when you're looking 163 00:07:37,567 --> 00:07:39,266 at the four-wheelers. 164 00:07:39,266 --> 00:07:41,767 They have the spark arresters that are required by law 165 00:07:41,934 --> 00:07:44,800 in order to be operated up here on the four-wheelers. 166 00:07:47,266 --> 00:07:50,066 This one does not have the roll bar that's above and beyond 167 00:07:50,233 --> 00:07:51,567 the heads of the rear occupants. 168 00:07:53,367 --> 00:07:55,767 [Shively] Hi, how we doing? Good. 169 00:07:55,934 --> 00:07:57,400 Here's the deal -- you don't have a roll bar 170 00:07:57,567 --> 00:07:59,367 that's above and beyond their heads, 171 00:07:59,367 --> 00:08:01,467 so they actually have to wear helmets. 172 00:08:01,467 --> 00:08:03,867 You have a driver's license and everything on you? 173 00:08:03,867 --> 00:08:05,300 And it's the main thing is safety, folks. 174 00:08:05,467 --> 00:08:07,467 You know, I'm not saying that you guys are operating poorly 175 00:08:07,634 --> 00:08:09,767 out here or anything like that, but if someone else comes in 176 00:08:09,767 --> 00:08:11,700 and this rolls over, they have no protection, 177 00:08:11,867 --> 00:08:13,567 so that's why we require the helmets and everything. 178 00:08:13,734 --> 00:08:14,634 So give me just a second. 179 00:08:14,800 --> 00:08:15,800 I'll be right back with you guys, OK? 180 00:08:15,967 --> 00:08:17,967 [upbeat music plays] 181 00:08:33,100 --> 00:08:34,500 Here's your license back for you and everything. 182 00:08:34,667 --> 00:08:36,100 Like I said, it's just a safety issue. 183 00:08:36,100 --> 00:08:37,400 They've got to have it. When you come up 184 00:08:37,567 --> 00:08:39,500 through checkpoint, they should, if you have your kids 185 00:08:39,667 --> 00:08:40,867 riding in the back, they should have told you 186 00:08:40,867 --> 00:08:42,567 that the helmet needs to be on and everything. 187 00:08:42,734 --> 00:08:43,967 When you're operating up around here, 188 00:08:44,867 --> 00:08:46,567 you've got to have them on if they're going to be -- 189 00:08:46,567 --> 00:08:48,567 even if you're punching along the beach here and everything. 190 00:08:48,734 --> 00:08:50,367 So if you guys want to drive back over, grab the helmets 191 00:08:50,533 --> 00:08:51,467 and everything, you're good to go then. 192 00:08:51,467 --> 00:08:53,400 Is there an age limit for that? 193 00:08:53,567 --> 00:08:54,734 No, it's all ages and everything. 194 00:08:54,734 --> 00:08:56,500 You're required to have a helmet on if they do not have 195 00:08:56,667 --> 00:08:58,166 a roll bar that's above and beyond their heads 196 00:08:58,333 --> 00:09:00,100 in the rear of the vehicle, just to give that crash 197 00:09:00,100 --> 00:09:02,300 or rollover protection. OK, guys, have a good 4th. 198 00:09:09,400 --> 00:09:11,100 [Shively] A lot of it is education. 199 00:09:13,266 --> 00:09:16,567 If you can educate the individual and have them 200 00:09:16,567 --> 00:09:20,066 actually change their habits operating out here, point out 201 00:09:20,233 --> 00:09:23,200 to them what the circumstances might happen if they continue 202 00:09:23,367 --> 00:09:24,867 to operate like that, 203 00:09:26,166 --> 00:09:29,066 if they're driving fast and not watching where they're going, 204 00:09:29,233 --> 00:09:32,400 the injury that might result from a collision and civil 205 00:09:32,567 --> 00:09:34,967 liability and things like that, and you start throwing injuries 206 00:09:35,133 --> 00:09:38,567 and civil liability into it, that really starts to tend to 207 00:09:38,734 --> 00:09:39,800 catch people's attention. 208 00:09:39,967 --> 00:09:42,767 If you can do that and get your point across 209 00:09:42,934 --> 00:09:46,100 without writing a citation, in some cases, 210 00:09:46,100 --> 00:09:48,367 that's the best approach to take. 211 00:09:48,533 --> 00:09:50,467 [cheerful music plays] 212 00:10:03,400 --> 00:10:05,900 <i>Later in the day,</i> <i>Officer Shively meets up with</i> 213 00:10:06,066 --> 00:10:08,400 <i>lead park ranger</i> <i>Andrew Lundborg.</i> 214 00:10:08,567 --> 00:10:11,467 <i>The COs and park rangers work</i> <i>in conjunction patrolling</i> 215 00:10:11,634 --> 00:10:13,900 <i>the park under the old adage</i> <i>of two sets of eyes</i> 216 00:10:14,066 --> 00:10:15,200 <i>are better than one.</i> 217 00:10:15,200 --> 00:10:17,467 Silver Lake State Park is state-owned and everything, 218 00:10:17,634 --> 00:10:19,266 but we have the law enforcement division 219 00:10:19,433 --> 00:10:21,367 and parks and recreation division have 220 00:10:21,367 --> 00:10:23,567 a very good working relationship. 221 00:10:23,567 --> 00:10:25,667 [motors revving] 222 00:10:34,467 --> 00:10:38,800 We pull up next to Officer Lundborg, and as we were 223 00:10:38,967 --> 00:10:42,367 sitting there, talking, I had a black Chevy Avalanche that 224 00:10:42,367 --> 00:10:45,367 went by us at a high rate of speed next to my patrol truck, 225 00:10:45,367 --> 00:10:47,467 I'd say within 3-4 feet, probably about 226 00:10:47,634 --> 00:10:50,767 35-40 miles an hour. So we allowed Lundborg 227 00:10:50,767 --> 00:10:54,166 in the Razor, since it operates a little bit better than 228 00:10:54,166 --> 00:10:55,500 a full-sized vehicle out here, 229 00:10:55,667 --> 00:10:58,266 to catch up to the individual and we stopped and conducted 230 00:10:58,266 --> 00:10:59,800 a traffic stop on him also. 231 00:10:59,967 --> 00:11:02,100 -[engine revving] -[ominous music plays] 232 00:11:12,600 --> 00:11:14,700 [suspenseful music builds] 233 00:11:22,767 --> 00:11:24,166 [Lundborg] Any idea why I might be stopping you? 234 00:11:24,333 --> 00:11:25,433 [driver] No. 235 00:11:25,433 --> 00:11:26,900 [Lundborg] Did you happen to see where I was sitting? 236 00:11:27,066 --> 00:11:28,567 [driver] No. 237 00:11:28,734 --> 00:11:31,200 [Lundborg] Did you see the other patrol vehicle I was sitting next to? 238 00:11:31,367 --> 00:11:33,266 [driver] I saw a patrol vehicle, that one right there. 239 00:11:33,433 --> 00:11:36,867 -[Lundborg] Yeah. -[Shively] It was my truck. 240 00:11:37,033 --> 00:11:39,200 Three foot off of, four foot off of, going by 241 00:11:39,367 --> 00:11:40,867 at a high speed. 242 00:11:40,867 --> 00:11:42,600 -Remember that? -[driver] Yeah, right there? 243 00:11:42,767 --> 00:11:44,467 -Yeah. -[driver] I didn't know that was you, I'm sorry. 244 00:11:45,667 --> 00:11:47,367 [Shively] Shouldn't matter if it's me or not. 245 00:11:47,533 --> 00:11:49,600 Shouldn't be operating like that up here because of 246 00:11:49,767 --> 00:11:51,667 the conditions that can happen 247 00:11:52,700 --> 00:11:55,367 from a sudden jerk of the wheel or something, he's colliding 248 00:11:55,367 --> 00:11:57,266 into another vehicle. 249 00:11:57,433 --> 00:12:00,166 -How fast were you going? -[driver] Probably 40. 250 00:12:00,166 --> 00:12:01,567 Yeah, I'd say you were... 251 00:12:01,734 --> 00:12:03,900 -[driver] I can't go fast in this. -...probably at least 40. 252 00:12:04,066 --> 00:12:07,166 And I mean, obviously, you didn't even 253 00:12:07,166 --> 00:12:09,767 realize that it was two patrol vehicles sitting there. 254 00:12:09,767 --> 00:12:11,967 So things can happen quick out here. 255 00:12:12,133 --> 00:12:13,266 You're driving on sand. You hit the brakes. 256 00:12:13,433 --> 00:12:15,000 Vehicles don't stop like they do on pavement. 257 00:12:15,000 --> 00:12:16,967 So somebody comes out in front of you or whatever, 258 00:12:17,133 --> 00:12:18,066 I don't want anybody getting run over. 259 00:12:18,233 --> 00:12:19,667 So just be careful and safe, all right? 260 00:12:19,834 --> 00:12:20,767 [driver] I appreciate it. 261 00:12:30,166 --> 00:12:31,834 [narrator] <i>The 4th of July holiday weekend</i> 262 00:12:32,000 --> 00:12:34,867 <i>is one of the busiest at</i> <i>the off-road vehicle area</i> 263 00:12:34,867 --> 00:12:37,100 <i>inside Silver Lake State Park.</i> 264 00:12:37,266 --> 00:12:39,166 Some of the sand rails, high travel buggies that 265 00:12:39,333 --> 00:12:40,767 you see out here are approaching 266 00:12:40,767 --> 00:12:43,467 $60,000, $80,000 a piece. 267 00:12:43,634 --> 00:12:45,867 Corvette engines in them, custom paint jobs, 268 00:12:47,066 --> 00:12:50,867 all the way down to the $200 special that someone has made 269 00:12:51,033 --> 00:12:53,834 and trailered in here in order to run up here in the dunes. 270 00:12:54,000 --> 00:12:57,266 <i>More importantly, COs must be</i> <i>comfortable and confident</i> 271 00:12:57,266 --> 00:13:00,467 <i>with the firearms they carry,</i> <i>which is why they spent a week</i> 272 00:13:00,634 --> 00:13:02,834 <i>training with their newly</i> <i>issued patrol rifles</i> 273 00:13:03,000 --> 00:13:06,600 <i>at Camp Grayling,</i> <i>a military base in</i> <i>northern lower Michigan.</i> 274 00:13:07,734 --> 00:13:11,100 [multiple gunshots in distance] 275 00:13:11,266 --> 00:13:14,867 This is a rifle that we carry with us every day for patrol, 276 00:13:14,867 --> 00:13:17,000 since you never know what you're gonna encounter, 277 00:13:17,000 --> 00:13:19,734 so you're ready for any situation that may come up. 278 00:13:19,900 --> 00:13:21,767 <i>In addition of</i> <i>their conservation efforts,</i> 279 00:13:21,767 --> 00:13:24,500 <i>COs also provide general</i> <i>law enforcement duties</i> 280 00:13:24,667 --> 00:13:26,000 <i>in the areas they serve.</i> 281 00:13:26,166 --> 00:13:28,000 We've had some of our guys dealing with bank robbers 282 00:13:28,000 --> 00:13:30,834 where they've actually had robbery suspects that they 283 00:13:31,000 --> 00:13:33,667 pulled over and had to engage in arrest. 284 00:13:33,667 --> 00:13:37,300 [Burton] We want to be as prepared and as trained as possible, 285 00:13:37,467 --> 00:13:41,900 so when one of those encounters do occur that we take care of it 286 00:13:42,066 --> 00:13:46,266 efficiently and quickly so nobody else gets hurt. 287 00:13:46,433 --> 00:13:48,300 [continuous popping] 288 00:13:49,266 --> 00:13:52,967 <i>And sometimes, officers are</i> <i>also called on to save a life.</i> 289 00:13:53,133 --> 00:13:56,266 Within four minutes of arrival, CO Kovach successfully applied 290 00:13:56,266 --> 00:13:59,300 a combat application tourniquet to the wound, 291 00:13:59,467 --> 00:14:00,734 stopping the bleeding. 292 00:14:00,900 --> 00:14:03,567 <i>When that happens,</i> <i>the department honors the CO</i> 293 00:14:03,567 --> 00:14:06,200 <i>with the Lifesavers Award.</i> -They're very humble. 294 00:14:06,367 --> 00:14:07,867 They're very proud of what they do, 295 00:14:08,033 --> 00:14:10,567 but they also understand, they feel that it's their duty 296 00:14:10,567 --> 00:14:11,967 to do darn near anything. 297 00:14:12,133 --> 00:14:14,667 I'm an avid outdoorsman, so I love protecting 298 00:14:14,834 --> 00:14:16,300 and being in the outdoors, 299 00:14:16,467 --> 00:14:20,834 but I also love that we're police officers, so I back up 300 00:14:21,000 --> 00:14:23,367 my local departments and domestics in other 301 00:14:23,367 --> 00:14:26,567 situations where we're protecting our resources 302 00:14:26,734 --> 00:14:28,367 and protecting the people in our community. 303 00:14:28,367 --> 00:14:30,266 It's a lifestyle, it's a passion, and it just 304 00:14:30,266 --> 00:14:33,100 means that we're there to protect the resource. 305 00:14:33,266 --> 00:14:35,400 Our officers are very unique. 306 00:14:35,567 --> 00:14:37,400 They many times are first responders, especially in 307 00:14:37,567 --> 00:14:39,867 the rural parts of Michigan, where the law enforcement 308 00:14:40,033 --> 00:14:42,734 groups, smaller forces, smaller departments. 309 00:14:42,900 --> 00:14:44,100 And so they're very much integral parts 310 00:14:44,100 --> 00:14:46,834 of those departments. They're part of the community. 311 00:14:47,000 --> 00:14:47,967 They live and work in the community. 312 00:14:48,133 --> 00:14:49,100 They support the community. 313 00:14:50,100 --> 00:14:53,400 They deal with recreational safety. 314 00:14:53,567 --> 00:14:55,767 They deal with recreational enforcement. 315 00:14:55,767 --> 00:14:56,934 They're very important to us. 316 00:14:56,934 --> 00:15:00,166 They're fully commissioned police officers, and those are 317 00:15:00,333 --> 00:15:02,834 just marvelous attributes to have, especially in 318 00:15:03,000 --> 00:15:04,400 the rural parts of our state. 319 00:15:05,600 --> 00:15:08,667 <i>It's been a busy 4th of July</i> <i>for CO Ben Shively</i> 320 00:15:08,834 --> 00:15:11,100 <i>and Park Ranger</i> <i>Andrew Lundborg.</i> 321 00:15:11,100 --> 00:15:14,100 <i>More than 300 vehicles have</i> <i>entered the off-road vehicle</i> 322 00:15:14,266 --> 00:15:17,867 <i>area of the sand dunes between</i> <i>8 and 9 PM, all looking to</i> 323 00:15:18,033 --> 00:15:19,367 <i>find a spot to</i> <i>watch the fireworks.</i> 324 00:15:20,367 --> 00:15:22,567 <i>CO Ben Shively is standing</i> 325 00:15:22,734 --> 00:15:25,100 <i>near his patrol car</i> <i>when an out-of-control rider</i> 326 00:15:25,266 --> 00:15:27,000 <i>nearly collides with</i> <i>a passing jeep.</i> 327 00:15:27,000 --> 00:15:29,100 [intense rock music plays] 328 00:15:34,166 --> 00:15:36,400 [Shively] Hey! 329 00:15:36,567 --> 00:15:38,667 [Shively] Before you start chewing him out, why don't you 330 00:15:38,834 --> 00:15:41,000 think about you being -- hey, watch it. 331 00:15:42,567 --> 00:15:44,600 [Lundborg] You're the one that just jumped blindly over a hill. 332 00:15:44,767 --> 00:15:48,200 [Shively] Yeah, you were airborne, not in control of your vehicle. 333 00:15:48,367 --> 00:15:50,667 Before you start cussing this gentleman out right here, 334 00:15:50,834 --> 00:15:52,300 please understand, you are the one 335 00:15:52,467 --> 00:15:55,834 that is at fault. You understand that? 336 00:15:56,000 --> 00:15:57,567 -Yep. -[Shively] OK, do you have 337 00:15:57,567 --> 00:15:58,867 a driver's license on you, sir? 338 00:15:59,033 --> 00:16:00,567 Back at my car, cause I ain't got no pockets. 339 00:16:00,734 --> 00:16:01,967 -Have you been here before? -Yes, I have. 340 00:16:02,133 --> 00:16:03,467 [Shively] Are you familiar with the rules and regulations? 341 00:16:03,634 --> 00:16:05,100 -Yes, I am. -[Shively] OK, so then you know 342 00:16:05,100 --> 00:16:06,834 that you're supposed to have your driver's license on you 343 00:16:07,000 --> 00:16:08,300 at all times up here. 344 00:16:08,467 --> 00:16:10,467 Yeah, if I had a backpack on me, I'd understand that, 345 00:16:10,634 --> 00:16:12,767 I just forgot my bag. -That wasn't my question. 346 00:16:12,767 --> 00:16:13,767 I understand what you're saying. 347 00:16:13,934 --> 00:16:15,767 OK. Does the bike belong to you? 348 00:16:15,767 --> 00:16:17,100 -Yes, it does. -OK. 349 00:16:17,100 --> 00:16:20,066 -How long have you owned it? -I just built it this year. 350 00:16:20,233 --> 00:16:21,100 [Lundborg] How long have you owned it? 351 00:16:21,266 --> 00:16:23,166 A couple years, like three or four. 352 00:16:23,333 --> 00:16:26,066 [Lundborg] Is this reconstructed VIN gonna come back to you? 353 00:16:27,500 --> 00:16:29,567 Any vehicle you purchase or you're required to title 354 00:16:29,734 --> 00:16:30,767 regardless of its year. 355 00:16:32,100 --> 00:16:34,000 So when I run this VIN, who's that gonna 356 00:16:34,000 --> 00:16:36,166 come back to? -I don't know. 357 00:16:36,166 --> 00:16:38,867 Basically, I saw a dirt bike that was airborne that almost 358 00:16:38,867 --> 00:16:40,767 collided with a Jeep that was grinding across 359 00:16:40,767 --> 00:16:42,266 the top of the ridge. 360 00:16:43,166 --> 00:16:46,900 Turned around and then saw the individual proceed to swear 361 00:16:47,066 --> 00:16:49,166 at the other individual that was operating the Jeep 362 00:16:49,333 --> 00:16:51,300 trying to tell him that he was at fault. 363 00:16:51,467 --> 00:16:54,467 So went over there to make sure that nobody was injured 364 00:16:54,467 --> 00:16:57,600 and then quickly pointed out to the individual that was getting 365 00:16:57,767 --> 00:17:01,400 excited and trying to place blame on the Jeep driver that, 366 00:17:01,567 --> 00:17:03,834 in fact, he was the one that was at fault because he was 367 00:17:04,000 --> 00:17:06,000 airborne and not in control of his vehicle. 368 00:17:06,000 --> 00:17:08,500 [Shively] Before you start cussing this gentleman out right here, 369 00:17:08,667 --> 00:17:11,400 please understand you are the one that is at fault. 370 00:17:11,567 --> 00:17:13,667 -Are you OK? -Yeah, he didn't hit me. 371 00:17:13,834 --> 00:17:15,834 -He didn't hit you? -No, he fell right before. 372 00:17:16,000 --> 00:17:17,867 OK, I saw it come up and everything. 373 00:17:17,867 --> 00:17:19,367 I saw the sand on the side and everything, 374 00:17:19,367 --> 00:17:22,100 and I just wanted to make sure that you were 375 00:17:22,266 --> 00:17:23,233 all right and everything. 376 00:17:23,233 --> 00:17:24,200 Do you happen to have your driver's license? 377 00:17:24,367 --> 00:17:25,967 -Yeah. -OK. 378 00:17:26,133 --> 00:17:27,867 Now we're just making contact with all the different 379 00:17:27,867 --> 00:17:30,900 individuals involved and sort out what we're gonna 380 00:17:31,066 --> 00:17:32,767 end up doing here. 381 00:17:33,967 --> 00:17:36,000 He is at fault, obviously, not for you guys, 382 00:17:36,000 --> 00:17:39,367 but when he is airborne and is not in control of his vehicle, 383 00:17:39,367 --> 00:17:40,600 that's careless operation. 384 00:17:40,767 --> 00:17:42,367 So that's what I'm gonna deal with here and everything. 385 00:17:42,367 --> 00:17:44,000 You guys are running how you're supposed to 386 00:17:44,166 --> 00:17:45,834 across the top of the ridge and everything. 387 00:17:46,767 --> 00:17:48,266 He's blindly jumping, not knowing 388 00:17:48,433 --> 00:17:49,467 what's on the other side, 389 00:17:49,467 --> 00:17:51,066 so we will take care of that issue there. 390 00:17:51,233 --> 00:17:52,834 So I just want to make sure you guys are all set 391 00:17:53,000 --> 00:17:55,266 and everything, no sand or damage to the vehicle 392 00:17:55,266 --> 00:17:57,300 or anything like that. OK, very good. 393 00:17:57,467 --> 00:17:58,767 Thank you, guys. 394 00:17:58,767 --> 00:18:01,467 <i>The driver of the Jeep is not</i> <i>at fault and allowed to leave.</i> 395 00:18:01,467 --> 00:18:04,066 No, I just got hit in the face by sand. 396 00:18:04,233 --> 00:18:07,266 -[camera operator] Yeah. -And I realized what happened. 397 00:18:07,433 --> 00:18:09,467 -[camera operator] Yeah. -I'm glad everybody's all right. 398 00:18:09,467 --> 00:18:11,467 <i>While Officer Shively</i> <i>looks further into</i> 399 00:18:11,467 --> 00:18:13,600 <i>the dirt bike rider's</i> <i>driving record,</i> 400 00:18:13,767 --> 00:18:15,667 <i>He expresses remorse</i> <i>to Ranger Lundborg</i> 401 00:18:15,834 --> 00:18:17,667 <i>over nearly causing</i> <i>an accident.</i> 402 00:18:17,834 --> 00:18:20,066 I should have never blown up like that, but, you know, 403 00:18:20,233 --> 00:18:21,467 I just -- 404 00:18:21,634 --> 00:18:24,166 You've got to be in control of your vehicle at all times, 405 00:18:24,166 --> 00:18:27,100 and regardless of him being here or not, looking at 406 00:18:27,266 --> 00:18:30,166 your track, I mean, you can see this patrol truck sitting here. 407 00:18:30,166 --> 00:18:33,367 I mean, you're jumping real close to that anyways. 408 00:18:33,533 --> 00:18:36,667 <i>Shively writes him a ticket for</i> <i>failure to control his vehicle,</i> 409 00:18:36,834 --> 00:18:40,767 <i>which is a misdemeanor,</i> <i>and a fine of $275.</i> 410 00:18:42,367 --> 00:18:45,266 [Shively] You're airborne and you're not in control of your vehicle, 411 00:18:45,266 --> 00:18:48,467 you're at fault, OK? So, what I did is 412 00:18:48,634 --> 00:18:50,467 I issued one citation today for careless operation 413 00:18:50,634 --> 00:18:52,467 and the verbal warning on the other things. 414 00:18:52,467 --> 00:18:55,266 He didn't have his driver's license on him as is required 415 00:18:55,433 --> 00:18:58,567 up here, and he was also operating carelessly 416 00:18:58,567 --> 00:19:01,567 or in a careless manner, so, uh, he was issued a citation 417 00:19:01,567 --> 00:19:03,667 for careless operation up here. 418 00:19:03,834 --> 00:19:05,834 [motor revving] 419 00:19:22,166 --> 00:19:24,767 <i>Bear hunting in</i> <i>late spring and early summer</i> 420 00:19:24,934 --> 00:19:27,200 <i>usually means you're in Canada.</i> 421 00:19:27,367 --> 00:19:30,967 <i>With no spring bear season in</i> <i>Michigan, conservation officers</i> 422 00:19:31,133 --> 00:19:33,767 <i>like District 3's</i> <i>Duane Budreau are out</i> 423 00:19:33,767 --> 00:19:35,767 <i>patrolling for hunters</i> <i>setting their baits for</i> 424 00:19:35,767 --> 00:19:37,867 <i>the fall bear season too early.</i> 425 00:19:37,867 --> 00:19:40,767 [Budreau] It's illegal to establish the bait early. 426 00:19:40,934 --> 00:19:45,266 It's also illegal to run off of that bait. 427 00:19:45,266 --> 00:19:48,467 To hunt from an illegal bait is illegal as well. 428 00:19:48,634 --> 00:19:51,467 So these guys that are doing it, you know, they all know 429 00:19:51,634 --> 00:19:54,467 they're, they're all working in cahoots together. 430 00:19:54,467 --> 00:19:58,767 It's a team effort, so they're all held responsible 431 00:19:58,767 --> 00:20:02,867 for running these bear...early. 432 00:20:02,867 --> 00:20:05,567 <i>In Michigan, baits can</i> <i>be set out one month</i> 433 00:20:05,567 --> 00:20:07,066 <i>before the season starts.</i> 434 00:20:12,700 --> 00:20:14,200 [Budreau] What we're looking at is strike baits. 435 00:20:14,367 --> 00:20:18,400 So, these are houndsmen that are baiting near the roadway, 436 00:20:18,567 --> 00:20:21,867 and you can easily see their turnouts, 437 00:20:21,867 --> 00:20:25,166 where they're parking their vehicle, and you just 438 00:20:25,166 --> 00:20:28,367 follow the path in. Careful not to leave 439 00:20:28,367 --> 00:20:29,967 your own tracks behind, because we don't want 440 00:20:30,133 --> 00:20:31,567 to spook them out of there. 441 00:20:31,567 --> 00:20:35,900 But yeah, it's fairly easy to find them. 442 00:20:36,066 --> 00:20:38,700 Then to actually manage them and work them, 443 00:20:39,867 --> 00:20:41,767 it becomes a little more challenging, because you've 444 00:20:41,767 --> 00:20:43,767 got to actually catch them on-site. 445 00:20:43,767 --> 00:20:45,266 [Budreau] Driving up here, you'll notice we'll be on 446 00:20:45,433 --> 00:20:50,100 a two-track sort of gravel-ish road that's easy to detect 447 00:20:50,100 --> 00:20:51,767 as they pull off the shoulder of the road. 448 00:20:51,767 --> 00:20:54,467 You can see where the vehicles have pulled off. 449 00:20:54,467 --> 00:20:58,567 You look close enough, you see a pretty beat-down foot trail. 450 00:20:58,567 --> 00:21:01,367 If it doesn't cross the road, pretty clear indication that 451 00:21:01,533 --> 00:21:04,300 it's a human trail and not a wild game trail. 452 00:21:07,900 --> 00:21:09,033 Right there. 453 00:21:11,500 --> 00:21:12,700 Come back up. 454 00:21:15,166 --> 00:21:16,967 Yeah, there's the trail right there. 455 00:21:19,166 --> 00:21:22,000 Doesn't look like a lot, but it doesn't cross the road, 456 00:21:22,166 --> 00:21:25,467 so we can tell that it's one way in and out. 457 00:21:26,700 --> 00:21:29,867 Game don't actually travel like that. 458 00:21:30,033 --> 00:21:33,567 If that were a deer runway or an actual bear trail, 459 00:21:33,734 --> 00:21:35,066 it would actually cross the road, you know? 460 00:21:36,367 --> 00:21:37,900 He's not coming out to check his mail. 461 00:21:39,667 --> 00:21:43,100 So we'll park up here and walk in. 462 00:21:47,400 --> 00:21:49,100 So, the bait is tipped over, 463 00:21:50,400 --> 00:21:51,467 which is a good thing. 464 00:21:51,467 --> 00:21:53,500 That means they'll come back and they'll rebait it. 465 00:21:59,567 --> 00:22:02,300 Raccoons, a little bit of a bear track here. 466 00:22:04,767 --> 00:22:06,200 Smaller critters have been in here. 467 00:22:11,367 --> 00:22:13,433 Cleaned out. 468 00:22:15,867 --> 00:22:19,467 <i>CO Budreau has checked on this</i> <i>spot before, so he decides to</i> 469 00:22:19,634 --> 00:22:22,266 <i>hang a trail camera</i> <i>in hopes of ID-ing a suspect.</i> 470 00:22:22,266 --> 00:22:24,367 -[hiss] -[two cranks] 471 00:22:24,533 --> 00:22:26,667 [upbeat music plays] 472 00:22:37,467 --> 00:22:38,567 [click] 473 00:22:45,367 --> 00:22:47,533 Restrict the movement a little bit. 474 00:22:50,000 --> 00:22:51,367 Don't want anything to catch their eye. 475 00:22:54,900 --> 00:22:57,900 <i>The next illegal bait</i> <i>he checks on, CO Budreau</i> 476 00:22:58,066 --> 00:22:59,667 <i>finds another</i> <i>empty log.</i> 477 00:22:59,667 --> 00:23:01,767 [upbeat music plays] 478 00:23:08,967 --> 00:23:11,066 [mysterious riff plays] 479 00:23:15,166 --> 00:23:16,367 [Budreau] See the bear trails 480 00:23:17,767 --> 00:23:20,667 coming in and back behind you there. 481 00:23:21,767 --> 00:23:22,900 There's definitely... 482 00:23:24,266 --> 00:23:25,367 activity in here. 483 00:23:26,567 --> 00:23:27,767 These are... 484 00:23:27,934 --> 00:23:29,900 [mysterious riff plays] 485 00:23:32,100 --> 00:23:35,166 It's definitely been hit since I was in here to check it. 486 00:23:36,200 --> 00:23:39,100 A lot of guys will actually do that as well with these baits. 487 00:23:39,100 --> 00:23:42,967 They rake up an area on the ground and get it soft 488 00:23:43,133 --> 00:23:44,767 so that they can capture a good paw 489 00:23:46,900 --> 00:23:47,967 because that's what they're looking for. 490 00:23:48,133 --> 00:23:49,867 They're looking for a bigger bear. 491 00:23:49,867 --> 00:23:52,567 <i>And that's exactly what</i> <i>he finds at the next bait site.</i> 492 00:23:52,734 --> 00:23:54,066 [Budreau] That's good to know. 493 00:23:54,233 --> 00:23:56,467 Same guy, three different spots. 494 00:23:56,634 --> 00:23:58,000 At least he's got the same bait source. 495 00:23:59,467 --> 00:24:02,100 Maybe somebody's having a sale on cereal. 496 00:24:04,100 --> 00:24:05,166 Getting a little buggy in here. 497 00:24:05,333 --> 00:24:07,300 [mysterious riff plays] 498 00:24:09,300 --> 00:24:12,467 A little cleaner site, I don't see all the litter 499 00:24:12,634 --> 00:24:14,100 that we had at the other spots, right? 500 00:24:15,000 --> 00:24:19,166 No fresh bear tracks, though, so I'm assuming that 501 00:24:19,333 --> 00:24:20,700 that looks fresh, it's raked. 502 00:24:20,867 --> 00:24:24,100 They probably baited that maybe this morning, maybe yesterday. 503 00:24:25,467 --> 00:24:27,100 Kind of hard to tell with the bait itself. 504 00:24:27,266 --> 00:24:31,667 It's kind of compacted in there, but that looks 505 00:24:31,834 --> 00:24:34,200 kind of freshly raked up. 506 00:24:34,367 --> 00:24:36,200 So I'm gonna guess it was recent. 507 00:24:45,066 --> 00:24:49,066 <i>Cracking down on bear baits</i> <i>being set too early</i> <i>is a high priority</i> 508 00:24:49,233 --> 00:24:52,000 <i>in Michigan's North Lower</i> <i>and Upper peninsula.</i> 509 00:24:52,166 --> 00:24:55,166 [Watson] It's pretty well tore up. They're using this quite a bit. 510 00:24:55,333 --> 00:24:57,000 [Watson] And just shakes the corn out, 511 00:24:57,000 --> 00:24:59,567 and that'll keep the bears coming back for quite a while. 512 00:24:59,734 --> 00:25:03,367 <i>You can start baiting 31 days</i> <i>before the start of the season.</i> 513 00:25:03,367 --> 00:25:06,367 <i>In the UP, that means</i> <i>nothing until August 10.</i> 514 00:25:06,533 --> 00:25:08,867 A lot of times, more often than not, it's somebody that 515 00:25:09,033 --> 00:25:10,166 knows what they're doing. 516 00:25:10,166 --> 00:25:11,467 They know that they're going out there 517 00:25:11,634 --> 00:25:13,166 and cheating the system a little bit, 518 00:25:13,166 --> 00:25:15,867 and it really kind of grinds my gears a little bit 519 00:25:16,033 --> 00:25:19,266 because they're out there breaking the rules on purpose, 520 00:25:19,433 --> 00:25:21,233 trying to get a jump start on everybody else. 521 00:25:23,700 --> 00:25:24,867 <i>In District 2,</i> 522 00:25:26,667 --> 00:25:29,100 <i>Conservation Officer</i> <i>Bobby Watson has been</i> 523 00:25:29,266 --> 00:25:31,367 <i>monitoring one hunter</i> <i>who has been baiting early</i> 524 00:25:31,533 --> 00:25:33,667 <i>for over a year,</i> <i>but he hasn't been able</i> 525 00:25:33,667 --> 00:25:36,100 <i>to come face-to-face</i> <i>with the suspect.</i> 526 00:25:36,100 --> 00:25:39,500 <i>So he put out trail cameras</i> <i>and was able to get a photo ID.</i> 527 00:25:40,400 --> 00:25:42,066 [Watson] I thought I could see brake lights, and I put 528 00:25:42,233 --> 00:25:45,900 my binoculars up, and it was him parked on the side of the road. 529 00:25:46,066 --> 00:25:48,500 And just as I put my binoculars on him, 530 00:25:48,667 --> 00:25:50,500 he hopped in his truck, and he took off. 531 00:25:50,667 --> 00:25:52,667 Well, I went down to where he was parked, walked in, 532 00:25:52,667 --> 00:25:54,266 and there was a bait. 533 00:25:54,266 --> 00:25:57,367 And so, I hung a camera on it and everything, 534 00:25:57,367 --> 00:26:00,266 and since then, I've built the case up to the point 535 00:26:00,433 --> 00:26:03,367 where we can, you know, go in tonight, hopefully. 536 00:26:03,367 --> 00:26:05,500 <i>Armed with that knowledge,</i> <i>it was just a matter of</i> 537 00:26:05,667 --> 00:26:08,200 <i>Officer Watson tracking</i> <i>down the suspect.</i> 538 00:26:08,367 --> 00:26:10,266 <i>So he drove past</i> <i>the hunting camp to see</i> 539 00:26:10,266 --> 00:26:11,967 <i>if the suspect was around.</i> 540 00:26:12,133 --> 00:26:14,233 [suspenseful orchestral music plays] 541 00:26:16,700 --> 00:26:17,900 That's our place. 542 00:26:20,367 --> 00:26:21,467 [suspenseful music ceases] 543 00:26:21,634 --> 00:26:23,100 Oh, yeah, they're up. 544 00:26:23,266 --> 00:26:25,166 So I have a little bit of a history with this group. 545 00:26:25,333 --> 00:26:27,200 I'm kind of familiar with them. 546 00:26:27,367 --> 00:26:30,867 I've crossed paths with them once or twice and gotten 547 00:26:31,033 --> 00:26:32,667 a lot of tips on them. There's some information 548 00:26:32,667 --> 00:26:35,600 that our fellow officers have on them. 549 00:26:35,767 --> 00:26:38,667 So I kind of had a feeling that this guy was gonna be up 550 00:26:38,667 --> 00:26:40,266 on the weekends. They're from downstate. 551 00:26:40,266 --> 00:26:41,300 That's a good sign. 552 00:26:41,467 --> 00:26:43,567 They might be home tomorrow night. 553 00:26:43,734 --> 00:26:45,767 [suspenseful music plays] 554 00:26:47,166 --> 00:26:48,400 That's a good sign. 555 00:26:49,166 --> 00:26:51,900 All their dog boxes were filled with dogs, so we knew that 556 00:26:52,066 --> 00:26:53,900 somebody was there with the dogs. 557 00:26:54,066 --> 00:26:56,000 Didn't see a whole lot of trucks, which was a good sign, 558 00:26:56,000 --> 00:26:58,000 because I know that this guy is generally 559 00:26:58,000 --> 00:26:59,967 their caretaker, if you will. 560 00:27:00,200 --> 00:27:02,800 So we were hoping that it would be just him. 561 00:27:05,266 --> 00:27:07,400 They might be out running, tending baits right now, 562 00:27:09,000 --> 00:27:10,667 or they're just out getting dinner or something. 563 00:27:11,900 --> 00:27:14,000 [peaceful acoustic guitar plays] 564 00:27:19,500 --> 00:27:22,200 <i>Prior to the start of bear</i> <i>season, the state of Michigan</i> 565 00:27:22,367 --> 00:27:25,100 <i>conducts a one-day seminar</i> <i>designed to prepare hunters</i> 566 00:27:25,266 --> 00:27:26,867 <i>for bear season.</i> 567 00:27:26,867 --> 00:27:29,000 Some of the things that you want to really think about 568 00:27:29,000 --> 00:27:31,367 when you get out there is smell. 569 00:27:31,367 --> 00:27:34,266 So we go through all the equipment they need, 570 00:27:34,266 --> 00:27:36,867 whether it's archery, rifle, what type of rifle, 571 00:27:37,033 --> 00:27:40,567 ammunitions, what type of arrows and broadheads to use 572 00:27:40,734 --> 00:27:42,166 and not use. 573 00:27:42,166 --> 00:27:44,700 We're gonna go through baiting, what types of bait 574 00:27:44,867 --> 00:27:46,600 to use, what types of bait not to use, 575 00:27:46,767 --> 00:27:48,166 what's legal and not legal. 576 00:27:48,333 --> 00:27:50,066 We go through the whole shebang. 577 00:27:50,233 --> 00:27:52,967 Just push it right off. Swoop this off one. 578 00:27:53,133 --> 00:27:54,467 It'll sit there and feed. 579 00:27:54,467 --> 00:27:57,266 <i>Hunters can go years</i> <i>between drawing a tag,</i> 580 00:27:57,433 --> 00:27:59,567 <i>and park interpreter Ed Shaw</i> <i>knows it's easy to</i> 581 00:27:59,734 --> 00:28:02,567 <i>forget strategies when</i> <i>you don't do it every year.</i> 582 00:28:02,734 --> 00:28:04,467 What we're doing is how to adapt that 583 00:28:04,634 --> 00:28:07,266 deer hunting equipment over to hunting bigger game, 584 00:28:07,433 --> 00:28:08,867 such as bear hunters. 585 00:28:08,867 --> 00:28:12,367 And a lot of it's the same, and a lot of it's different, 586 00:28:12,367 --> 00:28:14,567 and we're teaching them those tips and tricks. 587 00:28:14,567 --> 00:28:18,166 [man speaking] 588 00:28:18,333 --> 00:28:20,300 Your walking path, pretty soon you'll notice 589 00:28:20,467 --> 00:28:21,667 bear poop on it. 590 00:28:21,667 --> 00:28:24,567 <i>The Outdoor Skills Academy is</i> <i>a mix of classroom</i> 591 00:28:24,567 --> 00:28:26,100 <i>and outdoors training.</i> 592 00:28:26,100 --> 00:28:29,166 <i>Shaw says you will get out of</i> <i>bear hunting what you put in.</i> 593 00:28:30,100 --> 00:28:32,667 [Shaw] And it is not a lazy sport. 594 00:28:32,667 --> 00:28:34,567 You're gonna put a lot of work, bear hunting is 595 00:28:34,567 --> 00:28:36,100 a lot of work in baiting. 596 00:28:36,266 --> 00:28:37,667 by the end of the bear season, 597 00:28:37,667 --> 00:28:39,367 you're gonna be tired of baiting, 598 00:28:39,367 --> 00:28:40,467 and you should be. 599 00:28:50,367 --> 00:28:52,934 <i>Every winter,</i> <i>wildlife biologists with</i> 600 00:28:53,100 --> 00:28:57,266 <i>the Michigan DNR place radio</i> <i>collars on female black bears.</i> 601 00:28:57,266 --> 00:29:00,333 <i>The primary purpose of this</i> <i>monitoring program is to have</i> 602 00:29:00,500 --> 00:29:04,166 <i>female bears available to raise</i> <i>cubs that have been orphaned.</i> 603 00:29:04,333 --> 00:29:05,500 It's been found... 604 00:29:06,233 --> 00:29:10,367 frequently that you can convince a female black bear to 605 00:29:10,533 --> 00:29:13,667 accept cubs from another bear that may have been killed 606 00:29:13,834 --> 00:29:15,767 for any number of reasons. 607 00:29:15,934 --> 00:29:18,367 So by keeping these bears on the air, we always have 608 00:29:18,533 --> 00:29:21,967 an option for cubs that lose their mother. 609 00:29:22,133 --> 00:29:25,266 <i>This seven-year-old sow</i> <i>had four cubs with her.</i> 610 00:29:26,166 --> 00:29:28,834 [grunting] 611 00:29:29,000 --> 00:29:32,166 <i>Biologist Mark Boersen was</i> <i>able to crawl within 10 feet</i> 612 00:29:32,333 --> 00:29:36,033 <i>before sedating the bear</i> <i>in order to work on the collar.</i> 613 00:29:36,200 --> 00:29:38,266 [Boersen] And she never stood up, she did raise her head. 614 00:29:38,433 --> 00:29:40,166 She turned and looked at me and then 615 00:29:40,166 --> 00:29:41,967 laid her head back down. 616 00:29:42,133 --> 00:29:43,767 And then she gave me a quick little glance 617 00:29:43,767 --> 00:29:46,600 when I injected her, as you might expect, 618 00:29:46,767 --> 00:29:48,567 and then laid down again, 619 00:29:48,567 --> 00:29:49,767 and I stayed right there. 620 00:29:49,767 --> 00:29:53,333 I just laid down in the snow and laid there for 621 00:29:53,500 --> 00:29:55,600 about a half hour until she went to sleep. 622 00:29:55,767 --> 00:29:58,400 <i>A lot of the dens that are</i> <i>checked are on private property</i> 623 00:29:58,567 --> 00:30:00,667 <i>and landowner Lloyd Brown</i> <i>was excited to be</i> 624 00:30:00,834 --> 00:30:02,367 <i>part of the process.</i> 625 00:30:02,367 --> 00:30:04,867 The property has a lot of memories and I think this is 626 00:30:04,867 --> 00:30:07,500 gonna be one of our favorites because, you know, 627 00:30:07,667 --> 00:30:11,133 we've seen the bear on the cameras, we've seen the bear 628 00:30:11,300 --> 00:30:14,133 rarely, you know, we've been out scouting or out hunting 629 00:30:14,300 --> 00:30:17,867 and, you know, to be up close with the bear, and then there was one cub. 630 00:30:17,867 --> 00:30:21,100 Then there was two, then there was three, then there was four. 631 00:30:21,266 --> 00:30:23,467 So, I mean it's absolutely awesome and it's something 632 00:30:23,634 --> 00:30:27,667 I know myself, my wife, my children, you know, will cherish. 633 00:30:27,834 --> 00:30:31,567 <i>Data from these bear den checks</i> <i>also helps the DNR manage</i> 634 00:30:31,734 --> 00:30:33,100 <i>the bear population.</i> 635 00:30:33,266 --> 00:30:35,233 [upbeat electric music plays] 636 00:30:41,734 --> 00:30:44,667 <i>-Back in District 2 --</i> -[Watson] Oh, yeah, they're up. 637 00:30:45,834 --> 00:30:47,166 That's a good sign. 638 00:30:47,166 --> 00:30:49,266 <i>Conservation Officer</i> <i>Bobby Watson has</i> 639 00:30:49,433 --> 00:30:52,133 <i>trail cam photos of someone</i> <i>baiting for bears</i> 640 00:30:52,300 --> 00:30:54,133 <i>too early in</i> <i>the season.</i> 641 00:30:54,300 --> 00:30:57,600 <i>In Michigan, you are allowed to</i> <i>start baiting 31 days prior to</i> 642 00:30:57,767 --> 00:30:59,266 <i>the opening of bear season.</i> 643 00:30:59,266 --> 00:31:01,734 <i>After driving past</i> <i>the suspect's hunting camp,</i> 644 00:31:01,900 --> 00:31:04,367 <i>Officer Watson made plans</i> <i>to contact the suspect</i> 645 00:31:04,367 --> 00:31:06,667 <i>very early the next morning.</i> 646 00:31:06,834 --> 00:31:09,500 Running time, legal time to drop your dogs on a bear is 647 00:31:09,667 --> 00:31:11,000 the same as shooting hours. 648 00:31:11,166 --> 00:31:13,000 So it's gonna be a half hour before sunrise. 649 00:31:14,233 --> 00:31:16,333 So we wanted to beat them before they left their camp. 650 00:31:16,500 --> 00:31:18,066 We didn't want to try to find them out in the woods 651 00:31:18,233 --> 00:31:20,734 because you never know if you can track them down or not. 652 00:31:20,900 --> 00:31:23,367 <i>Shortly after 6 AM,</i> <i>Officer Watson drove</i> 653 00:31:23,367 --> 00:31:24,467 <i>past the camp.</i> 654 00:31:29,834 --> 00:31:31,934 [suspenseful music plays] 655 00:31:51,367 --> 00:31:52,967 [Watson] How you doing? 656 00:31:53,133 --> 00:31:54,100 We tried to get to their camp. 657 00:31:54,100 --> 00:31:55,934 before the sun came up and before they left, 658 00:31:56,100 --> 00:31:59,133 and luckily we beat them out of the camp. 659 00:31:59,300 --> 00:32:01,333 They were just getting ready to leave, so we got there, 660 00:32:01,500 --> 00:32:03,333 another 10 minutes and we might have missed them. 661 00:32:03,500 --> 00:32:05,100 [Watson] I got a couple questions for you real quick 662 00:32:05,266 --> 00:32:06,567 before you guys get going this morning. 663 00:32:07,467 --> 00:32:08,667 What's the deal with all your baits? 664 00:32:08,667 --> 00:32:10,133 [suspect speaking] 665 00:32:11,000 --> 00:32:13,567 [Watson] Well, there's a couple baits up north here that we were seeing 666 00:32:13,567 --> 00:32:15,100 pretty early on this season. 667 00:32:16,400 --> 00:32:17,767 [suspect speaking] 668 00:32:17,767 --> 00:32:19,133 [Watson] Prior to the bait season. 669 00:32:19,300 --> 00:32:20,500 [suspect speaking] 670 00:32:20,667 --> 00:32:22,066 [Watson] OK. 671 00:32:22,233 --> 00:32:25,000 <i>The suspect didn't confess</i> <i>right away, so Officer Watson</i> 672 00:32:25,166 --> 00:32:27,233 <i>showed him</i> <i>the trail cam photos.</i> 673 00:32:27,400 --> 00:32:28,467 [Watson] You want to look at them? 674 00:32:30,934 --> 00:32:33,567 -That's not you? -[suspect speaking] 675 00:32:34,667 --> 00:32:38,767 -[Watson] Carrying bait in. -[suspect speaking] 676 00:32:38,934 --> 00:32:40,266 We're looking at your trail that you walked 677 00:32:40,266 --> 00:32:41,467 to carry your bait in. 678 00:32:41,467 --> 00:32:43,567 [suspect speaking] 679 00:32:43,567 --> 00:32:46,467 -Well, that's you, right? -[suspect speaking] 680 00:32:46,634 --> 00:32:48,467 [Watson] You're saying that's not you? 681 00:32:54,934 --> 00:32:57,033 That's not a good picture there. 682 00:32:57,200 --> 00:32:59,367 But I mean, there you can see your face a little bit, 683 00:32:59,533 --> 00:33:01,000 and there you can see your face just fine. 684 00:33:04,667 --> 00:33:06,166 [suspect speaking] 685 00:33:06,166 --> 00:33:08,467 -[Watson] That's you -- Yeah. -[suspect speaking] 686 00:33:09,400 --> 00:33:10,667 [Watson] Yeah. 687 00:33:10,667 --> 00:33:13,567 We had pictures of him going in with bait on his shoulder. 688 00:33:13,734 --> 00:33:15,467 We had pictures of him coming out without the bait, 689 00:33:16,367 --> 00:33:19,233 and then I have pictures of me going in and taking pictures of 690 00:33:19,400 --> 00:33:20,600 the bait site itself. 691 00:33:20,767 --> 00:33:22,166 So it was pretty obvious what he was doing. 692 00:33:22,333 --> 00:33:23,867 It's all time-stamped and everything. 693 00:33:23,867 --> 00:33:26,133 <i>He's ticketed for</i> <i>having bait out too early,</i> 694 00:33:26,300 --> 00:33:29,166 <i>which carries a $150 fine.</i> 695 00:33:29,166 --> 00:33:31,000 <i>Additionally, he can't</i> <i>hunt over the bait</i> 696 00:33:31,166 --> 00:33:34,567 <i>once the season opens, since</i> <i>it was established illegally.</i> 697 00:33:34,567 --> 00:33:36,734 And he even said it, you know, when I was talking 698 00:33:36,900 --> 00:33:39,834 with him, interviewing him. It gives him a head start. 699 00:33:40,000 --> 00:33:42,734 [Watson] I'm just curious, just asking here, what's the purpose 700 00:33:42,900 --> 00:33:45,767 of baiting early, I guess, for you guys? 701 00:33:45,767 --> 00:33:48,066 -Just to get a head start on it? -[suspect speaking] 702 00:33:48,233 --> 00:33:49,834 [Watson] OK. OK, yep. 703 00:33:50,000 --> 00:33:51,667 Everybody else in the area, they're not baiting 704 00:33:51,834 --> 00:33:54,400 until the 10th, a month before the season opens, 705 00:33:54,567 --> 00:33:56,967 and he's baiting prior to, so he's pulling in all those bears 706 00:33:57,133 --> 00:33:59,467 from the area and drawing them all into his baits, 707 00:33:59,634 --> 00:34:02,400 you know, so he's gonna have them and nobody else will. 708 00:34:02,567 --> 00:34:04,867 And it kind of bugs me because, I mean, everybody else 709 00:34:05,033 --> 00:34:07,367 is following the rules and here's this one guy who's not. 710 00:34:16,266 --> 00:34:18,100 You know, I do a lot of talks 711 00:34:18,266 --> 00:34:20,266 at career day events and things of that nature, 712 00:34:20,266 --> 00:34:24,734 and I tell the young people, you know, it's the greatest job 713 00:34:24,900 --> 00:34:27,367 in law enforcement for sure, in my opinion. 714 00:34:27,367 --> 00:34:28,567 There's nothing better. 715 00:34:30,467 --> 00:34:32,100 <i>In Michigan's District 3,</i> 716 00:34:34,567 --> 00:34:37,467 <i>Conservation Officer</i> <i>Duane Budreau had set up</i> 717 00:34:37,634 --> 00:34:40,634 <i>trail cameras in order to help</i> <i>identify who was setting up</i> 718 00:34:40,800 --> 00:34:43,066 <i>bear baits too early.</i> -[Budreau] So it's an attempt to, 719 00:34:44,166 --> 00:34:46,367 you know, to try to even the playing field. 720 00:34:46,533 --> 00:34:48,834 You know, we're out here enforcing rules. 721 00:34:49,000 --> 00:34:52,166 Rules are in place just to keep the game even 722 00:34:52,166 --> 00:34:53,667 for everyone else, 723 00:34:53,667 --> 00:34:55,967 and, you know, it's unfair to those that are playing 724 00:34:56,133 --> 00:34:58,433 by the rules when you have others that are cheating. 725 00:34:58,600 --> 00:35:00,767 <i>A few days later, he went back</i> <i>to see if the cameras</i> 726 00:35:00,767 --> 00:35:02,667 <i>had captured anything.</i> 727 00:35:02,834 --> 00:35:04,066 [Budreau] Well, they didn't steal my camera. 728 00:35:04,233 --> 00:35:05,066 That's good news. 729 00:35:05,233 --> 00:35:07,166 [suspenseful music plays] 730 00:35:16,567 --> 00:35:18,533 Unless the bear was in here this morning, and we can look 731 00:35:18,700 --> 00:35:21,266 for tracks, see if the bear actually came in 732 00:35:21,433 --> 00:35:23,634 this morning, and I guess we'll go look 733 00:35:23,800 --> 00:35:26,033 and see if we have any evidence. 734 00:35:28,000 --> 00:35:30,133 <i>He loads the memory card</i> <i>onto his laptop</i> 735 00:35:30,300 --> 00:35:32,367 <i>and scrolls through the photos.</i> 736 00:35:32,533 --> 00:35:34,567 [Budreau] Must have a bear, because the bait was set 737 00:35:34,567 --> 00:35:36,066 when I put the camera in here. 738 00:35:37,867 --> 00:35:39,000 Oh, there we go. 739 00:35:44,166 --> 00:35:46,467 <i>At another bait spot,</i> <i>Officer Budreau pulls</i> 740 00:35:46,634 --> 00:35:48,967 <i>more photos of baits being</i> <i>established too early.</i> 741 00:35:49,133 --> 00:35:51,066 [suspenseful music plays] 742 00:35:53,100 --> 00:35:57,567 [Budreau] This guy's obviously just set the camera and set the bait. 743 00:35:58,567 --> 00:36:01,867 <i>Using the photos,</i> <i>Officer Budreau IDs the suspect</i> 744 00:36:01,867 --> 00:36:03,867 <i>and makes a plan to</i> <i>head out on the first day</i> 745 00:36:04,033 --> 00:36:05,467 <i>of bear season</i> <i>in hopes of catching</i> 746 00:36:05,467 --> 00:36:07,400 <i>them using the illegal baits.</i> 747 00:36:09,867 --> 00:36:11,600 [Budreau] Couldn't pose for a better picture. 748 00:36:14,066 --> 00:36:16,367 And this guy's coming in at 5:20 in the morning. 749 00:36:20,867 --> 00:36:23,467 [suspenseful music builds] 750 00:36:23,634 --> 00:36:28,033 And this is self-incrimination at its finest right here. 751 00:36:30,367 --> 00:36:32,867 [chuckling] 752 00:36:32,867 --> 00:36:36,000 There is no arguing what they were doing. 753 00:36:36,166 --> 00:36:38,266 That's classic footage. 754 00:36:43,667 --> 00:36:47,166 And some very self-incriminating pictures 755 00:36:47,166 --> 00:36:50,166 of two suspects establishing the bait. 756 00:36:50,333 --> 00:36:51,367 I mean, it's frame by frame. 757 00:36:51,367 --> 00:36:52,934 These guys are building the bait station. 758 00:36:53,867 --> 00:36:55,066 That worked out pretty ideal. 759 00:36:55,233 --> 00:36:57,266 Now it's just a matter of catching those guys 760 00:36:57,266 --> 00:37:01,567 in the field, hunting, and using those images 761 00:37:01,734 --> 00:37:03,166 as evidence against them. 762 00:37:03,333 --> 00:37:05,367 [suspenseful orchestral music plays] 763 00:37:10,367 --> 00:37:13,634 <i>On the morning of the season</i> <i>opener, Officer Budreau stakes</i> 764 00:37:13,800 --> 00:37:16,867 <i>out a spot with an early bait</i> <i>and waits, but no one shows.</i> 765 00:37:16,867 --> 00:37:19,667 Well, that's disappointing. 766 00:37:21,100 --> 00:37:22,967 <i>Officer Budreau</i> <i>decides to move on</i> 767 00:37:23,133 --> 00:37:24,567 <i>to another illegal bait spot.</i> 768 00:37:24,567 --> 00:37:27,033 <i>On his way, he runs into</i> <i>a hunter who says he thinks</i> 769 00:37:27,200 --> 00:37:29,567 <i>the guys Officer Budreau is</i> <i>looking for are hunting</i> 770 00:37:29,567 --> 00:37:31,033 <i>in the Upper Peninsula.</i> 771 00:37:31,200 --> 00:37:34,233 Now, was that you that did, you drugged the roads? 772 00:37:34,400 --> 00:37:35,600 -Yeah. -OK. 773 00:37:35,600 --> 00:37:37,166 -I tried to. -Because I was like, "Who else is out here?" 774 00:37:37,166 --> 00:37:40,233 -Yeah. -Yeah, that was me last night. 775 00:37:40,400 --> 00:37:43,834 -Covered some miles. -Yeah. 776 00:37:44,000 --> 00:37:46,033 You got to get a tag once in eight or ten years. 777 00:37:46,200 --> 00:37:47,734 [Budreau] Right, yeah. Put the effort in. 778 00:37:47,900 --> 00:37:49,867 -[hunter] I want some 100-pound bait. -[Budreau] Right, right. 779 00:37:50,033 --> 00:37:52,433 -[hunter] Ain't worth my time. -No, it's not. 780 00:37:52,600 --> 00:37:54,834 Time and effort, there's a lot of effort that goes in. 781 00:37:55,000 --> 00:37:57,567 <i>He also told Officer Budreau</i> <i>that he thinks they were</i> 782 00:37:57,734 --> 00:37:59,767 <i>training their dogs</i> <i>on the early baits</i> 783 00:37:59,767 --> 00:38:01,834 <i>prior to heading north to hunt.</i> 784 00:38:02,000 --> 00:38:04,166 <i>Using the early baits</i> <i>for training purposes</i> 785 00:38:04,333 --> 00:38:05,700 <i>is also illegal.</i> 786 00:38:05,700 --> 00:38:08,767 That whole group, according to the other hunters that we ran into, 787 00:38:08,767 --> 00:38:11,767 and they all know each other and know where they're 788 00:38:11,934 --> 00:38:15,767 all running, so they knew that they had a tag for the UP 789 00:38:15,934 --> 00:38:22,533 and they trained here and then hunt in the UP. 790 00:38:22,700 --> 00:38:24,634 <i>Officer Budreau was</i> <i>disappointed he didn't get</i> 791 00:38:24,800 --> 00:38:27,333 <i>a chance to contact the people</i> <i>he captured on camera,</i> 792 00:38:27,500 --> 00:38:29,934 <i>but he believes he'll have</i> <i>another chance next</i> <i>bear season.</i> 793 00:38:30,100 --> 00:38:33,767 [Budreau] Yeah, unfortunately we weren't able to catch up with our suspects 794 00:38:33,767 --> 00:38:36,567 that has established those, those numerous baits 795 00:38:36,567 --> 00:38:38,734 that we found early, but they're still on the list. 795 00:38:39,305 --> 00:39:39,537 Watch Online Movies and Series for FREE www.osdb.link/lm