"Wardens of the North" The Snow Tells a Story

1 00:00:09,100 --> 00:00:11,767 [Depew] So that blood trail ran down and about, I don't know, 2 00:00:11,767 --> 00:00:14,867 100 yards from there down in the valley is another dead cow. 3 00:00:14,867 --> 00:00:16,600 When you get an elk tag, it's like getting 4 00:00:16,767 --> 00:00:18,000 Willy Wonka's golden ticket. 5 00:00:18,867 --> 00:00:21,367 He's not waiting around, so we're gonna keep up 6 00:00:21,533 --> 00:00:23,033 with him the best we can. 7 00:00:24,100 --> 00:00:26,867 -[Webster] You've probably seen the plane flying over. -[hunter] Yeah. 8 00:00:26,867 --> 00:00:29,467 [Webster] Yeah, well, a couple of your other blinds on your property 9 00:00:29,634 --> 00:00:32,166 have a bunch of bait at them. It's funny who you run into. 10 00:00:32,166 --> 00:00:33,967 Haven't seen this guy since college, but like I said, 11 00:00:34,133 --> 00:00:37,200 still got a job to do. -As I'm sure you know -- 12 00:00:37,367 --> 00:00:38,500 -[hunter] Yeah, yeah. -[Bellville] OK. 13 00:00:38,500 --> 00:00:40,700 -[hunter] Yes, sir. -No, use beating around the bush? 14 00:00:42,667 --> 00:00:43,734 [narrator] <i>Wild animals</i> 15 00:00:44,467 --> 00:00:48,100 <i>and wild places.</i> <i>They're more than a picture.</i> 16 00:00:48,266 --> 00:00:51,467 <i>They're inspiration,</i> <i>excitement, and adventure.</i> 17 00:00:51,467 --> 00:00:54,367 <i>Patrolling and protecting</i> <i>these natural resources is</i> 18 00:00:54,533 --> 00:00:57,266 <i>a first-class band</i> <i>of peace officers.</i> 19 00:00:57,433 --> 00:01:01,967 <i>These are the wardens,</i> <i>dedicated to the preservation</i> 20 00:01:02,133 --> 00:01:03,266 <i>of our great outdoors.</i> 21 00:01:03,433 --> 00:01:08,367 [theme music plays] 22 00:01:11,567 --> 00:01:15,000 [theme music plays] 23 00:01:17,000 --> 00:01:23,074 Watch Online Movies and Series for FREE www.osdb.link/lm 24 00:01:24,700 --> 00:01:27,400 She could have been shot right here, jumped again right here, 25 00:01:27,567 --> 00:01:30,567 and she's continuing to go that way. 26 00:01:30,567 --> 00:01:34,600 <i>Michigan has two distinct elk</i> <i>seasons, one that starts in</i> 27 00:01:34,767 --> 00:01:37,667 <i>late August and one that starts</i> <i>in early December.</i> 28 00:01:37,667 --> 00:01:39,567 <i>For the first one,</i> <i>conservation officers</i> 29 00:01:39,734 --> 00:01:41,800 <i>and DNR employees</i> <i>visit the site</i> 30 00:01:41,967 --> 00:01:44,066 <i>of every successful kill.</i> 31 00:01:44,233 --> 00:01:46,000 I do all the paperwork, then I get my hands all bloody. 32 00:01:46,166 --> 00:01:47,467 [laughing] Sounds good. 33 00:01:48,367 --> 00:01:50,100 -Is it a bull or cow? -It's a bull. 34 00:01:51,100 --> 00:01:53,667 <i>For the second,</i> <i>all harvested elk are taken</i> 35 00:01:53,667 --> 00:01:56,166 <i>to a check station</i> <i>and COs check kill sites</i> 36 00:01:56,166 --> 00:01:58,066 <i>in the surrounding areas.</i> 37 00:01:58,233 --> 00:02:00,800 And you can see the bullet travel, looks like, 38 00:02:00,967 --> 00:02:04,600 through the lungs pretty well. 39 00:02:04,767 --> 00:02:05,634 When you get an elk tag, 40 00:02:05,634 --> 00:02:07,900 it's a hunt of a lifetime for a bull. 41 00:02:08,066 --> 00:02:09,166 It's huge to the economy. 42 00:02:09,166 --> 00:02:12,800 It's huge to the locals, the folks who hunt up here. 43 00:02:12,967 --> 00:02:14,400 And, you know, it's kind of special. 44 00:02:14,567 --> 00:02:16,700 You don't have to drive 1,500 miles 45 00:02:16,867 --> 00:02:18,767 to go out west to hunt an elk. 46 00:02:18,934 --> 00:02:20,467 You can actually do it in northern Michigan. 47 00:02:20,634 --> 00:02:23,767 <i>Elk were reintroduced to</i> <i>the state of Michigan in 1918.</i> 48 00:02:23,934 --> 00:02:28,066 <i>The population has been as high</i> <i>as 1,500 and as low as 200,</i> 49 00:02:28,233 --> 00:02:31,200 <i>but with improved habitat</i> <i>and renewed public interest,</i> 50 00:02:31,367 --> 00:02:33,567 <i>the herd is</i> <i>healthy and growing.</i> 51 00:02:33,567 --> 00:02:38,000 <i>For each hunt period in 2016,</i> <i>100 tags were awarded.</i> 52 00:02:40,266 --> 00:02:41,567 <i>In District 3...</i> 53 00:02:42,467 --> 00:02:46,000 <i>CO Mark Depew is on the scene</i> <i>of a successful cow kill.</i> 54 00:02:46,166 --> 00:02:49,100 So she may have been standing, maybe up in here, 55 00:02:50,266 --> 00:02:51,467 when they shot. 56 00:02:52,400 --> 00:02:56,867 And...it looks like maybe they shot from down here. 57 00:02:57,033 --> 00:02:58,900 We get there, and we'll kind of look over the scene to make 58 00:02:59,066 --> 00:03:01,900 sure that there's no additional blood trails going off that 59 00:03:02,066 --> 00:03:04,700 that individual shot more than what he's allowed, 60 00:03:04,867 --> 00:03:07,100 he or she's allowed, which would be one elk. 61 00:03:07,100 --> 00:03:11,867 On occasion, we do find that multiple shots at elk, 62 00:03:12,033 --> 00:03:14,367 because they're a herd animal, they'll group up. 63 00:03:14,367 --> 00:03:18,000 And the more shots you take, obviously the number goes up, 64 00:03:18,000 --> 00:03:20,100 the number of animals that you could kill. 65 00:03:20,100 --> 00:03:22,100 So when we get there, we're looking for additional 66 00:03:22,266 --> 00:03:23,033 blood trails that go off. 67 00:03:23,033 --> 00:03:24,300 And the nice thing about the snow 68 00:03:24,467 --> 00:03:26,467 is the snow tells the story. 69 00:03:26,467 --> 00:03:29,467 It's hard to hide a blood trail that goes off in a direction 70 00:03:29,467 --> 00:03:31,100 and/or tracks. 71 00:03:31,100 --> 00:03:35,166 So we'll follow the tracks at an unspecified amount of time 72 00:03:35,166 --> 00:03:37,266 to see if there's any blood or it's stumbling or something 73 00:03:37,433 --> 00:03:39,800 like that that would indicate that the animal was hit. 74 00:03:39,967 --> 00:03:42,567 <i>Using the snow, Officer Depew</i> <i>tracks the blood trail,</i> 75 00:03:42,734 --> 00:03:45,200 <i>making sure nothing looks</i> <i>out of place to him.</i> 76 00:03:45,367 --> 00:03:47,867 <i>The harvested cow was in</i> <i>a group of elk, and he wants to</i> 77 00:03:47,867 --> 00:03:50,367 <i>make sure no other animals</i> <i>were shot.</i> 78 00:03:50,367 --> 00:03:52,800 Yes, it looks like the rest of them went this way. 79 00:03:52,967 --> 00:03:54,233 So after she was shot, 80 00:03:54,900 --> 00:03:57,400 she went that way, and then the rest of them went this way. 81 00:03:58,300 --> 00:03:59,400 And I don't see any 82 00:04:00,367 --> 00:04:03,066 blood trails or additional blood 83 00:04:03,233 --> 00:04:06,467 that may have indicated that there was a second animal hit. 84 00:04:06,467 --> 00:04:07,767 So that's good. 85 00:04:08,200 --> 00:04:11,000 <i>Officer Depew meets up with</i> <i>fellow officers Bill Webster</i> 86 00:04:11,000 --> 00:04:12,467 <i>and Kelly Ross.</i> 87 00:04:12,467 --> 00:04:18,000 Officer Ross and I just had a self-report cow hunter 88 00:04:18,166 --> 00:04:21,867 report himself for shooting a spiked bull elk. 89 00:04:22,033 --> 00:04:24,700 <i>Now the officers must determine</i> <i>if it was his bullet that</i> 90 00:04:24,867 --> 00:04:26,367 <i>killed the spike.</i> 91 00:04:26,367 --> 00:04:28,100 I'll probably just end up cutting the shoulder off 92 00:04:28,266 --> 00:04:29,500 and somebody can carry the shoulder out. 93 00:04:31,166 --> 00:04:33,266 -The entry, you said he was broadside? -[hunter] Yeah. 94 00:04:34,200 --> 00:04:35,500 The entry hole is right about there, 95 00:04:35,667 --> 00:04:37,500 so I'm gonna skin from here up. 96 00:04:38,800 --> 00:04:41,467 [fast-paced music playing] 97 00:04:51,367 --> 00:04:54,166 See those holes right there where just the -- where 98 00:04:54,166 --> 00:04:55,300 the bullet fragmented. 99 00:04:56,467 --> 00:04:57,734 And there's a... 100 00:05:00,266 --> 00:05:01,900 The main part of the bullet didn't come through there 101 00:05:02,066 --> 00:05:04,467 but the bullet fragmented and part of it exited -- 102 00:05:04,467 --> 00:05:07,700 was held by the skin right there and there's part of the bullet. 103 00:05:10,000 --> 00:05:11,266 There's another part right there. 104 00:05:12,266 --> 00:05:14,367 <i>CO Ross pulls out</i> <i>more fragments</i> 105 00:05:14,533 --> 00:05:17,000 <i>and CO Webster photographs</i> <i>them for evidence.</i> 106 00:05:17,967 --> 00:05:19,467 Right there is where the bullet came through. 107 00:05:20,467 --> 00:05:23,166 <i>Then CO Ross finds</i> <i>the bulk of the bullet.</i> 108 00:05:23,166 --> 00:05:25,166 [metallic scraping] 109 00:05:26,166 --> 00:05:27,800 -Hear it. -There it is right there. 110 00:05:31,266 --> 00:05:32,367 [Webster] See it there? 111 00:05:33,967 --> 00:05:35,166 [Ross] Chunk of lead. 112 00:05:41,100 --> 00:05:43,200 So when you harvest your elk, you'll bring it into 113 00:05:43,367 --> 00:05:46,567 the elk check station, and we will gather 114 00:05:46,567 --> 00:05:49,667 the biological information, but we will also gather 115 00:05:49,834 --> 00:05:51,800 the location of your kill. 116 00:05:51,967 --> 00:05:54,300 It's not only a place where we check their animals, 117 00:05:54,467 --> 00:05:58,967 but we offer information to the hunters so they can learn 118 00:05:59,133 --> 00:06:01,266 a little bit more and share that in the future 119 00:06:01,433 --> 00:06:05,700 with other people who don't necessarily know 120 00:06:05,867 --> 00:06:09,300 what our elk herd is all about. 121 00:06:09,467 --> 00:06:11,767 [upbeat music playing] 122 00:06:20,767 --> 00:06:23,767 Hey, congratulations. How old are you, buddy? 123 00:06:23,767 --> 00:06:24,800 -11. -11? 124 00:06:24,967 --> 00:06:27,667 Well, let me shake your hand. Congratulations. 125 00:06:27,667 --> 00:06:30,567 You got the trophy of a lifetime, and you're 11. 126 00:06:33,800 --> 00:06:34,900 [indistinct conversations] 127 00:06:35,066 --> 00:06:37,300 I'm gonna try. Yeah? 128 00:06:37,467 --> 00:06:39,400 [man] Here, he's gonna get it for you. 129 00:06:39,567 --> 00:06:40,467 [man #2] You got it. 130 00:06:40,467 --> 00:06:42,700 [soft piano music playing] 131 00:06:46,567 --> 00:06:47,867 Flag to [indistinct] Valley. 132 00:06:48,767 --> 00:06:51,667 It's an elkie with a selfie! 133 00:06:54,767 --> 00:06:56,433 <i>In Michigan's District 3...</i> 134 00:06:58,900 --> 00:07:01,467 <i>conservation officers</i> <i>have extracted a bullet</i> 135 00:07:01,634 --> 00:07:02,734 <i>from this spike elk.</i> 136 00:07:02,734 --> 00:07:05,600 <i>The hunter had a cow tag,</i> <i>but his bullet matches</i> 137 00:07:05,767 --> 00:07:07,700 <i>the one found in this spike.</i> 138 00:07:07,867 --> 00:07:10,000 <i>So he's ticketed,</i> <i>and the elk is seized,</i> 139 00:07:10,166 --> 00:07:12,166 <i>but it won't go to waste.</i> 140 00:07:12,166 --> 00:07:15,767 So we collected the animal and now the animal is going for 141 00:07:15,934 --> 00:07:17,767 donation to a soup kitchen. 142 00:07:17,934 --> 00:07:20,467 <i>CO Mark Depew</i> <i>is out on another call.</i> 143 00:07:20,634 --> 00:07:21,600 When he shot the first time... 144 00:07:22,467 --> 00:07:24,867 that critter took off? -[guide] That way. 145 00:07:24,867 --> 00:07:26,867 And then he shot, racked another one in, 146 00:07:26,867 --> 00:07:28,300 and then shot one more time? 147 00:07:28,467 --> 00:07:31,400 [guide] Another animal stepped up, and he shot again, yes. 148 00:07:31,567 --> 00:07:34,767 [Depew] OK, and you think those were two separate animals 149 00:07:34,934 --> 00:07:36,000 in your humble -- -[guide speaking] 150 00:07:36,000 --> 00:07:37,500 OK, so now you're sure 151 00:07:37,667 --> 00:07:39,266 that they were two animals that he shot at? 152 00:07:39,433 --> 00:07:40,900 -[guide] Yes. -OK. 153 00:07:41,066 --> 00:07:44,166 <i>A hunter has a cow in his truck</i> <i>back at camp, but it's believed</i> 154 00:07:44,333 --> 00:07:47,000 <i>a second cow, killed in</i> <i>the area and left in the woods,</i> 155 00:07:47,000 --> 00:07:48,400 <i>was shot by the same hunter.</i> 156 00:07:49,400 --> 00:07:51,000 [Depew] Now, where's that cow at? She's... 157 00:07:51,000 --> 00:07:52,200 [indistinct response] 158 00:07:52,200 --> 00:07:54,900 <i>The hunter's guide points</i> <i>Officer Depew in the direction</i> 159 00:07:55,066 --> 00:07:56,300 <i>of the other cow.</i> 160 00:07:56,467 --> 00:07:59,266 <i>Also in the area is a group</i> <i>tracking a bull elk.</i> 161 00:07:59,266 --> 00:08:01,400 <i>There's a lot of information</i> <i>for the officers</i> 162 00:08:01,567 --> 00:08:02,667 <i>to sift through.</i> 163 00:08:02,834 --> 00:08:05,400 <i>In Michigan, the elk population</i> <i>is concentrated</i> 164 00:08:05,567 --> 00:08:08,800 <i>in the northern lower peninsula</i> <i>which means most of the hunters</i> 165 00:08:08,967 --> 00:08:11,266 <i>congregate in the same area</i> <i>as well.</i> 166 00:08:11,433 --> 00:08:14,367 [Depew] How long was it between the time that your hunter shot 167 00:08:14,533 --> 00:08:15,700 and then the time that... 168 00:08:15,700 --> 00:08:17,266 -[guide] Probably 10 minutes, 12 minutes. -[Depew] OK. 169 00:08:17,433 --> 00:08:20,100 Did the hunter say anything to you about, 170 00:08:20,100 --> 00:08:22,100 "God, I think I hit two," or anything -- No? OK. 171 00:08:30,000 --> 00:08:33,567 [suspenseful music playing] 172 00:08:33,734 --> 00:08:35,166 In Michigan's district 3... 173 00:08:35,333 --> 00:08:39,000 <i>hunter has a cow in his truck</i> <i>bacak at camp, but it's believed</i> 174 00:08:39,166 --> 00:08:41,800 <i>a second cow, killed in</i> <i>the area and left in the woods,</i> 175 00:08:41,967 --> 00:08:43,467 <i>was shot by the same hunter.</i> 176 00:08:43,467 --> 00:08:46,467 <i>Officers Depew and Ross</i> <i>follow the blood trail</i> 177 00:08:46,467 --> 00:08:47,867 <i>back to the cow elk.</i> 178 00:08:49,000 --> 00:08:50,667 [Depew] I'm gonna see if I can pull a bullet, 179 00:08:52,166 --> 00:08:53,800 and then we'll try to get her out of here with 180 00:08:53,967 --> 00:08:54,967 that four-wheeler. 181 00:08:56,567 --> 00:09:00,333 [suspenseful music playing] 182 00:09:02,800 --> 00:09:04,467 [Depew] We're trying to find the bullet, but it looks like 183 00:09:04,467 --> 00:09:05,767 it's a complete pass-through. 184 00:09:07,367 --> 00:09:10,400 So usually they lodge in the outside 185 00:09:12,867 --> 00:09:17,100 between the skin and the fat part, like right through there. 186 00:09:17,100 --> 00:09:18,967 They usually lodge right in there because the skin 187 00:09:19,133 --> 00:09:20,200 is so thick. 188 00:09:24,567 --> 00:09:28,166 <i>No bullet is found as it went</i> <i>all the way through the animal,</i> 189 00:09:28,166 --> 00:09:30,900 <i>so the officers rely on</i> <i>their training and experience</i> 190 00:09:31,066 --> 00:09:32,500 <i>to piece together</i> <i>what happened.</i> 191 00:09:34,967 --> 00:09:39,667 The elk came across and he shot and the elk turned around 192 00:09:39,834 --> 00:09:40,800 and came back. 193 00:09:41,867 --> 00:09:43,000 Right? 194 00:09:43,000 --> 00:09:46,567 So that would be the right side, would be the entrance. 195 00:09:51,266 --> 00:09:54,100 So that is the exit, right? 196 00:09:55,767 --> 00:09:58,967 I don't know if I believe anything he says. 197 00:09:59,133 --> 00:10:01,266 Well, there weren't any tracks across. 198 00:10:01,266 --> 00:10:03,166 There was only a couple tracks across -- 199 00:10:03,333 --> 00:10:04,667 Yeah, but they were going this way. 200 00:10:05,667 --> 00:10:09,100 Where the blood from this one, per the guy, 201 00:10:10,767 --> 00:10:12,433 the tracks were going this way. 202 00:10:14,900 --> 00:10:17,567 -And -- and -- -From the gas line -- 203 00:10:17,734 --> 00:10:20,900 from the gas line to the east, there was nothing. 204 00:10:22,200 --> 00:10:23,700 What gas line? 205 00:10:23,867 --> 00:10:25,767 The gas line that they were standing on when they were 206 00:10:25,767 --> 00:10:27,967 shooting, or the two-track, whatever it is there. 207 00:10:28,133 --> 00:10:29,300 OK, they were at the trucks. 208 00:10:30,166 --> 00:10:31,667 -They were at the trucks. -Right. 209 00:10:31,834 --> 00:10:34,467 -And they're facing this way. -Yes. 210 00:10:36,166 --> 00:10:37,266 Look at me. 211 00:10:38,166 --> 00:10:40,600 -They were facing this way. -Yeah. 212 00:10:40,767 --> 00:10:45,800 The elk came from this way...he shot, 213 00:10:45,967 --> 00:10:48,100 and the elk turned around and went back, and all the rest 214 00:10:48,100 --> 00:10:50,166 of them went back, which is consistent with what 215 00:10:50,333 --> 00:10:52,567 the tracks say. -[Depew] OK. 216 00:10:52,734 --> 00:10:55,166 -[Ross] There's no tracks to the right. -[Depew] OK. 217 00:10:55,333 --> 00:10:58,467 -Up by the road? -Remember, he said, "We were chasing them, 218 00:10:58,467 --> 00:10:59,700 "I mean hunting them, 219 00:11:00,567 --> 00:11:02,200 from Brown Road?" -Yeah. 220 00:11:03,500 --> 00:11:05,100 -Didn't you pick up on that? -Yeah. 221 00:11:06,800 --> 00:11:08,567 [indistinct radio chatter] 222 00:11:08,567 --> 00:11:11,867 -So that would be consistent with them coming from over here. -Yeah. 223 00:11:12,033 --> 00:11:14,066 [Ross] And this has happened a whole bunch of times, 224 00:11:15,000 --> 00:11:17,667 and they just come and get the animal. 225 00:11:17,667 --> 00:11:19,767 -And get out of here. -And get out of here later. 226 00:11:19,934 --> 00:11:21,900 But they got caught by the other guy. 227 00:11:22,066 --> 00:11:23,700 -They got caught by the other guy, -Yeah. 228 00:11:24,800 --> 00:11:27,166 And it's gonna be interesting to say what he told 229 00:11:27,166 --> 00:11:30,367 the other hunter, to tell. -To tell, yeah. 230 00:11:30,367 --> 00:11:33,800 Because didn't think he got caught until too late. 231 00:11:33,967 --> 00:11:37,667 <i>Now they are waiting</i> <i>for CO Bill Webster to arrive</i> 232 00:11:37,834 --> 00:11:40,367 <i>with an ORV so they can</i> <i>transport the elk out of</i> 233 00:11:40,533 --> 00:11:44,033 <i>the woods before going to talk</i> <i>to the suspected hunter.</i> 234 00:11:46,467 --> 00:11:50,166 <i>COs first tend to the elk so</i> <i>the resource is not wasted.</i> 235 00:11:52,600 --> 00:11:55,967 <i>With multiple elk and hunters</i> <i>involved, the officers focus</i> 236 00:11:56,133 --> 00:11:57,500 <i>on finding the truth.</i> 237 00:11:57,667 --> 00:12:01,166 So, a total of, in this area, a total of three animals 238 00:12:02,467 --> 00:12:04,166 were at least wounded or killed. 239 00:12:04,166 --> 00:12:05,667 They're currently in the process of trying 240 00:12:05,834 --> 00:12:08,066 to track a bull that a bull hunter had wounded, 241 00:12:08,233 --> 00:12:09,667 and they're trying to kill him. 242 00:12:09,834 --> 00:12:12,266 But there was a cow hunter in there that apparently, as of 243 00:12:12,433 --> 00:12:15,367 right now, all the facts are leading to that the cow hunter 244 00:12:15,533 --> 00:12:16,500 shot two cows... 245 00:12:17,567 --> 00:12:19,000 on one tag. 246 00:12:21,467 --> 00:12:25,400 The initial report was the guide said that 247 00:12:25,567 --> 00:12:26,567 he was with him 248 00:12:28,567 --> 00:12:32,100 and saw him shoot twice. 249 00:12:32,266 --> 00:12:34,367 Initially, he said that he thought that it was 250 00:12:34,533 --> 00:12:38,800 possible that... he had killed both animals. 251 00:12:38,967 --> 00:12:42,166 However, as it continued, he then said that 252 00:12:43,400 --> 00:12:47,634 he was for sure that the animal... 253 00:12:50,100 --> 00:12:52,200 was killed by his hunter. 254 00:12:52,367 --> 00:12:55,000 So now we're headed to talk to the hunter 255 00:12:56,567 --> 00:13:00,166 and get his side of the story and see what he has to say, 256 00:13:00,166 --> 00:13:02,200 reference this elk in the back of the truck. 257 00:13:05,967 --> 00:13:09,166 I don't want to say this is common, but it does happen. 258 00:13:09,333 --> 00:13:10,800 A group of animals, supposedly there were 259 00:13:10,967 --> 00:13:13,500 30 animals at that particular location. 260 00:13:13,667 --> 00:13:18,467 And per everybody there, there were two shots fired 261 00:13:18,634 --> 00:13:22,000 And we have two dead animals, so... 262 00:13:23,500 --> 00:13:24,734 here we are. 263 00:13:24,734 --> 00:13:28,266 <i>Despite not finding the bullet,</i> <i>Officer Depew is confident</i> 264 00:13:28,433 --> 00:13:29,800 <i>he knows what happened.</i> 265 00:13:29,967 --> 00:13:31,300 With this one, we have a lot of witnesses. 266 00:13:31,467 --> 00:13:32,467 We have a lot of... 267 00:13:33,867 --> 00:13:37,000 evidence that supports that this individual 268 00:13:37,166 --> 00:13:40,166 most likely shot two elk. 269 00:13:42,500 --> 00:13:45,300 [energetic music playing] 270 00:13:47,767 --> 00:13:50,567 <i>The state of Michigan routinely</i> <i>takes to the skies in an effort</i> 271 00:13:50,734 --> 00:13:52,767 <i>to help manage</i> <i>their elk population.</i> 272 00:13:52,934 --> 00:13:54,867 [officer over radio] Was the behavior standing? 273 00:13:56,367 --> 00:13:57,767 -[officer #2] What do you have, Kevin? -[Kevin] 27. 274 00:13:57,934 --> 00:13:59,867 -There 27 of them? Good. -[officer #2] Yep. 275 00:14:00,100 --> 00:14:01,000 [officer #2] Pretty good counting. 276 00:14:01,000 --> 00:14:03,266 <i>They do this in a couple</i> <i>different ways.</i> 277 00:14:03,266 --> 00:14:06,967 <i>One, via an aerial survey used</i> <i>to get a population estimate.</i> 278 00:14:08,500 --> 00:14:09,600 [Kevin indistinctly speaking] 279 00:14:10,667 --> 00:14:12,700 Aerial surveys is something that we do 280 00:14:12,867 --> 00:14:14,667 every year in February. 281 00:14:14,667 --> 00:14:17,767 That's the time of year when we have snow on the ground 282 00:14:17,934 --> 00:14:21,367 and we're basically able to see the elk really clearly and what 283 00:14:21,367 --> 00:14:24,100 it tells us is it gives us a really good estimate of how 284 00:14:24,266 --> 00:14:27,567 many animals we have in the elk range in this area 285 00:14:27,734 --> 00:14:28,800 of northern Michigan. 286 00:14:28,800 --> 00:14:31,800 <i>The other via a helicopter</i> <i>flight, used to net</i> 287 00:14:31,967 --> 00:14:32,867 <i>and collar elk.</i> 288 00:14:33,033 --> 00:14:34,567 -Yep. -Right about in there? 289 00:14:34,734 --> 00:14:36,266 Yep, that's it right there, number five. 290 00:14:36,266 --> 00:14:41,867 The radio collaring project is a research project that is 291 00:14:41,867 --> 00:14:45,667 looking at elk movements, habitat use, 292 00:14:45,667 --> 00:14:51,066 and recreation impacts, looking at human and elk 293 00:14:51,233 --> 00:14:52,667 interactions, basically. 294 00:14:52,834 --> 00:14:55,567 Ear tags going in. Numbers. 295 00:14:59,767 --> 00:15:02,100 Once we were ready to release the animal, you know, 296 00:15:02,266 --> 00:15:05,100 we would be behind the animal and sort of taking, 297 00:15:05,100 --> 00:15:07,500 gently taking these hobbles off. 298 00:15:07,667 --> 00:15:09,967 So you were behind them. So when they finally stood up, 299 00:15:10,867 --> 00:15:12,367 really, they don't want to be around you. 300 00:15:12,367 --> 00:15:14,500 These aren't the kind of animals that are gonna -- 301 00:15:14,667 --> 00:15:17,200 you know, they just want to be away from you. 302 00:15:17,367 --> 00:15:19,266 So once the hobbles were off and they realized that 303 00:15:19,266 --> 00:15:22,000 they were able to, they would just get up and then they would 304 00:15:22,166 --> 00:15:24,066 just sort of trot off away from you. 305 00:15:24,233 --> 00:15:27,767 <i>Michigan's elk population is</i> <i>currently around 1,200,</i> 306 00:15:27,767 --> 00:15:28,800 <i>which is a little higher</i> 307 00:15:28,967 --> 00:15:30,667 <i>than what biologists</i> <i>would like to see.</i> 308 00:15:30,667 --> 00:15:32,767 [Kleitch] We want to keep it within 309 00:15:33,800 --> 00:15:38,266 that range because we know above that range we get impacts 310 00:15:38,433 --> 00:15:41,100 to the landscape, and below that range we get... 311 00:15:42,600 --> 00:15:44,367 less opportunities for viewing. 312 00:15:58,467 --> 00:16:01,066 <i>It's not easy to draw</i> <i>an elk tag in Michigan.</i> 313 00:16:01,233 --> 00:16:04,667 <i>For the winter hunt in 2016,</i> <i>only 100 were available,</i> 314 00:16:04,834 --> 00:16:08,000 <i>and you must be a resident of</i> <i>the state to put into the draw.</i> 315 00:16:08,000 --> 00:16:10,300 <i>Plus, you can only draw</i> <i>a bull-elk tag</i> 316 00:16:10,467 --> 00:16:11,667 <i>once in your life.</i> 317 00:16:11,667 --> 00:16:13,200 As an avid hunter myself, my entire family, 318 00:16:13,367 --> 00:16:15,166 everybody puts in for an elk tag. 319 00:16:17,467 --> 00:16:21,600 <i>Back in Michigan's District 3,</i> <i>where it appears a hunter may</i> 320 00:16:21,767 --> 00:16:23,000 <i>have shot two elk...</i> 321 00:16:23,000 --> 00:16:26,000 In this case, the truth won't set you completely free, 322 00:16:26,000 --> 00:16:29,100 but honesty is always the best policy 323 00:16:29,100 --> 00:16:35,000 with this type of offense. 324 00:16:35,000 --> 00:16:37,567 <i>Conservation Officer Mark Depew</i> <i>is headed to interview</i> 325 00:16:37,567 --> 00:16:40,700 <i>a successful elk hunter,</i> <i>but he believes the elk hunter</i> 326 00:16:40,867 --> 00:16:44,200 <i>shot two cows, not just one,</i> <i>and he has witness accounts</i> 327 00:16:44,367 --> 00:16:45,867 <i>to back up his belief.</i> 328 00:16:47,100 --> 00:16:48,567 -[hunter] How you doing? -[Depew] Good, sir. How are you? 329 00:16:48,567 --> 00:16:50,200 -[hunter] Not too bad. -[Depew] Good. 330 00:16:50,367 --> 00:16:52,300 -So you only shot one time? -[hunter] At them. 331 00:16:52,467 --> 00:16:54,467 -That's before I got this one. -[Depew] OK, OK. 332 00:16:54,467 --> 00:16:56,367 -So then they all take off. -[hunter] They stood there. 333 00:16:56,533 --> 00:16:57,533 [Depew] Or they stood there? Did they? 334 00:16:57,533 --> 00:16:58,767 [hunter] They stood there. And then they waited 335 00:16:58,934 --> 00:16:59,800 because they didn't want to spook them 336 00:16:59,967 --> 00:17:01,400 and go out and look. -[Depew] OK. 337 00:17:01,400 --> 00:17:03,166 [hunter] He says, "We got to check, make sure there ain't no blood." 338 00:17:03,166 --> 00:17:05,800 -But he says, "I seen snow fly." -[Depew] Yeah. 339 00:17:05,967 --> 00:17:08,767 [hunter] And then we drove around because they went over 340 00:17:08,934 --> 00:17:11,166 the hill and into the woodlot. 341 00:17:11,166 --> 00:17:14,166 That cow I got walked out and stood broadside. 342 00:17:14,166 --> 00:17:15,567 It wasn't even looking towards us. 343 00:17:15,567 --> 00:17:17,967 It was looking towards the other ones, and they were 344 00:17:18,133 --> 00:17:20,500 all still coming. And I shot. -[Depew] OK. 345 00:17:21,567 --> 00:17:23,166 The first time you shot, 346 00:17:23,166 --> 00:17:25,100 there was a blood trail right there. 347 00:17:25,100 --> 00:17:29,066 So that blood trail ran down and about, I don't know, 348 00:17:29,233 --> 00:17:31,767 100 yards from there down in the valley is another dead cow. 349 00:17:33,266 --> 00:17:35,100 Yeah, and that's her right in the back there. 350 00:17:36,500 --> 00:17:38,166 By no means do we think it's something that 351 00:17:38,166 --> 00:17:40,867 you intentionally did, that you intentionally wounded 352 00:17:40,867 --> 00:17:42,600 this animal, and then you intentionally shot 353 00:17:42,767 --> 00:17:45,100 another one. And like I said, this happens. 354 00:17:45,266 --> 00:17:46,600 I mean, it happens a lot of times. 355 00:17:46,767 --> 00:17:49,667 <i>All elk hunters must attend</i> <i>an orientation class the day</i> 356 00:17:49,834 --> 00:17:51,300 <i>before the season opens.</i> 357 00:17:51,467 --> 00:17:53,767 <i>There, scenarios like this</i> <i>are discussed.</i> 358 00:17:53,767 --> 00:17:57,700 These two items here are basically your hunting bible. 359 00:17:57,867 --> 00:18:01,500 Everything that a conservation officer, any police officer, 360 00:18:01,667 --> 00:18:03,867 is gonna hold you to, is gonna be found in either 361 00:18:03,867 --> 00:18:05,467 one of these two guides, OK? 362 00:18:05,467 --> 00:18:07,266 Especially with the high priority hunt, 363 00:18:07,433 --> 00:18:10,767 like the elk hunt, we do our due diligence in watching 364 00:18:10,934 --> 00:18:13,800 the gut piles and making sure that the hunters are in fact 365 00:18:13,967 --> 00:18:19,166 held accountable for each bullet because elk are... 366 00:18:21,266 --> 00:18:24,100 an awesome resource up here and we want that... 367 00:18:25,100 --> 00:18:26,266 integrity in the hunt. 368 00:18:26,266 --> 00:18:29,266 So we stress that and all the officers do. 369 00:18:29,266 --> 00:18:32,066 <i>The orientation is designed to</i> <i>give hunters as much</i> 370 00:18:32,233 --> 00:18:34,800 <i>information as possible</i> <i>on how elk behave</i> 371 00:18:34,967 --> 00:18:37,600 <i>as they are very different</i> <i>from whitetails.</i> 372 00:18:37,767 --> 00:18:40,000 [Depew] And I'll shoot them and they'll just stand there. 373 00:18:40,166 --> 00:18:42,900 In about a minute, minute and a half, they start 374 00:18:43,066 --> 00:18:46,467 getting wobbly and then they'll fall over -- they'll lay down. 375 00:18:46,634 --> 00:18:48,767 They do not act like they're hit. 376 00:18:48,767 --> 00:18:52,266 They're not like a deer. They're no way like a deer. 377 00:18:52,266 --> 00:18:56,867 But again, the hunter is the ultimate responsible party 378 00:18:56,867 --> 00:18:58,667 when that bullet comes out of the end of the gun. 379 00:19:00,166 --> 00:19:06,500 So...by no means do I think you folks knew about, you know, 380 00:19:06,667 --> 00:19:10,100 an additional animal that was killed or whatsoever, I do have 381 00:19:10,100 --> 00:19:12,867 reservations on, I mean, I don't know how he can't see 382 00:19:12,867 --> 00:19:16,767 a blood trail going, I mean, she was double-lunged she was... 383 00:19:17,767 --> 00:19:19,066 she was double-lunged. 384 00:19:19,767 --> 00:19:24,200 It went one end out the other, I mean, it was a perfect shot. 385 00:19:24,367 --> 00:19:26,867 <i>The officers photograph</i> <i>the rifle for evidence</i> 386 00:19:27,033 --> 00:19:29,667 <i>but allow the hunter to</i> <i>keep it -- they seize the elk</i> 387 00:19:29,667 --> 00:19:31,467 <i>that was left in the woods</i> <i>and donate it</i> 388 00:19:31,634 --> 00:19:32,767 <i>to a local food bank.</i> 389 00:19:32,934 --> 00:19:34,867 <i>The hunter is allowed</i> <i>to keep his cow elk</i> 390 00:19:34,867 --> 00:19:37,600 <i>but he is ticketed for taking</i> <i>more than allowed.</i> 391 00:19:37,767 --> 00:19:42,200 <i>He paid $1,800 in court-ordered</i> <i>fines and restitution.</i> 392 00:19:42,367 --> 00:19:44,567 I truly don't think that he knew 393 00:19:44,567 --> 00:19:46,300 that he hit that animal. 394 00:19:46,467 --> 00:19:48,667 If I did, obviously, we would have pursued other 395 00:19:48,667 --> 00:19:51,000 matters, but his cooperation was huge 396 00:19:51,000 --> 00:19:52,667 throughout the investigation. 397 00:19:52,667 --> 00:19:56,500 Mistakes do happen, and when it becomes criminal is when 398 00:19:56,667 --> 00:19:58,266 they try to cover it up. 399 00:19:58,433 --> 00:20:00,567 So, again, immediately contacting 400 00:20:00,567 --> 00:20:03,600 the check station, and/or the report on poaching number 401 00:20:03,767 --> 00:20:06,767 when mistakes happen, because they do happen, but again, 402 00:20:06,934 --> 00:20:09,900 when you try to cover it up, it becomes criminal, 403 00:20:10,066 --> 00:20:12,700 and then we have the teeth in the law 404 00:20:12,867 --> 00:20:14,000 to go after those individuals. 405 00:20:22,500 --> 00:20:30,767 -[mysterious music plays] -[motor whirring] 406 00:20:30,934 --> 00:20:35,166 [Jacobs] Three food plots with pumpkins, quite a bit of bait. 407 00:20:35,333 --> 00:20:38,767 <i>Michigan conservation officers</i> <i>utilize aerial surveillance to</i> 408 00:20:38,934 --> 00:20:41,166 <i>help catch people hunting deer</i> <i>over illegal bait.</i> 409 00:20:43,100 --> 00:20:44,967 <i>In most of Michigan,</i> <i>you are allowed</i> 410 00:20:45,133 --> 00:20:46,500 <i>up to two gallons.</i> 411 00:20:46,667 --> 00:20:48,767 <i>In Alpena County,</i> <i>you can't have any.</i> 412 00:20:50,266 --> 00:20:53,367 <i>And when it's visible from</i> <i>the sky, COs do their best to</i> 413 00:20:53,367 --> 00:20:54,467 <i>track it down.</i> 414 00:20:56,000 --> 00:20:57,467 <i>In Michigan's District 3,</i> 415 00:20:59,467 --> 00:21:02,867 <i>pilot Kevin Jacobs has located</i> <i>a piece of land with what looks</i> 416 00:21:02,867 --> 00:21:06,367 <i>like sugar beets and corn.</i> <i>He directs CO Bill Webster</i> 417 00:21:06,367 --> 00:21:08,734 <i>to a trail that</i> <i>leads to an elevated blind.</i> 418 00:21:09,767 --> 00:21:13,400 [Jacobs, on radio] If you bump up another 50 yards, and actually 419 00:21:13,567 --> 00:21:17,166 right about there, right out your right window, you'd see 420 00:21:17,166 --> 00:21:18,967 an elevated blind possibly. 421 00:21:19,133 --> 00:21:21,367 If you can't see it through the woods, it's in there 422 00:21:21,533 --> 00:21:23,467 about 75 yards. 423 00:21:23,634 --> 00:21:26,100 And if you wanted to go across country, that'd be 424 00:21:26,266 --> 00:21:28,467 the closest access point. 425 00:21:30,066 --> 00:21:32,200 And then there's a residence trailer that's up here 426 00:21:32,367 --> 00:21:34,266 another quarter mile that's probably associated 427 00:21:34,433 --> 00:21:35,367 with the property. 428 00:21:35,533 --> 00:21:37,567 [mysterious funk music plays] 429 00:21:55,767 --> 00:21:57,200 [grand pause] 430 00:21:57,367 --> 00:21:59,367 [mysterious funk music continues] 431 00:22:03,367 --> 00:22:04,600 Nobody in the blind, but there's 432 00:22:04,767 --> 00:22:06,100 quite a bit of bait out. 433 00:22:13,300 --> 00:22:15,166 Look at all the corn spread out. 434 00:22:15,166 --> 00:22:17,266 [soft crunching] 435 00:22:22,166 --> 00:22:25,200 <i>CO Jonathan Sklba joined</i> <i>CO Webster, and they make</i> 436 00:22:25,367 --> 00:22:27,500 <i>a plan to meet at the house</i> <i>on the property after</i> 437 00:22:27,667 --> 00:22:30,467 <i>Officer Sklba finishes</i> <i>searching for bait.</i> 438 00:22:30,467 --> 00:22:33,767 So we went and located the bait that the pilot sent us in on, 439 00:22:33,934 --> 00:22:36,967 he's got a pretty good pile of sugar beets and corn. 440 00:22:37,133 --> 00:22:40,800 There's a tree stand and an elevated blind. 441 00:22:40,967 --> 00:22:43,166 They said it's associated with a camper that's set up 442 00:22:43,333 --> 00:22:46,600 down the road here about another quarter mile. 443 00:22:46,767 --> 00:22:49,800 So Officer Sklba is walking back in further into the woods 444 00:22:49,967 --> 00:22:52,667 to see if there's any other baits and blinds up, 445 00:22:52,667 --> 00:22:54,567 and we'll reconvene at the camp. 446 00:22:54,734 --> 00:22:57,166 <i>But before they can meet</i> <i>at the house, Officer Sklba</i> 447 00:22:57,166 --> 00:22:59,100 <i>finds a hunter in one of</i> <i>the tree stands.</i> 448 00:22:59,100 --> 00:23:01,367 [suspenseful music plays] 449 00:23:01,367 --> 00:23:03,467 [officer over radio] 36, he said he had a guy in a tree stand. 450 00:23:04,767 --> 00:23:06,667 -[radio beeps] -OK, clear. 451 00:23:06,667 --> 00:23:09,166 We'll start heading his way then. 452 00:23:09,166 --> 00:23:11,967 <i>So Officer Webster goes back</i> <i>through the woods and walks</i> 453 00:23:12,133 --> 00:23:14,266 <i>the trail to the house,</i> <i>looking for more hunters.</i> 454 00:23:15,266 --> 00:23:18,000 [ominous chord strike] 455 00:23:20,467 --> 00:23:22,367 -[Webster] Have you seen anything yet? -[hunter] Not yet. 456 00:23:22,367 --> 00:23:25,000 [Webster] Not yet, eh? Bill Webster, good to meet you. 457 00:23:25,000 --> 00:23:27,467 You've probably seen the plane flying over. 458 00:23:27,634 --> 00:23:29,400 -[hunter] Yeah. -[Webster] Yeah, well, a couple of 459 00:23:29,567 --> 00:23:30,567 your other blinds on your property have 460 00:23:30,734 --> 00:23:33,400 a bunch of bait at them, and Alpena County, 461 00:23:33,567 --> 00:23:35,100 there's no baiting allowed. 462 00:23:35,266 --> 00:23:37,467 <i>While the officers walk</i> <i>the hunters back to camp,</i> 463 00:23:37,634 --> 00:23:40,166 <i>the plane has spotted</i> <i>another area to be checked.</i> 464 00:23:40,333 --> 00:23:42,900 [Jacobs, on radio] There is a pickup truck at the camp, 465 00:23:43,066 --> 00:23:45,467 and there's a trail that goes about a quarter mile back to 466 00:23:45,467 --> 00:23:49,200 the northwest to the food plot where they have bait. 467 00:23:49,367 --> 00:23:51,567 <i>Officer Brad Bellville</i> <i>goes to check it out.</i> 468 00:23:53,200 --> 00:23:57,100 Just made a -- plane made contact with us, said they've 469 00:23:57,266 --> 00:24:00,734 got bait on the ground about five miles north 470 00:24:00,900 --> 00:24:03,667 of our location, so we're gonna head up that way. 471 00:24:05,200 --> 00:24:06,600 Another officer is gonna meet us there. 472 00:24:06,767 --> 00:24:10,767 He said there is a truck at the cabin, so hopefully we can 473 00:24:10,934 --> 00:24:13,800 get up in there, and the plane will direct us into the blind 474 00:24:13,967 --> 00:24:15,667 where the bait is, and make contact 475 00:24:16,667 --> 00:24:17,867 if everything goes right. 476 00:24:17,867 --> 00:24:20,000 [motivational music plays] 477 00:24:30,066 --> 00:24:31,467 [Bellville] Hello, Conservation Officer. 478 00:24:34,467 --> 00:24:36,166 [four light knocks] 479 00:24:36,333 --> 00:24:37,500 Anybody home? 480 00:24:37,667 --> 00:24:39,467 [muffled response] 481 00:24:39,634 --> 00:24:40,667 [Bellville] How we doing today, sir? 482 00:24:40,834 --> 00:24:41,867 [hunter speaking] 483 00:24:41,867 --> 00:24:43,066 [Bellville] Pretty good. Where's the firearm at? 484 00:24:44,166 --> 00:24:45,367 Let's just leave it there in the corner. 485 00:24:45,533 --> 00:24:46,667 You mind stepping out for a second? 486 00:24:47,967 --> 00:24:49,667 All right. 487 00:24:49,834 --> 00:24:51,600 How many guys are hunting on the property right now? 488 00:24:51,767 --> 00:24:53,467 -[hunter speaking] -Yep -- Two? 489 00:24:53,467 --> 00:24:57,266 -Where's the other guy sitting? -[hunter speaking] 490 00:24:57,433 --> 00:24:58,467 [Bellville] OK. 491 00:24:59,300 --> 00:25:01,400 3137, you want to head that way? 492 00:25:02,367 --> 00:25:03,734 One other guy in the blind back there. 493 00:25:05,166 --> 00:25:07,066 Reason we're here is we have of complaints of bait 494 00:25:07,233 --> 00:25:09,100 on the property. Is there any truth to that? 495 00:25:10,100 --> 00:25:11,100 There is bait on the property. 496 00:25:11,100 --> 00:25:12,033 -[Bellville] OK. 497 00:25:12,734 --> 00:25:15,266 <i>This area of</i> <i>Michigan's District 3</i> 498 00:25:15,433 --> 00:25:17,100 <i>is a no-baiting zone.</i> 499 00:25:17,100 --> 00:25:19,266 <i>The hunter admitted to hunting</i> <i>over the illegal bait.</i> 500 00:25:19,433 --> 00:25:21,667 <i>-So CO Bellville issues</i> 501 00:25:21,834 --> 00:25:23,467 <i>him a ticket</i> <i>for hunting over bait,</i> 502 00:25:23,634 --> 00:25:26,500 <i>which is a court-ordered</i> <i>$375 fine.</i> 503 00:25:26,667 --> 00:25:29,100 [Bellville] How many years have you been hunting up here? 504 00:25:29,266 --> 00:25:30,567 -[hunter speaking] -OK. 505 00:25:30,567 --> 00:25:33,567 Well, it's been a no-baiting zone a lot longer than that, 506 00:25:33,567 --> 00:25:35,166 and if you get one of the rule books, 507 00:25:35,333 --> 00:25:37,000 it says right out flat in there. 508 00:25:37,000 --> 00:25:40,000 -[hunter speaking] -But you were honest with me. 509 00:25:40,166 --> 00:25:42,100 You showed me the bait pile, so. 510 00:25:42,266 --> 00:25:44,166 When I came up you didn't have hunter's orange on, 511 00:25:44,166 --> 00:25:45,367 that's another violation. 512 00:25:45,367 --> 00:25:48,066 [hunter speaking] 513 00:25:48,233 --> 00:25:50,000 The way the rule reads, you have to have it 514 00:25:50,166 --> 00:25:51,100 on while hunting. 515 00:25:51,100 --> 00:25:52,500 [hunter speaking] 516 00:25:52,667 --> 00:25:54,767 Yes. I'll tell you what I did for you today. 517 00:25:54,934 --> 00:25:57,367 I cited you for the hunting over the bait, and I gave you 518 00:25:57,533 --> 00:26:00,266 a warning, and a warning only for the no hunter's orange. 519 00:26:00,433 --> 00:26:01,967 That's not another charge. 520 00:26:02,133 --> 00:26:03,200 I could have added it, but I didn't. 521 00:26:03,367 --> 00:26:05,600 You were honest with me, and I appreciate that. 522 00:26:05,767 --> 00:26:08,000 <i>In addition to the ticket,</i> <i>the hunter must clear the bait</i> 523 00:26:08,166 --> 00:26:11,300 <i>from the property before being</i> <i>able to continue hunting.</i> 524 00:26:11,467 --> 00:26:13,100 Let's get the bait cleaned up yet today. 525 00:26:13,266 --> 00:26:16,000 That way, you guys have some season left to hunt. 526 00:26:16,166 --> 00:26:17,567 -Sound good? -[hunter speaking] 527 00:26:17,734 --> 00:26:20,200 <i>On his way out,</i> <i>Officer Bellville saw another</i> 528 00:26:20,367 --> 00:26:22,367 <i>member of the hunting party</i> <i>returning to camp.</i> 529 00:26:23,667 --> 00:26:25,767 [Bellville] This truck wasn't here before. 530 00:26:26,734 --> 00:26:28,667 <i>And it turned out to be</i> <i>a familiar face.</i> 531 00:26:29,900 --> 00:26:31,400 [Bellville] Conservation Officer, how we doing? 532 00:26:31,567 --> 00:26:32,767 -[man] Good, how you doing? -[Bellville] Good. 533 00:26:32,767 --> 00:26:34,300 -[man] What's up, man? -[Bellville] You look familiar. 534 00:26:34,467 --> 00:26:36,000 -[man] What's good? -[Bellville] College. 535 00:26:36,166 --> 00:26:38,100 -[man] Yeah. -[Bellville] Holy crap, what are you doing up here? 536 00:26:39,100 --> 00:26:40,800 -[man speaking] -[Bellville] When'd you get her? 537 00:26:40,967 --> 00:26:42,467 -[man speaking] -[Bellville] All right. 538 00:26:42,634 --> 00:26:43,767 -[man speaking] -[Bellville] Yeah. 539 00:26:43,934 --> 00:26:45,367 Yep, I remember. I remember. 540 00:26:47,100 --> 00:26:48,367 Tell me you got a tag on her, brother. 541 00:26:48,367 --> 00:26:50,467 -[man speaking] -[Bellville] All right. 542 00:26:50,467 --> 00:26:53,600 <i>A college classmate of the</i> <i>officer shot this doe, but...</i> 543 00:26:54,734 --> 00:26:55,767 [Bellville] Did you get her over bait? 544 00:26:55,934 --> 00:26:57,300 -[man speaking] -[Bellville] OK. 545 00:26:57,467 --> 00:26:59,900 -[man speaking] -[Bellville] I appreciate that. 546 00:27:00,133 --> 00:27:01,867 I went to school for the same thing. 547 00:27:01,867 --> 00:27:03,066 [man] I know. 548 00:27:03,233 --> 00:27:05,567 Got back up here to the camp, and the individual that 549 00:27:05,734 --> 00:27:08,467 went to town is now back. He was taking care of his deer. 550 00:27:10,367 --> 00:27:11,667 Ended up being a college buddy of mine, 551 00:27:11,667 --> 00:27:13,066 took CJ classes together, 552 00:27:13,233 --> 00:27:15,400 and still getting a citation, 553 00:27:15,567 --> 00:27:19,767 but let him keep his deer, so, it's funny who you run into. 554 00:27:19,767 --> 00:27:21,166 Haven't seen this guy since college, 555 00:27:21,166 --> 00:27:23,734 but like I said, still got a job to do. 556 00:27:23,900 --> 00:27:26,200 <i>The hunter admitted to</i> <i>taking the doe over bait.</i> 557 00:27:26,367 --> 00:27:29,166 All right buddy, I appreciate the honesty, there's that back. 558 00:27:29,166 --> 00:27:31,000 [indistinct reply] 559 00:27:31,000 --> 00:27:34,200 Like I said, I went with the less painful out of everything. 560 00:27:34,367 --> 00:27:36,367 You were honest with me, admitted to 561 00:27:36,367 --> 00:27:38,300 shooting her over bait, on, over bait. 562 00:27:38,467 --> 00:27:41,100 <i>Even old college buddies</i> <i>must abide by the law.</i> 563 00:27:41,266 --> 00:27:42,567 <i>He's ticketed for putting out</i> <i>feed in a closed county.</i> 564 00:27:42,567 --> 00:27:45,567 <i>Also, he must clean up the bait</i> <i>before going back out to hunt.</i> 565 00:27:45,567 --> 00:27:47,166 [suspenseful music plays] 566 00:27:58,934 --> 00:28:00,367 [Webster] We're checking this piece of property. 567 00:28:00,367 --> 00:28:02,667 The officer made contact with one individual, 568 00:28:02,667 --> 00:28:04,367 hunting out of a tree stand. 569 00:28:04,367 --> 00:28:06,266 He didn't have any hunting licenses on him. 570 00:28:06,433 --> 00:28:08,834 We weren't able to find bait around his blind, but he did 571 00:28:09,000 --> 00:28:10,367 say that there was a deer hanging at camp. 572 00:28:10,533 --> 00:28:13,033 So once we get back to camp, we'll check the deer, make sure 573 00:28:13,200 --> 00:28:14,967 it's tagged properly and that he actually has 574 00:28:15,133 --> 00:28:16,533 his hunting licenses. 575 00:28:16,700 --> 00:28:18,367 <i>Three hunters are</i> <i>using this property,</i> 576 00:28:18,367 --> 00:28:20,166 <i>and one has been successful,</i> 577 00:28:20,166 --> 00:28:23,333 <i>but a surveillance plane flying</i> <i>overhead spotted a large amount</i> 578 00:28:23,500 --> 00:28:24,767 <i>of bait on the property.</i> 579 00:28:24,934 --> 00:28:27,333 With that bait that we found out there, you couldn't see it 580 00:28:27,500 --> 00:28:28,734 from the road. 581 00:28:28,900 --> 00:28:30,433 We had no complaints about that bait. 582 00:28:30,600 --> 00:28:32,867 That was a free-fly, the pilot was doing. 583 00:28:33,033 --> 00:28:34,767 He actually located that on his own 584 00:28:36,333 --> 00:28:37,533 you know, from the air. 585 00:28:37,533 --> 00:28:39,734 And without having that pilot up in the air and looking at 586 00:28:39,900 --> 00:28:41,133 that stuff, we would have never found it. 587 00:28:41,300 --> 00:28:43,266 [hunter speaking] 588 00:28:50,967 --> 00:28:53,533 <i>One of the hunters admits to</i> <i>baiting the property.</i> 589 00:28:53,700 --> 00:28:56,000 <i>The officers then discuss</i> <i>how to handle everything.</i> 590 00:28:57,166 --> 00:28:58,266 Well... 591 00:29:00,066 --> 00:29:01,567 he didn't have his hunting license on him. 592 00:29:01,734 --> 00:29:02,667 Nope. 593 00:29:02,667 --> 00:29:03,967 He didn't have his hunting license on him. 594 00:29:04,133 --> 00:29:07,367 -He was baiting and... -Son shot the deer over bait. 595 00:29:07,367 --> 00:29:08,967 ...son shot the deer over bait. 596 00:29:09,734 --> 00:29:14,367 -[Webster] So, why don't we let Dad take the heat for the kid? -[Sklba] Mm-hmm. 597 00:29:14,533 --> 00:29:17,867 -[Webster] We'll let him keep his deer since he's 19. -[Sklba] Mm-hmm. 598 00:29:17,867 --> 00:29:19,934 We'll give him a break, but we'll write Dad for 599 00:29:20,100 --> 00:29:22,367 not having his license and placing the bait. -OK. 600 00:29:22,533 --> 00:29:24,667 [Webster] And we'll write that guy for no license on his person. 601 00:29:24,667 --> 00:29:26,734 -[Sklba] OK. -[Webster] Sound good? 602 00:29:26,900 --> 00:29:27,934 -[Sklba] Mm-hmm. -All right. 603 00:29:32,467 --> 00:29:34,233 [Webster] OK, so you're Dad, 604 00:29:35,367 --> 00:29:36,834 and you probably don't want to see your son 605 00:29:37,000 --> 00:29:38,467 take a big fall. -[dad] No. 606 00:29:38,467 --> 00:29:40,667 In Alpena County, if you take a deer out with aid of bait, 607 00:29:40,834 --> 00:29:42,367 it's an illegal deer. 608 00:29:42,667 --> 00:29:45,266 All right? If you've got bait on the ground and it's enticing them there, 609 00:29:46,233 --> 00:29:47,266 it's an illegal deer. 610 00:29:47,433 --> 00:29:49,233 OK, there's really no ifs, ands, or buts, 611 00:29:49,400 --> 00:29:53,166 but he's -- he's 19, right? 612 00:29:53,333 --> 00:29:55,767 OK, and I'm pretty sure he doesn't want that 613 00:29:55,934 --> 00:29:58,000 on his record right now. 614 00:29:58,166 --> 00:29:59,467 But you're the one that put him in that position. 615 00:29:59,467 --> 00:30:02,233 [dad] Right, this is the first time he's been up all year. 616 00:30:02,400 --> 00:30:04,000 I made the -- bulldozed the plot. 617 00:30:04,166 --> 00:30:06,266 [indistinct] put the bow in there for him. 618 00:30:07,266 --> 00:30:08,767 [Webster] So this is what we're gonna do. 619 00:30:08,767 --> 00:30:10,734 We're gonna cut him slack. 620 00:30:10,900 --> 00:30:13,100 We're not gonna take his deer, OK? 621 00:30:14,367 --> 00:30:16,567 And we're not gonna charge him with that. 622 00:30:16,567 --> 00:30:18,367 But you're gonna take the fall for putting the bait 623 00:30:18,367 --> 00:30:20,166 out on the property for everybody. 624 00:30:20,333 --> 00:30:22,367 <i>He's ticketed for baiting</i> <i>and for not having</i> 625 00:30:22,367 --> 00:30:23,834 <i>his hunting license on him,</i> 626 00:30:24,000 --> 00:30:27,767 <i>but the officers allow his son</i> <i>to keep his deer,</i> 627 00:30:27,767 --> 00:30:30,367 <i>and before they can continue</i> <i>hunting, they must clean up</i> 628 00:30:30,533 --> 00:30:31,934 <i>all of the bait.</i> -[Webster] I want you to 629 00:30:32,100 --> 00:30:33,467 take this as a learning experience, though. 630 00:30:33,634 --> 00:30:36,367 [son speaking] 631 00:30:36,533 --> 00:30:38,233 I mean, that's a nice deer. 632 00:30:39,667 --> 00:30:41,967 But it's hard to brag about something if you 633 00:30:42,133 --> 00:30:43,333 do it the wrong way. 634 00:30:44,233 --> 00:30:46,967 [dad speaking] 635 00:30:51,367 --> 00:30:52,467 Mm-hmm. 636 00:30:53,867 --> 00:30:54,967 Exactly. 637 00:30:55,133 --> 00:30:56,967 You know, sometimes you just gotta let deer 638 00:30:57,133 --> 00:30:58,166 do their natural thing. 639 00:30:59,066 --> 00:31:01,567 [dad speaking] 640 00:31:05,734 --> 00:31:07,734 Well, that's good. Hopefully next time you run in, 641 00:31:07,900 --> 00:31:11,266 we're just shaking hands and saying hi right? 642 00:31:11,433 --> 00:31:13,934 [Jacobs] The shadows are making things a little bit tough right now. 643 00:31:14,100 --> 00:31:17,567 We'll put binoculars on it, see if we can spot something. 644 00:31:17,734 --> 00:31:19,867 [suspenseful music plays] 645 00:31:20,033 --> 00:31:22,000 <i>With the sun going down</i> <i>and visibility</i> 646 00:31:22,166 --> 00:31:23,500 <i>from the sky diminishing,</i> 647 00:31:24,433 --> 00:31:27,233 <i>the aerial surveillance crew</i> <i>in Michigan's District 3 spots</i> 648 00:31:27,400 --> 00:31:30,166 <i>one final piece</i> <i>of property with bait.</i> 649 00:31:30,166 --> 00:31:32,467 [Jacobs] And you're gonna go back a quarter, three-eighths of a mile. 650 00:31:32,634 --> 00:31:35,667 Blind's gonna be along the tree line on the right. 651 00:31:35,667 --> 00:31:38,667 And we're seeing corn in the field out to the left. 652 00:31:39,533 --> 00:31:41,500 Walking in now. 653 00:31:43,934 --> 00:31:47,367 <i>Conservation Officers</i> <i>Brad Bellville and Kelly Ross</i> 654 00:31:47,367 --> 00:31:48,367 <i>are checking it out.</i> 655 00:31:49,066 --> 00:31:51,166 [Bellville] Stop. 656 00:31:51,333 --> 00:31:53,567 <i>When CO Bellville comes across</i> <i>one of the hunters.</i> 657 00:31:54,667 --> 00:31:55,867 [Bellville] Go ahead and kill the machine, please. 658 00:31:57,834 --> 00:31:59,166 -How we doing today? -[hunter] Good, how are you? 659 00:31:59,333 --> 00:32:02,467 Good, can I see your driver's license, your hunt license? 660 00:32:02,467 --> 00:32:05,266 <i>This hunter's rifle is still</i> <i>loaded, and he doesn't have</i> 661 00:32:05,266 --> 00:32:07,600 <i>his ID on him.</i> <i>so, CO Bellville</i> 662 00:32:07,767 --> 00:32:10,000 <i>unloads the gun</i> <i>and tells the hunter he will</i> 663 00:32:10,166 --> 00:32:11,367 <i>follow him back to camp.</i> 664 00:32:11,533 --> 00:32:13,533 -[motor revving] -[suspenseful music plays] 665 00:32:36,667 --> 00:32:38,133 We know there's bait at his blind. 666 00:32:38,300 --> 00:32:41,467 He had a loaded, uncased firearm on a motor vehicle. 667 00:32:42,333 --> 00:32:46,333 And he's not waiting around, so we're gonna keep up 668 00:32:46,500 --> 00:32:48,266 with him the best we can. 669 00:32:48,266 --> 00:32:49,867 I don't know what else he's got at the blind. 670 00:32:50,033 --> 00:32:52,066 -[rustling] -[suspenseful music plays] 671 00:32:54,166 --> 00:32:56,567 <i>The hunter takes off,</i> <i>leaving CO Bellville</i> 672 00:32:56,567 --> 00:32:57,967 <i>to chase after on foot.</i> 673 00:32:58,133 --> 00:32:59,934 <i>He loses sight of the hunter,</i> <i>but on his way into camp,</i> 674 00:33:00,166 --> 00:33:03,600 <i>he comes across</i> <i>another baited stand.</i> 675 00:33:03,767 --> 00:33:04,867 [Bellville] Game warden, anybody home? 676 00:33:05,033 --> 00:33:06,767 [knocking] 677 00:33:06,767 --> 00:33:08,266 Open the door, please, game warden. 678 00:33:12,467 --> 00:33:13,600 [door squeaks] 679 00:33:15,467 --> 00:33:17,367 How we doing, sir? 680 00:33:17,533 --> 00:33:19,667 Can I get you to step out, please? 681 00:33:21,367 --> 00:33:24,133 -[Bellville] Well, as I'm sure you know. -[hunter] Yeah, yeah. 682 00:33:24,300 --> 00:33:26,000 -[Bellville] OK. -[hunter] Yes, sir. 683 00:33:26,166 --> 00:33:27,567 No use beating around the bush? 684 00:33:27,567 --> 00:33:28,934 -[hunter] Yes, sir. -OK. 685 00:33:40,033 --> 00:33:41,533 [upbeat hip hop music plays] 686 00:33:48,834 --> 00:33:51,734 <i>At the Outdoor Adventure Center</i> <i>in downtown Detroit, kids get</i> 687 00:33:51,900 --> 00:33:55,166 <i>a chance to experience being up</i> <i>north without leaving the city.</i> 688 00:33:55,333 --> 00:33:57,233 People have nature centers, and people have 689 00:33:57,400 --> 00:34:00,233 natural history museums. We're something in between. 690 00:34:00,400 --> 00:34:03,834 We're like a community center for the area that's 691 00:34:04,000 --> 00:34:06,166 nature resource-based. 692 00:34:06,166 --> 00:34:09,367 <i>Inside the center is an archery</i> <i>range dedicated to the memory</i> 693 00:34:09,533 --> 00:34:11,834 <i>of Conservation Officer</i> <i>Arthur Green.</i> 694 00:34:12,000 --> 00:34:16,467 Well, officers that give the ultimate sacrifice indeed 695 00:34:16,467 --> 00:34:19,634 need to be honored and remembered for 696 00:34:19,800 --> 00:34:22,066 their loss, for their family's loss. 697 00:34:22,233 --> 00:34:25,734 This is just as much for his family, letting them know 698 00:34:25,900 --> 00:34:30,567 that we appreciated them sharing him with us 699 00:34:30,567 --> 00:34:32,266 for all these years. 700 00:34:32,433 --> 00:34:35,266 <i>Green was a conservation</i> <i>officer for nearly 20 years.</i> 701 00:34:35,433 --> 00:34:38,467 <i>Mentoring children and exposing</i> <i>them to the great outdoors was</i> 702 00:34:38,634 --> 00:34:40,100 <i>one of his priorities.</i> 703 00:34:40,266 --> 00:34:43,000 [Hagler] Well, I think he would be honored to have his name 704 00:34:43,166 --> 00:34:45,834 associated with a facility that's near and dear 705 00:34:46,934 --> 00:34:50,567 towards the efforts that he provided to youth in 706 00:34:50,734 --> 00:34:52,133 the metro Detroit area. 707 00:34:52,300 --> 00:34:54,867 I think he would be happy about this. 708 00:34:55,033 --> 00:34:56,567 Art was a good man. 709 00:34:56,734 --> 00:34:59,233 He was an honest man, and he was a solid member of 710 00:34:59,400 --> 00:35:01,767 this community, and he was a solid member of our DNR 711 00:35:01,767 --> 00:35:03,433 law enforcement family. 712 00:35:03,600 --> 00:35:06,867 <i>Before becoming a CO, Green</i> <i>was a Detroit Police Officer,</i> 713 00:35:06,867 --> 00:35:09,533 <i>and he served in</i> <i>the United States Air Force.</i> 714 00:35:09,700 --> 00:35:12,834 <i>He died in the line of duty</i> <i>in 2015.</i> 715 00:35:13,000 --> 00:35:16,000 This facility helps us honor him as an individual, 716 00:35:16,166 --> 00:35:18,767 and what he meant to us, but it also helps us honor 717 00:35:18,934 --> 00:35:23,000 the family, letting them know that he may be gone, but he will 718 00:35:23,166 --> 00:35:24,266 never be forgotten. 719 00:35:24,266 --> 00:35:26,567 We will continue to honor him, and he will always be 720 00:35:26,567 --> 00:35:28,000 in our memories. 721 00:35:28,567 --> 00:35:31,133 <i>It's the first week of</i> <i>the firearm deer season in</i> <i>Michigan,.</i> 722 00:35:31,300 --> 00:35:33,667 There's bait in front of that blind, as well. 723 00:35:33,834 --> 00:35:35,100 He admitted to putting it out. 724 00:35:35,266 --> 00:35:36,934 <i>...and with the help</i> <i>of a surveillance plane</i> 725 00:35:37,100 --> 00:35:40,567 <i>flying overhead, conservation</i> <i>officers are checking</i> <i>on properties</i> 726 00:35:40,734 --> 00:35:42,834 <i>that have bait out in front of</i> <i>the hunting stands.</i> 727 00:35:44,066 --> 00:35:45,567 We're walking in now. 728 00:35:45,734 --> 00:35:47,266 There's a pile of gunshots back in here. 729 00:35:48,734 --> 00:35:50,500 <i>In this part of</i> <i>Michigan's District 3,</i> 730 00:35:52,967 --> 00:35:54,767 <i>baiting is not allowed.</i> 731 00:35:54,934 --> 00:35:58,166 <i>While checking one location,</i> <i>CO Brad Bellville came across</i> 732 00:35:58,166 --> 00:36:00,367 <i>this hunter who was</i> <i>driving an ORV</i> 733 00:36:00,533 --> 00:36:03,033 <i>with a loaded firearm</i> <i>on board.</i> 734 00:36:05,467 --> 00:36:08,166 I'm gonna take this with me. Is it still loaded right now? 735 00:36:08,166 --> 00:36:11,233 -[hunter speaking] -OK, that's gonna be with me then. 736 00:36:11,400 --> 00:36:12,867 <i>He tried to follow the hunter</i> <i>back to camp,</i> 737 00:36:13,033 --> 00:36:14,667 <i>but the hunter took off.</i> 738 00:36:14,667 --> 00:36:17,533 He's not waiting around, so we're gonna keep up 739 00:36:17,700 --> 00:36:19,567 with him the best we can. 740 00:36:19,734 --> 00:36:22,567 <i>CO Bellville then came across</i> <i>this hunter from the same party</i> 741 00:36:22,734 --> 00:36:25,467 <i>who was hunting over bait.</i> -[Bellville] As I'm sure you know. 742 00:36:25,634 --> 00:36:27,667 -[hunter #2] Yeah, yeah. -[Bellville] OK. 743 00:36:27,667 --> 00:36:29,767 -[hunter #2] Yes, sir. -No use beating around the bush? 744 00:36:29,934 --> 00:36:31,166 -[hunter #2] Yes, sir. -OK. 745 00:36:31,166 --> 00:36:33,967 <i>On the way back to camp,</i> <i>CO Kelly Ross caught up</i> 746 00:36:34,133 --> 00:36:36,133 <i>with the ORV driver.</i> 747 00:36:36,300 --> 00:36:38,867 <i>At camp, they talked to a third</i> <i>hunter who also admitted to</i> 748 00:36:38,867 --> 00:36:40,000 <i>hunting over bait.</i> 749 00:36:41,333 --> 00:36:42,667 [hunter #3 speaking] 750 00:36:42,667 --> 00:36:44,467 [Bellville] Well, you've been hunting up here long enough, 751 00:36:44,467 --> 00:36:45,834 I think you know there's no baiting allowed. 752 00:36:48,000 --> 00:36:49,467 [hunter #3 speaking] 753 00:36:56,266 --> 00:36:58,066 [Bellville] All right, we'll meet you down at the truck, sir. 754 00:37:04,533 --> 00:37:06,033 -Bait, bait, bait? -I think so. 755 00:37:06,200 --> 00:37:08,233 I'm OK with that. Warning on the other. 756 00:37:08,400 --> 00:37:10,367 -[on radio] 3-1-20 from 20 on 3. -OK. 757 00:37:10,533 --> 00:37:12,066 [Bellville] This is what we're gonna do today. 758 00:37:14,000 --> 00:37:16,934 Everyone's admitted to baiting and hunting over bait, 759 00:37:17,100 --> 00:37:18,266 so we have to address that. 760 00:37:19,467 --> 00:37:21,867 It's a no-bait county. You guys all know that. 761 00:37:24,066 --> 00:37:25,867 We do have other violations 762 00:37:26,867 --> 00:37:30,533 on you two, the uncased and loaded firearm in or upon 763 00:37:30,700 --> 00:37:33,133 a motor vehicle. The quad is side by side. 764 00:37:33,300 --> 00:37:35,433 They're considered motor vehicles. 765 00:37:35,600 --> 00:37:38,467 You guys have been cooperative, with the exception of 766 00:37:38,634 --> 00:37:39,767 driving really fast. 767 00:37:39,934 --> 00:37:41,166 [hunter speaking] 768 00:37:41,166 --> 00:37:42,367 [Bellville] I know, it's fine. 769 00:37:43,667 --> 00:37:44,700 It's fine. 770 00:37:44,867 --> 00:37:46,867 No, you guys have been cooperative with us, so 771 00:37:48,100 --> 00:37:51,333 we're looking at just giving each guy here a baiting ticket 772 00:37:51,500 --> 00:37:54,166 and then just a verbal warning on the loaded firearms 773 00:37:54,166 --> 00:37:55,467 on a motor vehicle. 774 00:37:56,867 --> 00:38:00,367 I think that's a heck of a good deal, giving you guys a break. 775 00:38:01,233 --> 00:38:02,266 Still gonna sting a little bit, 776 00:38:02,433 --> 00:38:03,467 but not as much as it could. 777 00:38:03,467 --> 00:38:05,266 [hunter speaking] 778 00:38:11,667 --> 00:38:14,567 We have to, and it was given to us on a complaint, 779 00:38:14,567 --> 00:38:17,467 and the plane located it again today, so... 780 00:38:19,266 --> 00:38:20,467 we have to address it. 781 00:38:20,467 --> 00:38:22,634 [rock music plays] 782 00:38:31,033 --> 00:38:32,567 [Bellville] And the bait needs to be picked up 783 00:38:32,734 --> 00:38:34,634 before the hunting continues. 784 00:38:34,800 --> 00:38:36,100 At all the spots on the property. 785 00:38:37,767 --> 00:38:39,934 -[hunter] Amen. -[Bellville] Any other questions? 786 00:38:40,100 --> 00:38:41,133 [hunter] No, sir. 787 00:38:41,133 --> 00:38:43,467 <i>Each hunter is ticketed</i> <i>for hunting over bait in</i> 788 00:38:43,467 --> 00:38:48,100 <i>a no-bait county and each paid</i> <i>$375 in court-ordered fines.</i> 789 00:38:48,266 --> 00:38:52,533 We had two loaded and uncased firearms on the quad on 790 00:38:52,700 --> 00:38:53,867 the side by side there. 791 00:38:55,133 --> 00:38:57,634 We would have tacked those on. Things would have got 792 00:38:58,834 --> 00:39:00,066 really costly for them. 793 00:39:01,867 --> 00:39:03,266 Like I said, they were cooperative with us, 794 00:39:03,266 --> 00:39:05,533 so we're gonna be cooperative and work with them. 794 00:39:06,305 --> 00:40:06,605