Officers immediately began surveillance of the men, even viewing them purchase a $1,060 crossbow from a local sporting goods store. Officers followed as Sillanpaa and Gordon spent their time driving all day through Big Creek State Park and Springbrook State Park, until they found something they wanted to kill, said Conservation Officer Jeff Swearngin.
The men killed both deer by shooting crossbows from their vehicle during the day then returned at night to cut off the head. The men shot two buck deer; one scoring 148 and the other scoring 135. Game wardens in South Carolina seized three shoulder mounts and two sets of antlers from Iowa poached deer and shipped them back to Iowa. According to South Carolina wardens, Sillanpaa has a history of poaching in South Carolina.
The state is testing deer DNA to match it with bloody arrows and a crossbow fitted with a night vision scope in a case against a pair of area men found hiding in the woods Friday night.
Game Warden Jeremy Judd said state police first got a call at 11 p.m. about a suspicious vehicle near a North Yarmouth subdivision. A trooper arrived to find steam rising off a dead deer in the back of a truck and two men in the woods with a night vision-scoped crossbow, surrounded by arrows and near another dead deer.
A Pennsylvania Game Commission Wildlife Conservation Officer filed multiple charges against David N. Hartzell Jr., 28, of Centre Township, Perry County, for his involvement in the illegal killing of a black bear and two deer. All charges were filed with District Justice Donald F. Howell in Newport on Feb. 14.
Following a preliminary investigation, Game Commission officers On Jan. 26, secured a search warrant and, on Jan. 26, seized from Hartzell's home wildlife parts, photographs, hunting licenses and two crossbows. Following the search, additional information was received that prompted a probe into the origin of one of the seized crossbows. Through this investigation, it was learned that the crossbow, valued at more than $1,000, was stolen from a sporting goods store near Hamburg, Berks County.
Randal Francis is sitting in the Larimer County Jail today, with 88 more days to go while he thinks about the crime of poaching.
Francis, the admitted killer of the trophy-sized bull elk named Samson at the Estes Park Center of the YMCA of the Rockies, was sentenced to a 90-day jail term Wednesday by Larimer County District Court Judge John-David Sullivan.
Additionally, he will face six years of "intensively supervised" probation, 360 hours of "useful" public service, a $6,000 fine, a $2,220 surcharge assessment, and suspension of Colorado driving privileges for the next two years.
Additionally, he will be prohibited from hunting for at least six years, will be required to maintain employment after his release from jail, and will be prohibited from owning any weapon, "even a pocket knife."
Judge Sullivan’s harsh sentence followed a two hour hearing in which the 35 year old Lakewood man was taken to task for his crossbow killing of the 7-by-9-point Samson in the twilight hours last Nov. 11.
"One officer investigated and prosecuted a chronic poacher he had convicted in two previous years for killing trophy bucks at night with a crossbow and a spotlight. Each time the officer had to return the crossbow and the spotlight to the poacher after the prosecution was completed, including the most recent conviction. The arresting officer expects the crossbow and spotlight he has seized three separate times and had to return, will continue to be used in future poaching by the subject.
The men killed both deer by shooting crossbows from their vehicle during the day then returned at night to cut off the head. The men shot two buck deer; one scoring 148 and the other scoring 135. Game wardens in South Carolina seized three shoulder mounts and two sets of antlers from Iowa poached deer and shipped them back to Iowa. According to South Carolina wardens, Sillanpaa has a history of poaching in South Carolina.
The state is testing deer DNA to match it with bloody arrows and a crossbow fitted with a night vision scope in a case against a pair of area men found hiding in the woods Friday night.
Game Warden Jeremy Judd said state police first got a call at 11 p.m. about a suspicious vehicle near a North Yarmouth subdivision. A trooper arrived to find steam rising off a dead deer in the back of a truck and two men in the woods with a night vision-scoped crossbow, surrounded by arrows and near another dead deer.
A Pennsylvania Game Commission Wildlife Conservation Officer filed multiple charges against David N. Hartzell Jr., 28, of Centre Township, Perry County, for his involvement in the illegal killing of a black bear and two deer. All charges were filed with District Justice Donald F. Howell in Newport on Feb. 14.
Following a preliminary investigation, Game Commission officers On Jan. 26, secured a search warrant and, on Jan. 26, seized from Hartzell's home wildlife parts, photographs, hunting licenses and two crossbows. Following the search, additional information was received that prompted a probe into the origin of one of the seized crossbows. Through this investigation, it was learned that the crossbow, valued at more than $1,000, was stolen from a sporting goods store near Hamburg, Berks County.
Randal Francis is sitting in the Larimer County Jail today, with 88 more days to go while he thinks about the crime of poaching.
Francis, the admitted killer of the trophy-sized bull elk named Samson at the Estes Park Center of the YMCA of the Rockies, was sentenced to a 90-day jail term Wednesday by Larimer County District Court Judge John-David Sullivan.
Additionally, he will face six years of "intensively supervised" probation, 360 hours of "useful" public service, a $6,000 fine, a $2,220 surcharge assessment, and suspension of Colorado driving privileges for the next two years.
Additionally, he will be prohibited from hunting for at least six years, will be required to maintain employment after his release from jail, and will be prohibited from owning any weapon, "even a pocket knife."
Judge Sullivan’s harsh sentence followed a two hour hearing in which the 35 year old Lakewood man was taken to task for his crossbow killing of the 7-by-9-point Samson in the twilight hours last Nov. 11.
"One officer investigated and prosecuted a chronic poacher he had convicted in two previous years for killing trophy bucks at night with a crossbow and a spotlight. Each time the officer had to return the crossbow and the spotlight to the poacher after the prosecution was completed, including the most recent conviction. The arresting officer expects the crossbow and spotlight he has seized three separate times and had to return, will continue to be used in future poaching by the subject.
