[GVS]

http://www.njherald.com/story/news/14SPACE-web

Wantage mayor faces fine over owl

By BRUCE A. SCRUTON

and CHRISTINA TATU

[email protected]

WANTAGE -- Township Mayor Parker Space has been cited for interfering with a state conservation officer after he allegedly hid the body of a great horned owl when he responded to an auto crash and one of the drivers asked him to take the owl out of his car.

The accident occurred June 19 on county Route 628 near Newman Road and involved a car driven by Ben Martin, 20, according to the state Division of Fish and Wildlife and an account from Space, who is a member of the Wantage Fire Department and a first responder.

Space said he knows Martin and was talking with him as paramedics were treating the man. Martin apparently told Space he had picked up the owl from beside the road earlier and didn't want police officers to see the dead bird in his car.

As with all raptors, great horned owls are protected by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, which makes possession of any part of the bird, its nest or eggs, both a federal and state crime.

Space said he retrieved the bird and put it in a plastic bag so that a friend of Martin could pick it up later.

However, according to the state, the trooper investigating the accident overheard the conversation and notified the local conservation officer. The trooper and conservation officer later recovered the owl in the bag.

Martin was charged with possession of the owl, which carries a maximum state fine of $5,000.

The interference charge carries a maximum $100 fine plus court costs and will be heard in a court other than Wantage.

Space said he was at the scene "in the capacity of a volunteer firefighter trying to help the community," and added, "I didn't lie to anyone. If a judge tells me to pay the fine, I will pay it."

 

[deergetter]

Thats a real shame because ,they taste like chicken!!!

 

[AndyC148]

I take it, Parker Space is related to Fred Space?

 

[oneshotkill]

Now what if the owl was stuffed w a kilo of heroin ??? Then he really would have been mad at his friend.[eyeroll]

 

[OneShot1kill]

Yes freds son. Anyone ever been to space farms? I live 3 miles from it. Every morning at dawn and dusk all you hear is the lions roaring...very loud. If you've never been to space farms (even though it was ranked the worst zoo in the country in the 80s) you really should go the taxidermy there is awesome along with the gun collection and indian artifacts. Some HUGE whitetails also along with lions , wolves, bear etc worth checking out, i used to go all the time when i was younger but even now i go at least once a summer and check it out cool place[up]

 

[gobblergetter]

I thought Parker was Erics' son and Eric was Freds Son, And Fred was Ralphs Son.

 

[Duckmastor2]

was charged with possession of the owl, which carries a maximum state fine of $5,000.

Just another example of govt extorting the public. He didnt kill the owl, he picked up. I have no idea what he was planning to do with it. But what does it really matter in the long run? Just another money making scheme. [down]

 

[AndyC148]

Anyone ever been to space farms?

Sure, been there lots of times going back to when Goliath was still among the living. Matter of fact, shot up there last month with my wife, kinda spur of the moment daytrip. Saw the enclosed pasture with all the whitetail bucks. I know they're plugged into the zoo network nationally and help breed endangered species, try doing that without tax dollars. BTW, saw Fred roadside last year on Cannistear Rd. loading a roadkill deer for some of his guests I assume.

 

[AndyC148]

I thought Parker was Erics' son and Eric was Freds Son, And Fred was Ralphs Son.

Startin' to sound like greek literature.[hihi]

 

[230grain hollowpoint]

Quote:
I thought Parker was Erics' son and Eric was Freds Son, And Fred was Ralphs Son.


Startin' to sound like greek literature.

Or like the bible Ralph beget Fred; Fred beget Eric, Eric beget Parker.

Sure, been there lots of times going back to when Goliath was still among the living. Matter of fact, shot up there last month with my wife, kinda spur of the moment daytrip. Saw the enclosed pasture with all the whitetail bucks. I know they're plugged into the zoo network nationally and help breed endangered species, try doing that without tax dollars. BTW, saw Fred roadside last year on Cannistear Rd. loading a roadkill deer for some of his guests I assume.

I used to bring my sons there once a year when they were little. The museum portion is awesome. I was never fond of some of the animal displays especially Goliath. I always thought that cage was way too small for that giant bear. On the other hand when Fred Space jumps in the snake pit for his snake lecture that is always the high point of the visit.

 

[OneShot1kill]

Goliaths cage was to small and so is the the new bear that lives in there, and some of the displays are a bit small or just a slab of concrete with bars around it. not to good

 

[Black Bellamy]

Just another example of govt extorting the public.  He didnt kill the owl, he picked up.  I have no idea what he was planning to do with it.  But what does it really matter in the long run?  Just another money making scheme.

Don't be such a knee-jerk government hater. The real reason it's illegal is to prevent people from killing raptors and then claiming to have found them dead on the side of the road.

 

[Little M]

Oftentimes owls, particularly screech owls, are hit by vehicles when they fly into the road to catch prey which also happen to be trying to avoid the vehicle and they run across the road. I see dead screech owls along Route 206 and 517 quite often. Ben had better hope that there is no lead in that bird, no matter how it came into his possession.

 

[AndyC148]

Please don't shoot my avatar.

Not til next month anyway.[hihi]

LittleM, I was going to pick up some cedar in order to make a bird house for Screech Owls, hopefully. Any experience with that?

 

[DROPTINE69]

Don't be such a knee-jerk government hater. The real reason it's illegal is to prevent people from killing raptors and then claiming to have found them dead on the side of the road.

[up]

 

[Jerseybuck]

Don't be such a knee-jerk government hater. The real reason it's illegal is to prevent people from killing raptors and then claiming to have found them dead on the side of the road

Don't worry, some day after you've paid enough taxes and had you wallet picked, you'll fell the same way. At present, the Gov't exists to extort money from the lower middle class / working poor and it's only going to get worse. That's why they would rather write speeding tickets than go into the cities and shut down the crack houses.


Now if that Owl was illegally got, I hope they hang him high.

 

[apmaurosr]

At present, the Gov't exists to extort money from the lower middle class / working poor and it's only going to get worse.

More than 60% of the income taxes collected by the government are paid by 2% of the tax payors. The gov't uses "class envy" to stir the middle class against people with money to make it easier to raise taxes on them. It's easy to get away with because only 2% of the population are getting zapped.

If what you say is true, I guess the gov't has been spending so much that now they have to "extort from the lower middle class and working poor." Maybe the stimulus package(s) and the gov't grab for health care will eventually bankrupt the country.

Ant