Article published October 30, 2009
73 violations cited in illegal deer activity case
Four residents of Paulding County and two from Putnam County have been accused by the Ohio Division of Wildlife of 73 violations in a case that began as an investigation into illegal deer hunting and deer processing.
The accused are Landall L. Hinchcliff, 46, and Christina R. Hinchcliff, 38, husband and wife; John R. Hinchcliff, 81, Landall's father; and Greg R. Shelton, 41, all of Grover Hill in Paulding County, and Karl R. Miller, 48, and Mary J. Miller, 45, husband and wife, of Continental.
Sixty-eight charges were filed in Paulding County Court, four in Putnam County Court and one charge filed in Van Wert Municipal Court. Landall Hinchcliff alone faces 58 of the charges, and his wife and Shelton faces five each.
All six individuals entered innocent pleas. The array of charges includes improper record-keeping in processing meat, possession of untagged deer meat and untagged deer antlers, aiding a wildlife offender, wild animal sales, over bagging deer, failure to properly tag and check-in deer, providing false information to a check station, and possession of wild raccoons without a permit.
"As many times is the case, this investigation was revealed to us through a tip from concerned sportsmen," said Paul Kurfis, supervisor of law enforcement for Ohio Wildlife District 2.
"What led us to the [main] suspect's house was the fact that he was subject of an investigation involving the sale of deer meat - that there were deer taken from the wild." The law supervisor contended that the suspects were processing deer at home in a meat processing facility.""We executed a search warrant on that property and that led us to other suspects and discovery of deer antlers and deer meat in a freezer." Most of the meat, Kurfis said, was untagged or otherwise undocumented to show that it was wild deer legally taken. Some antlers also were found to be untagged and undocumented.
During their search, wildlife officers seized deer processing equipment (band saw, smoker, grinder, slicer), untagged deer antlers, a chest freezer, and more than 100 pounds of deer meat.
The Millers already have been found guilty in Putnam County, the wildlife division said. Karl was fined $325 including court costs, with $200 suspended, for having untagged deer antlers. Mary was fined $575 including costs, with $475 suspended, for possession of two wild raccoons without a permit
Both of their violations were discovered during the follow-up interviews after the initial search warrant in the case. Wildlife officers went to their house and while there they discovered the violations for which they were cited.
Concerned citizens can report suspected violations anonymously by calling the Turn-in-a-Poacher hotline, 1-800-POACHER, anytime, or by calling a state county wildlife officer in their county, or by submitting information on-line at wildohio.com.
Reflecting on the case, Kurfis said, "in the last couple of years we've heard more rumors of sales of wild deer meat. We want people to know it's illegal."
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Night bite - The after-dark shoreline casting season for walleye is under way along the Michigan side of western Lake Erie.
John Jokinen at Jann's Netcraft said that anglers in the shop are reporting some catches using jointed Bomber and Reef Runner crankbaits. Some fishermen are adding glow tape to the tail section of the baits, Jokinen said.
The night bite also is on at Sterling State Park at Monroe, and daytime trollers off Luna Pier also are picking up some fish in just 8 to 12 feet of water.
Each autumn as the lake cools, baitfish schools move inshore seeking warmer waters, and the 'eyes follow them in, particularly after dark.
Action, be forewarned, is highly variable from night to night and even from hour to hour. But that's fishing.
On the weekend - Sunday, turkey shoot, 1 to 4 p.m. Ottawa Lake Sportsmen's Club, 9480 Memorial Hwy. (Old US 223), Ottawa Lake, Mich., trap, blind shoot, circle, protection, Oakley; lunch available.
Sunday, trap and skeet shooting, Camp Perry Shooting Club, Camp Perry, State Rt. 2 west of Port Clinton; 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sundays, noon to 8 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays. Also, meat shoot Nov. 8. Call the club 419-635-2682.
Contact Steve Pollick at:
spollick@theblade.com
or 419-724-6068.
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