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00:00Michigan Conservation Officers are on patrol during one of their busiest times of the year,
00:16firearm deer season. This is a tough time of year to have an untagged deer with you.
00:20A District 1 officer encounters two men in their hunting truck after they've
00:24concluded their hunting for the day. Because he had an open beer in the vehicle. He had two open
00:29beers in the vehicle. A D9 officer looks into a trespassing complaint. We're out here because
00:34of a complaint on the power lines over here. And officers from around the state take to the
00:39hockey ice to assist fellow officers and the communities they serve. We've been playing
00:44charity games all over the state for over 13 years. Two Michigan Conservation Officers on opposite sides
00:50of the state patrol waterfowl hunters in and around state-managed public hunting areas. You don't think
00:55that that's a serious enough thing to almost shoot your partners, that you don't need to get a ticket
00:59out of there. Wild animals and wild places. They're more than a picture. They're inspiration,
01:07excitement, and adventure. Patrolling and protecting these natural resources is a first-class band of
01:14peace officers. These are the wardens dedicated to the preservation of our great outdoors.
01:21Of all the days on the hunting and fishing calendar throughout the year, the busiest one for Michigan's
01:48conservation officers is the opening day of the firearm deer season. It typically brings out the
01:54most hunters on one single day and consequently results in COs frequently interacting with,
02:00educating, and occasionally ticketing members of the deer hunting community. In District 9,
02:06Conservation Officer Justin Muehlhauser is on patrol on the morning of opening day in Genesee County.
02:12We got a complaint that someone is out hunting on a power line property. So it's Consumers Energy
02:21property. They're trespassing. Not supposed to be there. Consumers is probably the largest single
02:29property owner in the county here. So we tend to check on their properties a little bit if we get
02:35complaints on that. When he arrives at the property where trespassing is suspected, Officer Muehlhauser
02:41encounters an employee of the utility company that owns the land.
02:44It's been having issues back here with someone hunting? I haven't heard anything. Okay. But I don't get
02:51around here very much. Okay. We got a call a few days ago about someone been back here with a pop-up
02:58blind hunting. I did see some tracks in the snow earlier. Okay. Some fresh tracks, but that's about all I've seen.
03:04Okay. All right. We're just kind of checking it out real quick. See if anyone's back here. So all right. All right. Thanks.
03:10He's got orange on too. So we'll get up and we'll check him out real quick.
03:26There are people that do have the license to these lands, but it specifically states in the license that they're not allowed to hunt
03:36or use ORVs on the property. Hey, is this all your bait?
03:45How we doing guys? Good. Awesome. You guys own the property here or what's the deal?
03:50Actually, my wife's brother leases the property. Okay. Off the farmer. Okay.
03:58So yeah, we got permission for him to hunt here. Where do you come in at? That way, down by the, I think
04:07there's a church there. Down this track over here? Yeah, along the power lines, yeah. Okay. All right.
04:14Well, you got your tags on you? Actually, they're in the blind down there. Okay. If you guys want to
04:19chill out a second, I'll go grab them for you. Yeah, we can go down with you and check them out. We'll
04:21come around. You can walk around, though, because it is slippery. Okay. I'll come around that way.
04:27Also patrolling on opening day up in District 1
04:33is Officer Jeremy Sergi, who comes across a hunter walking down a two-track.
04:37How you doing, sir? Doing well. Out for a bit of a walk.
04:42Well, I'm actually going back to the cabin to get a wheelie. I got a buck down.
04:46Oh, you got a buck. Where at? Back in here. Oh, okay.
04:51This hunter has just shot a deer and was on his way back to camp to get his ORV.
04:55He says that they're close to where it went down, so he leads CO Sergi to the buck on foot.
05:00Oh, nice.
05:05There you go. I'll be darned.
05:09Dang there. Okay. Perfect.
05:15Excellent. You got your base license on you?
05:17Your what? Your base license. All that in the bag. Okay. We'll go check that out.
05:22Yep. Okay. And then you got your driver's license on you.
05:30Oh, I hear you. I'm sweating. I'm either sweating or I'm freezing.
05:33Sitting in the mirror.
05:35Well, congratulations.
05:38Enjoy.
05:38After checking this hunter's deer, blind, and licenses,
05:42Officer Sergi continues on his way to see what the rest of his firearm opening day will bring.
05:48I'll save my son's shotgun. I had the barrel to come out.
05:50Okay.
05:51All right. Good deal.
05:54And then you got your tags in the blind over here?
05:56Yeah. Yeah, with my driver's license and everything.
05:58Okay.
05:59We just kind of went to go look.
06:00Do you have tags too or?
06:02Yeah.
06:02Okay.
06:02Should be in there.
06:03All right.
06:03I was the only one hunting, but he has a tag too.
06:06Yeah, I bought him some.
06:06Okay.
06:07That's you.
06:09All set.
06:10We'll get out of your hair.
06:11Everything checks all right.
06:13We weren't going back out anyway.
06:15We're kind of done for the day.
06:16So you guys have permission from this property owner here then?
06:19Yeah.
06:20Okay.
06:20We actually didn't talk to the owner.
06:21It's actually the guy that leases the property.
06:23Okay.
06:24He farms it?
06:24Farms it, yeah.
06:25Okay.
06:25So that would happen to be my brother.
06:27Just so you know, we're out here because of a complaint on the power lines over here.
06:31So that's what we're checking up on.
06:33What was that?
06:34But just to let you know, if you hunt, you can't track.
06:40You can't go onto the power line property at all.
06:44Even if he has the license on the land where it runs through here.
06:48I mean, if it's out in this field, then yeah, absolutely.
06:51But you won't be able to track onto this property here or anything like that.
06:54Okay.
06:55Now let's say that one did run over there.
06:56Who would I have to get permission from?
06:57You'd have to contact consumers to get permission from them.
07:01Yeah.
07:01Wow.
07:01Get permission from them to recover it.
07:04After chatting with the two men and not finding any reason to take enforcement action,
07:08Officer Muehlhauser returns to his patrol truck.
07:10So this is kind of a gray area.
07:13It's a unique situation.
07:15With all of these pumpkins here, he's not actually hunting directly over all of these pumpkins.
07:22Um, he's kind of hunting off to the side.
07:24I think his blinds may be about 50 yards away.
07:28Um, and he's not even aiming in this general direction.
07:33Um, so if, if he would have been set up and he was hunting like directly over these pumpkins,
07:42then it would have been a different situation.
07:44He'd probably be looking at a citation for hunting over an excessive bait.
07:47Um, in this case, uh, everything checks out okay.
07:52They're all wearing orange.
07:53They all have got their tags.
07:54Um, he's got permission to be on that property.
07:57And, uh, yeah, overall it's good contact.
08:01Approximately 400 miles by automobile from C.O. Muehlhauser up in District 1.
08:09Officer Jeremy Sergi is also checking on deer hunters during the opening day of the firearm season.
08:14You got your license on you, sir?
08:16Conservation officer.
08:22Any, you see anything good today?
08:24Not a thing.
08:25Okay.
08:26No.
08:28Okay.
08:29Do you got your base license with you as well?
08:31No, I do not.
08:32Okay.
08:38Is that your quad out there?
08:39Yep.
08:40Okay.
08:42Do you got bait sound at all?
08:44Okay.
08:45Well, thank you very much, sir.
08:47Good one.
08:49I was thinking to myself, like, I don't, I don't see his footprints.
08:51But that's because we were over there.
08:52His right here.
09:01Later in the day, Officer Sergi comes across two men in a red pickup truck.
09:06It's got beer in it.
09:07Okay.
09:08Cool.
09:09Okay.
09:10So you got, uh, open can of beer.
09:12I'm frank.
09:12But, uh, you got any fire on that, sir?
09:14Back in the back.
09:15Back in the back.
09:15Carole.
09:16Okay.
09:16In the, in the truck?
09:17Yeah.
09:17That's the only showing for everything.
09:19Yeah.
09:19Do you have any beer in the back?
09:21Nope.
09:21Okay.
09:21So it looks like we got.
09:22And also it's like jail only out of Jetsky County in 2008 for several months.
09:28Are there any open beers?
09:29You got any?
09:29I got beer.
09:30Both of those people are closed.
09:32Okay.
09:32Well, let me come around.
09:34It's very common for officers to run into people cruising around with a beer.
09:38We call it a road beer.
09:40That's a very normal thing, unfortunately.
09:43And what's not good about that is, you know, the person who's doing it, they might think that
09:47that's what's the big deal.
09:48You know, I'm drinking one beer.
09:49But, you know, you look at some of the traffic statistics, you know, over the course of a
09:54year, and on average, with driving-related accidents, over 10,000 people die each year
10:01that are alcohol-related crashes.
10:02So it is very important.
10:04That's one person every 52 minutes, every hour of every day.
10:10And that adds up to a lot of people over the course of the year.
10:20How many beers you guys had today?
10:23You got half of one.
10:24Yeah.
10:24Okay.
10:25I don't really smell a whole lot.
10:26I don't really smell anything.
10:28It's just I saw the beers there.
10:30Yeah.
10:31Just one beer can put you at a .02 blood alcohol concentration.
10:35And at a .02, that has a very predictable effect on the body.
10:40Your ability to track moving objects is decreased.
10:44And your ability to do two tasks at one time is diminished as well.
10:48So it does affect you, even in a very small amount of alcohol.
10:51And even though you may be in a very remote area, just cruising around, there's nobody else
10:56that you know of that are around, eventually, you do have to drive home.
10:59And typically, when you drive home, you're getting on a highway and driving somewhere.
11:11You got a driver's license on you, sir?
11:18The Michigan Conservation Officers Association, or MCOA, is a fraternal organization for Michigan's
11:29COs and their supporters.
11:30They strive to assist the association's officers and their families in times of need,
11:36as well as different organizations in the communities they serve.
11:39One way that they raise money is through their MCOA hockey team, which is made up of conservation
11:47officers and some of their family members.
11:48This is one sport that the older you get, the better you don't play.
11:52We've been playing charity games all over the state for over 13 years.
11:56The rivalry is with our DNR fish cops, so it's always fun on the ice.
12:01Our association team, Michigan Conservation Officers Hockey Team, was really formed to do
12:06benefits for our own family of conservation officers if there was any need within to raise
12:14some funds, whether or not there was a death in the family or sickness.
12:18But we also reach out to the community.
12:20We've done things for a young man in the Big Rapids area that had cancer.
12:24We did a game.
12:25That was probably one of our most successful.
12:27We raised about $19,000 for that game.
12:29On this particular night, after hearing the national anthem from retired CO Mike Wells,
12:40the team took on members of the Cadillac Area Law Enforcement Community,
12:45including state police, sheriff's deputies, and city police.
12:48The two teams are playing this game to raise money for the Cadillac Area Silent Observer.
12:53The Silent Observer program encourages the public to submit anonymous
12:59tips when they see suspicious activities.
13:02It doesn't circumvent crimes in progress when you have to call 9-1-1, but we all see things
13:08in our community that we just don't feel is up front.
13:14Although the team is not always successful in the outcome of their hockey contests,
13:18they enjoy themselves and raise money for important causes.
13:22Since 2007, their games have raised a little over $100,000, but a comparison to an infamous
13:29team from another sport may be appropriate.
13:31It kind of likened us to the team that used to play the Harlem Gold Trotters.
13:35You know, they'd lose every game throughout the whole year, but they had a lot of fun.
13:38We show up.
13:39Michigan Conservation Officers are authorized to handle a wide assortment of situations that
13:52range from general crime to hunting and fishing violations, as well as accidents and crashes.
13:57In District 3, it's the first week of firearm deer season, and Officer Duane Boudreau has been
14:05called to a location where a dead deer is on the side of the road.
14:09Emmett County Sheriff's Deputy Cole Brady is already at the scene when Officer Boudreau arrives.
14:15So I see it. It's got two broken legs in the back. It got hit by a car.
14:18Got hit by a car.
14:18So he says that there was another, um, another, another passerby that showed up,
14:24came, they drug it into the woods, shot it, and then drug it back.
14:28Gotcha.
14:29So it had a gunshot wound to the neck.
14:30Yeah.
14:31And it was still alive and breathing and throwing blood everywhere in the back of this guy's truck.
14:34I'm like, you need to pull it out, and I'm going to finish this thing off.
14:37Right.
14:38So that's where we're at.
14:39So he didn't hit it. He has no...
14:41He did not. The car that hit it took off.
14:43He just came around.
14:44There is car parts in the road.
14:45Yeah, I saw the scene there.
14:46I think it's legit, you know.
14:47Yep.
14:48Now that I look at it, I'm probably going to just issue him a kill tag.
14:51He didn't call in. He didn't. I mean, technically, he violated it by not calling in.
14:56Right.
14:57And just taking the deer.
14:58Yeah.
14:59I kind of explained to him the law, and like, you can either call dispatch or we'll come and issue a kill tag, one of the two.
15:03Mm-hmm.
15:04So he's pretty...
15:05I mean, he's like, I don't know who did it. I don't know who did, you know, this.
15:08Yeah.
15:09Yeah, yeah, yeah.
15:11Yeah, no question.
15:13I'm putting it down, so...
15:14Okay.
15:15Um, you're welcome to...
15:16I'm going to issue a kill tag part.
15:18Okay.
15:18We're going to review warnings today.
15:20All right.
15:20Yeah, antler busted off, too.
15:22Yeah.
15:22Yeah, we've been watching this guy all year.
15:24Antler point violation, too, is...
15:26Nah.
15:27No, I got dope tag left. I'll bust the other side off.
15:30Yeah, no, you're good.
15:31Yeah, all set.
15:32So, I'm going to issue the kill tag to you.
15:34All right.
15:35Sounds good.
15:35If you're going to take responsibility for the deer, just make sure that you are the one that calls in.
15:39Right.
15:39Tell dispatch, let us know.
15:42Because you, I mean, have an untagged deer in the back.
15:43You want to, you know, make sure that that's...
15:45Yeah, we don't need the green...
15:46You're doing it the right way.
15:46Yeah.
15:47Right.
15:48You don't need the green monster after you.
15:49No.
15:49Yeah, I hear you.
15:50Yeah, no, it's all set.
15:52Yeah, you're good to go.
15:54Like you said, this is a tough time of year to have an untagged deer with you.
15:57Right.
15:58Obviously, she's got some hind legs that are broken up.
16:00It's pretty evident that she was hit.
16:02Officer Boudreau and Deputy Brady determined that this deer was struck by a vehicle and
16:06not illegally killed by a hunter.
16:08They issue a salvage tag and Deputy Brady helps the man load it into his truck.
16:12Since they're authorized to enforce general criminal law, in addition to game and fish laws,
16:27Michigan conservation officers are always on the lookout for those types of violations,
16:31even while they're initially focused on something else.
16:34In Michigan's District 1, it's opening day of the state's 16-day firearm deer season,
16:42and Officer Jeremy Sergi has pulled alongside two hunters who have two opened beer cans in
16:47their pickup truck.
16:48It's different between driving a car and in Michigan you're considered impaired or intoxicated
16:56at a .08.
16:57When it comes to hunting and handling firearms, it's actually unlawful to possess a firearm
17:03when intoxicated.
17:04And the law doesn't say what level of intoxication you have to be at,
17:08so that could be just one beer puts you in violation of the law.
17:11So that actually is a little more stringent than operating a motor vehicle.
17:20Officer Sergi documents some of the pertinent info at the scene
17:24and checks some information on his computer.
17:26Then he takes a look at the firearms that the men have with them.
17:29Here's the pistol, and I got rid of it for that.
17:33Okay.
17:33Here's my rifle.
17:40Is it just the one rifle or you guys got two?
17:42Another rifle.
17:43Okay, we'll take a look at the rifles.
17:44We got this in the locked container.
17:46I gotta get the keys.
17:47We got this in the back of the car.
17:50In addition to just the concept of driving with an open beer in the car and the effects alcohol has
17:57on driving, when you mix in a layer of hunting and handling the firearms, you go to a whole another
18:03level.
18:04Because all the things necessary to operate a vehicle safely go into play when it comes to handling
18:09firearms and hunting.
18:10So reasoning, judgment, thinking, all these things are just as important as driving a car.
18:15So those will be impacted as well when you're drinking, using alcohol.
18:20Nice looking gun.
18:33Okay.
18:34Do you got your driver's license or state ID or anything on you?
18:37Yeah.
18:38Beautiful.
18:39God, are we going to get locked up?
18:41I'll get that for you.
18:59Okay, just give me a few minutes, fellas.
19:03As he's filling out some paperwork in the cab of his truck, one of the men approaches CO Sergi's vehicle.
19:09What's that?
19:09What's the problem?
19:10Well, I got some paperwork to do.
19:13Yeah, you had an open beer in there.
19:15So I'm not taking any of your guns.
19:17I'm not taking you to jail.
19:18Okay, but you're getting a ticket right now.
19:21For what?
19:22Because he had an open beer in the vehicle.
19:23Come on.
19:24He had two open beers in the vehicle.
19:28In this case, for possessing an open container of alcohol while operating a motor vehicle,
19:33this man pled guilty and paid a court-ordered fine of $280.
19:38This is literally a life-and-death kind of thing.
19:43What you're playing with is not just your own life or your own health, but someone else as well.
19:50To me, that's very serious, deadly business.
19:54And if you're going to drive a vehicle, there's responsibilities to go with that.
19:57And the same thing with hunting or the use of firearms.
20:01Those all have a certain level of responsibility that goes with that.
20:08All right, I got your beer cans right here.
20:09Would you mind dumping them out?
20:10Just these two cans?
20:11I'm not going to make you dump.
20:12I just wanted to throw the cans in the back.
20:15Yeah, that's fine.
20:16But I'm not taking your cans.
20:18I'm not taking your guns.
20:19I'm not taking you to jail.
20:20Okay?
20:21I appreciate that.
20:22You guys have been nothing but nice to me.
20:23So, you know, I still have a job to do.
20:26I hope you understand that, but...
20:28Well, I don't, but I do.
20:29All right.
20:30I know it's not fun, but here you go.
20:31Yep.
20:32If you want to take these two, just go ahead and dump them out.
20:34Yep.
20:35I can explain this to you.
20:36I'll get your driver's license.
20:44And I just wrote you for the one can.
20:45I didn't get you for two cans even.
20:47I just wrote you for the one.
20:48Okay?
20:48Yep.
20:50All right.
20:50You guys got any questions for me?
20:52Nope.
20:52Nope.
20:52Okay.
20:53Well, I appreciate your cooperation.
20:54Okay.
20:55Okay.
20:56Thank you very much.
20:57Thank you very much.
21:01Waterfowl hunting is a passionate pursuit for many of Michigan's outdoor enthusiasts.
21:06The opening day for most duck species varies in the state's three management units.
21:11However, the season for teal and Canada geese open statewide on September 1st.
21:16It's a day that most waterfowl hunters look forward to months ahead of time.
21:20In the state's District 7, Officer BJ Goulet is part of a group patrol on opening day that's
21:29monitoring waterfowl hunters in and around the Grand Haven State game area.
21:33This state-owned and managed hunting property is a popular place that can feature stiff competition
21:38for the prime hunting spots.
21:40It's not uncommon.
21:41People are camping out.
21:42And I think some of the groups we checked earlier today said they got there at 2 this
21:46morning to claim their spot.
21:48That's not uncommon.
21:49When it comes to regular waterfowl season, it'll be even earlier.
21:52People will be getting there at 8, 10 o'clock the night before to camp out all night to save
21:56their spots, so it's a popular spot.
22:00Officer Goulet checked the licenses and firearms of several hunting parties who were hunting from
22:04their boats.
22:05Oh, there's your signature.
22:06Yeah, it's on the bottom.
22:07It didn't write very well.
22:09Sneaking in there.
22:10That's all right.
22:10It still works.
22:11I'm going to have my fishing mists.
22:25Yeah, nice little guy.
22:32Taking my time trying not to get wet.
22:41Perfect, thank you.
22:49Got one more goose.
22:51I was going to say, are these guys on the lawn pulling them in for you or what?
22:55Well, I tried working on the geese for that.
23:00They've shot a ton of geese today.
23:02I bet you they've shot 15.
23:04Good deal.
23:06Nice.
23:07Because they were all just roosting over here, weren't they?
23:10Yeah.
23:10After not encountering or observing any violations, CEO Goulet saw a hunting party on shore near
23:16her home.
23:17I tried to spend some time out here, but like I said, especially with the teal, it's kind
23:20of like slower going because you're just sitting and watching as you go.
23:24But, well.
23:25If you guys not go through all of our stuff, I mean, we're legal.
23:29So if you want mine, I got to walk up to the truck and get it, which I'm more than happy to do.
23:32Yeah, well, let's go ahead and fish.
23:36I got those two and I got the base online.
23:39Yeah, I won't let you buy them if you don't have your base anyway.
23:44That's the one nice thing about the new system.
23:47So if somebody doesn't have their base with them, that's...
23:50Do you want to take plugs too?
23:52Yeah, sure.
23:53You can just unload and then just show me that you can't get more than two into your magazine.
24:02Yeah, I'll just loom my chamber.
24:08Good.
24:09Yeah, I got you too.
24:10Yep.
24:14Good.
24:16All right.
24:17He's checking out your body count here.
24:19It's always interesting to see the hunters where people picture in their head,
24:31waterfall hunters are going to be out in the cattails in the swamp.
24:34And today we were going to cross two separate parties that are literally hunting in somebody's
24:38backyard on a waterfront property.
24:40And both did very well.
24:43A good deal, guys.
24:54Michigan Conservation Officer B.J. Goulet is patrolling teal and goose hunters on the statewide
24:59opener for both species.
25:01He started his patrol before daylight by observing the hunting parties around him.
25:05After watching hunters for around two hours, CEO Goulet made contact with them.
25:10As afternoon approaches, he keeps checking hunting licenses
25:13and the equipment that the waterfowlers are using.
25:19Perfect.
25:21Good deal.
25:21You guys got a couple of life jackets in here somewhere?
25:23Yes, you do.
25:23I have three or four up there and I got, I think, one back here.
25:26Yep, you're good.
25:28That's fine.
25:28Well, good deal, guys.
25:31Thanks, bud.
25:32What's your name?
25:32B.J.
25:33Thanks, D.J.
25:34Yep.
25:35Later, Officer Goulet encounters a boat with three hunters.
25:40Yep, I got it.
25:43I guessed right on which way to swipe, so.
25:46Same with mine.
25:52Oh, this is yours, honey.
25:54I thought you took the pictures upside down just to try to mess with me.
25:59My bad.
25:59I'm not used to those androids.
26:00No, you're fine.
26:01So just go ahead and slide rounds up in the tube there for me.
26:14Okay, you're good.
26:15There you go.
26:16That's why.
26:30It's always fun trying to figure out the song and dance and which button you got to click.
26:33All right, let's see.
26:40Sounds like those guys are right in the middle there.
26:43It's been somewhat right there.
26:44They're really close.
26:46Three.
26:50Four.
26:51All right, so you know, obviously you guys know.
27:01Did you not clue him in on the, uh...
27:02He's only had three shells in the whole time.
27:05I told him, I was like, hey, you can hold more, but you're only allowed three in there.
27:09So no, we're well with that.
27:11Okay, is there a reason why you didn't put a plug in it?
27:14I just didn't have time to grab a plug, that's all.
27:17This is literally his first time ever out.
27:19Pretty disturbed from the game already.
27:21Approximately five weeks later, in the southeastern corner of the state, in District 9,
27:27Officer Ben Lasher is patrolling waterfowl hunters on the opening day for ducks in the state's south zone.
27:33He has gotten into position before daylight to monitor hunters in the St. Clair Flats Management Unit.
27:39The St. Clair Flats is the largest freshwater delta in the world,
27:43where the St. Clair River runs into the Lake St. Clair and it divvies into three different channels,
27:49four different channels, and the multiple islands in the area.
27:53It just, it's a very immense marsh, both on the United States and the Canadian side.
28:00Some of the best duck hunting we have in the state of Michigan is here on St. Clair Flats.
28:04While still waiting for legal hunting hours, Officer Lasher hears gunshots.
28:08He quickly determines the hunting party from which the sound came.
28:11As I heard them wrecking the action on the gun, I'm pretty confident they were loading it.
28:16And that was a misfire because I haven't seen a bird flying in the air yet.
28:19We were working early shooters this morning. We got out there before it got daylight. The
28:24published hunting hours are in the hunting guide and
28:28waterfowl hunters have to abide by those hours published in the guide. And it's based on sunrise and sunset.
28:33And the, we were setting up on that one crew and I could hear somebody working the action of their gun,
28:42and then we had the gun go off, which I thought probably was an accidental discharge.
28:46As daylight breaks and birds come into the area, CO Lasher continues to monitor hunters.
28:52This group over here, who I think had that accidental misfire because they're loading their gun 15 minutes
29:04before daylight, is leaving their, well they took their blind down, but they're leaving it out here.
29:12We watched those guys hunt, shoot some birds. They were in a couple of man-made blinds. I was
29:19interested to see what they were going to do with their man-made blinds, if they're going to remove
29:23them, if they had their names on them, all that kind of stuff, because we wouldn't want that stuff
29:27getting left in the field to get sucked up into our farming equipment that Wildlife Division runs
29:35to plant corn and soybeans and buckwheat in the area for habitat and for the resource for the ducks to
29:42come down. When the hunting party that had the early gunshot begins to pack up their belongings,
29:47Officer Lasher packs up his equipment and heads off to meet them by the entrance to the area.
29:53Morning fellas. Good. A lot of shooting for all that little bit of meat you're taking home.
30:00Yeah, not a lot. Teal and a wood duck. I don't think it was worth it to stay all night.
30:11Yeah? Do you guys want to load stuff in the truck or do you want to start handing me stuff out here?
30:16However you want. Let's just check licenses right here. Everybody's guns unloaded?
30:21Yeah, 100%. Who had the misfire this morning? I did.
30:25You know what time it was when you had that misfire? It was like probably 20 minutes. It was dark though.
30:33Yes, it was. There's absolutely no way you'd shoot anything with that.
30:36So why would you want to have your, why would you want to be loading your gun at that time?
30:39I, in fact, was local. Yes. And I had no idea that it was. Right.
30:44And I was just making sure and boom, you know? Right. Well, luckily for us, no one's dead.
30:51This will be no different than what we do in the fall other than we aren't armed.
31:05Many hunters are familiar with bands that are placed on Canada geese and other waterfowl.
31:10However, a lot of people may not know that upland birds are also banded to help biologists from state
31:16DNRs and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The goal here is we're going to run the dogs.
31:22We'll try and find them. And if we can, we'll try and locate the chicks and we'll put bands on them.
31:29Make sure that when we settle them down and leave them that they're not going to scatter.
31:34So the hen will have to come back and instead of rounding them way up, they'll be right there for
31:39her to take charge of and move on to the next location. Woodcock are migratory birds.
31:46The areas where they live are primarily east of the Mississippi River in the United States,
31:50as well as parts of southern Canada. Their preferred habitat is a forest of young aspen trees.
31:55Young forests, young aspen stands, alders, trees that are 0 to 10, 10 to 20, 20 to 30 years old.
32:08And they tend to nest in the habitats that's, oh, in that 20 to 30 year range.
32:15Woodcock banders use hunting dogs to locate the birds that they band and usually only place bands on chicks.
32:22The dogs that they utilize need to be markedly better at holding their points
32:26than dogs that are used in hunting situations. If a good dog is a high school graduate,
32:32a good banding dog is a college graduate. Their staunchness required is double or triple
32:39what it would be in a hunting situation. A hunting situation, the dog's on point,
32:43you go over there, you flush the bird, the bird goes. Banding situation, that dog might be on point
32:48for five or 10 minutes while you're looking for the hen. Once you find the hen, now you want to start
32:53finding the chicks. And then finally, when you're ready, all the while, the dog's on point.
32:58It's 80 some degrees and the dogs are pointing birds. Most dogs won't even smell them.
33:05And the more the grasses get up, the worse conditions are for them to smell the chicks,
33:12you know, because of chlorophyll in the grasses. So they can't smell them. And that's what makes it
33:18bad, especially in the heat. And if you're lucky, get one good banding dog. But you know, I've had a
33:27couple and Jerry's got Bell, which is one of the better banding dogs in the state. All Woodcock banders,
33:32whether rookies or longtime veterans, must regularly study their craft and learn from a team of experts.
33:38Every two years in order to get a banding license or keep your banding license,
33:44we have to go to a training seminar. Michigan DNR puts that on. We go through film. We go through
33:52studies of how to get the GPS coordinates because we have to pinpoint the exact section of a county
34:00that we have found that bird in. Everybody has to go through that training. I don't care if you've
34:05been a bander for 30 years. You don't go to the seminar. You don't band for the next two years.
34:13We'll just need to move the dogs out of here in the opposite direction so we don't disturb the fawn.
34:18You know, while we were out, we got to see, you know, a lot of other,
34:22the spring come alive and see all the other wildlife and wildflowers. And we didn't find a
34:29morale mushroom today, but you know, normally you would.
34:38Michigan Conservation Officer BJ Goulet has encountered three hunters in a boat. Two of
34:43them are experienced and the third is a first time waterfowl hunter who borrowed a gun from his friend.
34:48His borrowed gun is not properly plugged and consequently can hold more than three shells,
34:53which is illegal. How about life jackets? You guys got something in there?
35:00Anyone else been having much luck out here?
35:02There's kind of pockets here and there. People are doing okay. Yeah.
35:06Some guys down around the way were set up for geese on a lawn and just pounded on them.
35:12I'm like, was it their house that they were on? Yeah.
35:16Must be nice. Sit down, I told you.
35:18Hey, I'll go sit down. Or the grandpa's house or something like that.
35:20Yeah, they had, what they had, like 16 geese or something like that?
35:23Yeah. 16, 17, something like that.
35:24Yeah. 16, 17, something like that.
35:29I only got two on me.
35:32And I have one of the seats that float.
35:35There's another thing there? Yeah, check my detail.
35:37Stay all that stuff. That's the battery box.
35:40And this is just to get us started. That's it.
35:44How long is your boat? 17.
35:48Okay. So, once you go over 16 foot, you're supposed to have one wearable for everybody,
35:56plus a seat cushion. Plus a seat cushion?
35:58Yep. Okay.
35:59I didn't know that. I thought it was just one per person.
36:01Okay. I don't even have that right now.
36:04So, is your boat then? Yes.
36:06Yes, sir.
36:06All right. So, I guess let's do this.
36:09Seeing that, seeing that you, you know, just,
36:14we'll say it's your fault that you gave him an unplugged gun.
36:16That's fair.
36:18That's a misdemeanor. All fish and game,
36:21all fish and game violations are 90-day misdemeanors, okay?
36:23Okay.
36:24So, instead of sticking a brand new duck hunter with a misdemeanor,
36:27how about we stick you with a life jacket ticket?
36:29I can live with that.
36:31Yeah.
36:32In this case, for not having enough life jackets on his vessel,
36:35this man paid a court-ordered fine of $140.
36:38You said we needed one life jacket per guy and a full man.
36:41And a throwable.
36:42So, we need six total, like, no, four total.
36:46Oh, okay.
36:47Three wearable ones.
36:48Where's your thing in?
36:50Yeah, any bull that's over 16 foot, you got to have that.
36:53It'll be stamped with the Coast Guard Type 4 throwable,
36:56which typically is just a seat cushion for most people.
36:59Unless you want to do the full-blown life ring or something, you know?
37:04Yeah.
37:14Michigan Conservation Officer Ben Lasher is patrolling waterfowl hunters
37:18on the opening day for ducks in the South Zone in the state's District 9.
37:23He started his day by settling into a spot to observe hunters before legal hunting hours.
37:28Then, he heard a firearm discharge when it was still too early to hunt.
37:32Later, he contacted the hunting party that was responsible for the early gunshot.
37:36Well, we got lucky this morning.
37:37Pretty good rules.
37:38I've been hunting since I was 11.
37:39Okay.
37:40The action was good.
37:46What are you going to do with your blind?
37:49You can leave it there, but you have your name on it.
37:51If you're going to leave it there and not come back for it, that's a problem.
37:55Because if our farmers come out here to farm this and their 2x4s get stuck in their combine...
37:59Oh, no.
37:59I'm coming tonight.
38:00You're going to come back tonight?
38:01Yes.
38:01Is your name on that stuff?
38:02No.
38:02I'm going to go for that.
38:03Let me see your driver's license real quick real quick.
38:08You left your stuff laying out there.
38:10Are you going to come back for that tonight?
38:11Yep.
38:12Okay.
38:12I'm writing this stuff down, so if for some reason their stuff is not removed, I'll know
38:22who to contact.
38:25We got their information for the guys who were in the blinds, made sure that they understood
38:29what the laws were for their blind, that they were going to remove those things at the end of
38:32the season, if not before. And if they left them overnight, they'd have to have their names on that
38:36stuff.
38:36You don't think that that's a serious enough thing to almost shoot your partners?
38:40That you don't need to get a ticket out of that?
38:42Wow.
38:43You can't have a loaded gun until illegal hunting hours.
38:45Your gun went off at 15 minutes before seven.
38:48Yeah.
38:48So that's 25 minutes before legal hunting hours.
38:52You can't have a loaded gun at that time of day.
38:53I had no idea.
38:56I understand that.
38:57I think you're probably all pretty shocked when it went off.
39:00Shocked? More than shocked.
39:02Well, it's like I said, we're lucky nobody had to get taken out of the marsh with a hole in them.
39:07Yeah, I'm done.
39:09So, I'm not taking your gun.
39:13I'm going to write you a citation for having a loaded gun before legal hunting hours.
39:16Okay.
39:16And I'll explain the court stuff to you when I get done writing that out, okay?
39:20All right.
39:22Any questions, guys?
39:24All right.
39:26Thanks for showing me your stuff, and good luck this afternoon.
39:29Thank you, buddy.
39:30You want to take a duck?
39:33No, I'm good.
39:35In this case, for having his gun loaded outside of legal hunting hours,
39:39this hunter pled guilty and paid a court-ordered fine of $130.
39:43Ultimately, I ended up writing that one-guy ticket for having a loaded gun before legal hunting hours,
39:48and come to find out after running his name through our computer system,
39:53he's got four prior arrests.
39:54One, four attempts to take game outside of legal hunting hours.
39:59So, it sounds like this may be a, maybe not the first time he's done this.
40:06So, if we had followed the law, he wouldn't have had a loaded gun until it was right before shooting hours.
40:14He would daylight more, much better visibility, and he might have seen what he was doing better,
40:20and not had an accidental discharge.
40:23Get your name on it tonight.
40:24I am going to do it.
40:25Uh, I'd appreciate that.
40:26And, uh, actually just using the blind without your name on it now is a ticketable offense,
40:31but I'm not going to write you a ticket today for that, because you haven't left it overnight.
40:35But, um, if you leave it overnight, you've got to have your name and address on it,
40:41or your driver's license number on it, okay?
40:43No problem, thank you.
40:44All right, have a good day.
40:44You too, man.
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