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00:00A Michigan Conservation Officer in District 8 makes contact with people doing other things besides hunting on the opening day of archery season.
00:19You've got alcohol in there and you're driving suspended while you're on probation.
00:23And a D7 officer checks on hunters during the opening day of the firearm season.
00:28Somebody spy on me.
00:30Yeah, me.
00:31A look into a program where hunters work with the state's DNR to donate their deer to those in need.
00:36It's a good feeling to know that there's a lot of people that care about the hungry in this state.
00:40A Michigan conservation officer in District 5 patrols off-road vehicle use during a busy spring weekend.
00:47So we've had between like two and four to drink tonight.
00:49So is it two or is it four, be honest with me.
00:51A visit to a Detroit suburb where the DNR places leg bands on ducks.
00:56That banding effort also allows us to expand hunting opportunities.
01:00If we can show that populations are doing really, really well.
01:03And he also looks into a case of a buck being shot during a coyote hunt.
01:08That's like the one thing you should know from hunter safety class.
01:10Like if you sleep through the whole class, at least know what the heck you're going to shoot.
01:13Wild animals and wild places.
01:16They're more than a picture.
01:18They're inspiration, excitement, and adventure.
01:22Patrolling and protecting these natural resources is a first-class band of peace officers.
01:27These are the wardens, dedicated to the preservation of our great outdoors.
01:34White-tail deer hunting is usually the activity that gets the most hunters into the woods in the state of Michigan.
02:01The archery season for deer opens on October 1st, and the firearm season opens on November 15th.
02:08This is the time of the year that is usually the busiest for conservation officers.
02:12They frequently start their shifts before sunrise and oftentimes work for several hours past dark.
02:18They may deploy decoys on private land where there have been complaints about poaching,
02:22or they may simply spend the majority of their work week responding to calls or looking into issues that they observe while patrolling their counties.
02:29Sometimes, even though deer hunting season is open, they might be checking on people who are enjoying Michigan's natural beauty
02:36by pursuing activities that don't have anything to do with deer hunting.
02:40In the state's District 8,
02:42Officer Todd Thorne begins his shift on the archery opener by checking on anglers in the state's capital of Lansing.
02:50From across the river, he watches a man land a fish.
02:54He's got a fish.
02:59I think that's a salmon.
03:03We've been getting complaints of people snagging salmon in Lansing.
03:08We don't get a heavy run of salmon, but we do get some, and this year, a few more than we have the last few years.
03:17So we had gotten started kind of before daylight, and usually the fishing is heaviest right around sunrise.
03:27So, while we were in Lansing, I wanted to hit some of the popular spots.
03:32So it's definitely a salmon.
03:34So what we'll do is we'll go talk to him and look at the fish and see if it's got any marks on it where it might have been foul hooked.
03:42And we'll look at his line and see if it's legal.
03:46So let's go up here and we'll see if anybody else is fishing.
04:01I don't see anybody else.
04:03After crossing to the other side of the river, C.O. Thorne makes contact with a fisherman.
04:09Pardon?
04:13Oh, you don't have a license?
04:14No, I haven't got it yet.
04:17Okay.
04:19Conservation officer.
04:20Just so you know.
04:22Okay.
04:23Well, I appreciate you being honest with me.
04:25Yeah.
04:27Do you have an ID with you?
04:28Yeah, I do.
04:29Okay.
04:30Let me check that.
04:31Did you catch any fish?
04:32I did.
04:33Okay.
04:34When we made contact with him, he saw us, kind of looked down at the ground, and then said,
04:40Oh, you got me.
04:41I don't have a license.
04:42Well, I was taking a chance.
04:43Yeah.
04:44You know, I didn't know what it is, you know.
04:45Yeah.
04:47It's the first time I've ever caught here.
04:48I've been fishing this place for 20 years.
04:50And you caught a salmon.
04:51And it's the first salmon I've ever caught here.
04:54You know, I've caught catfish here.
04:55I've caught bass here, you know.
04:57Never in my life have I caught a salmon here.
04:59Yeah.
05:00You just caught this fish 10 minutes ago.
05:01Yeah.
05:02We watched you over there.
05:03Oh, did you?
05:04Yeah.
05:05Okay.
05:06Yeah.
05:07Like 10 minutes ago, I just caught it.
05:08I didn't even see you over there.
05:09Yeah.
05:10Well, we're sneaking.
05:11Okay.
05:12Since it's still alive.
05:13That's fair.
05:14Yeah.
05:15It's nice to see the salmon.
05:16We were able to let it go because it was still alive, which is good.
05:19So it didn't get wasted.
05:21And the guy got a ticket, but he knew what he was doing was wrong.
05:25And I think he was just kind of playing the game and trying to get away with it as long
05:30as he could.
05:31Do you have a smartphone?
05:32I got an Android phone.
05:34Yeah.
05:35Yeah.
05:36So you can buy a fishing license right on that if you want to continue fishing.
05:41You know, I just got my disability.
05:42Can I do that?
05:43Yeah, I'll do that right now.
05:44While C.O.
05:45Thorne fills out the citation, this man uses his phone to begin the process of purchasing
05:50a license online.
05:51I like to give a lot of breaks to people if I think they legitimately don't realize
05:56that they're supposed to have a license.
05:57And then I'll try to get them to buy the license right away on their phones.
06:01Use it as an education experience instead.
06:05But in this case, the guy knew and he said he'd been fishing for quite a while and didn't
06:12have his license.
06:13So if you know what you're doing is wrong and you're trying to get away with it, I think
06:17a ticket's coming.
06:18I don't feel bad.
06:19I don't feel bad.
06:20You know, I know you're doing your job and you're giving me a break.
06:23Yeah.
06:24Like I said, I knew I was taking a chance and I just got my disability, you know, yesterday
06:28and I should have bought it before I came out here this morning.
06:31I really should have.
06:32Okay.
06:33And I accept, you know, what I did was wrong, you know.
06:39Yeah.
06:40I got nothing to respect for that.
06:42You're taking a chance.
06:43Usually people get away with it, but sometimes they don't.
06:46It's the opening day of Michigan's archery deer season and conservation officer Todd Thorne
06:51is checking on a hunter who's just leaving the woods after his morning hunt.
06:55Just checking your hunting license.
06:56Give me one second.
06:57Yep.
06:58Okay.
06:59Did you see anything?
07:00I did not see anything before.
07:02There's a bunch of turkeys right here when we pulled up, right by your truck.
07:07Did you get wet?
07:08Not too bad.
07:09Yeah.
07:11You got your tags.
07:12Yep.
07:13Let me see those.
07:14Yeah.
07:15And your driver's license.
07:17Take me a second.
07:18That's all right.
07:19Not in a hurry.
07:20Okay.
07:21Okay.
07:22Okay.
07:23Okay.
07:24Okay.
07:25Okay.
07:26Okay.
07:27Okay.
07:28Okay.
07:29Okay.
07:30Okay.
07:31Okay.
07:32Okay.
07:33Okay.
07:34Okay.
07:35Okay.
07:36Okay.
07:37Okay.
07:38Okay.
07:48There you go.
07:49All right.
07:50Thanks a lot.
07:51You're welcome.
07:52Take care.
07:54Later in the day, while driving, C.O. Thorne notices a truck on the side of the road without
07:57a license plate.
07:58Do you have a valid license?
08:00Uh, I don't actually.
08:02No.
08:03Are you suspended?
08:04Oh yeah, I think so, yeah.
08:05Yeah?
08:06Do you have any warrants?
08:07No?
08:08No, I actually just got him, yeah.
08:09You did?
08:10Yeah.
08:11Okay.
08:12Uh, all right.
08:14Just hold tight.
08:15All right.
08:16Um, do you mind if I look in the vehicle real quick and then you can sit in there?
08:21Yeah, go ahead.
08:22Is that all right?
08:23You got any weapons?
08:24No.
08:25No.
08:26Okay, watch.
08:27No, I live it like my dad.
08:28Just stand in front there for a second.
08:29I'm sorry, go ahead.
08:30My dad's just down the road.
08:32Okay.
08:33He just wanted me to drive it home and bring him back.
08:36Have you been drinking?
08:37No?
08:38Who's this?
08:39Probably his.
08:40Your dad's?
08:41Yeah.
08:42This man says that the liquor bottle is not his and he was just borrowing the truck so
08:47that he could transport a used appliance that he'd recently acquired.
08:51You can't have that in the vehicle, you know that?
08:58Yeah, I didn't even know it was an athlete.
09:01Okay.
09:02Well, you can sit in there, try to get your dad to come help you out, but you can't drive
09:18it, obviously.
09:19Yeah.
09:20And I'll figure out what else is going to happen.
09:24Okay?
09:25Yeah.
09:31So he was stuck on the side of the road there.
09:35He doesn't have a driver's license.
09:36He's suspended and he gave me consent to look in there and he had some open alcohol.
09:42So we'll figure out what else is going on.
09:44No plate on the vehicle.
09:48Conservation Officer Carter Woodwick is on patrol on the second day of the firearm deer
10:01season in the state's District 7.
10:03Officer Woodwick is in a tree stand where he has permission to be.
10:09He is observing the adjacent property during the last hour of daylight to see what sort
10:13of hunting activity, if any, is taking place.
10:17Approximately 10 minutes before the end of legal shooting hours, Officer Woodwick observes
10:22an off-road vehicle heading towards the residence of the property.
10:26The driver of the ORV has a firearm with him that is not in a case.
10:30Officer Woodwick proceeds to the front of the property.
10:32He meets the hunter in the front yard.
10:34Hello.
10:35What up?
10:36What up?
10:37State Conservation Officer.
10:38What do you got in your hands?
10:39Oh, it's unloaded.
10:40It's unloaded?
10:41It's still got to be cased up.
10:42Oh, I'm sorry.
10:43You got your ID on you?
10:44Yes, sir.
10:45You want to shut your quad off for me?
10:47Any luck?
10:48The old man, he got one.
10:49Did he?
10:50What'd your dad end up shooting?
10:51Four point.
10:52Four point.
10:53You end up getting anything yet this year?
11:07No.
11:08The one he got, I actually saw this morning.
11:11Okay.
11:12Just get those ulti and you can get those put in there.
11:17We'll hang out, wait for your dad to show up up here in just a second.
11:21A short time later, another man comes to the front yard from the hunting area behind the house.
11:26Can you shut it off?
11:28Yeah.
11:29I said, State Conservation Officer, how are you?
11:32Real good.
11:33I got the tag right in my pocket.
11:34All right.
11:35Why don't you have it on the deer yet?
11:36My hands are too cold.
11:37Okay.
11:38He has shot a deer, but does not have a tag on it.
11:42Michigan Sportsman Against Hunger is an organization that works in conjunction with the Michigan
11:47DNR to donate wild game to the needy.
11:50What we do is we tie in wild game processors with hunters that want to donate game that they
11:57take, specifically deer, to any of our participating processors.
12:02And when they bring the deer in, they don't have to pay anything.
12:05Just donate the whole deer to feed the hungry in the community.
12:09And we pick up the tab for the processing.
12:11For Adam Eller, he has in-depth knowledge and experience with how this operation runs so smoothly.
12:17He is a dedicated hunter and also a deer processor who stays busy during the hunting season.
12:22So we've been a participant in the program for approximately 10 to 12 years.
12:27And it's just grown exponentially each year.
12:31On the first year, I remember doing just under a thousand pounds and thinking, wow, you know,
12:35that was pretty incredible.
12:37You know, people are willing to, you know, basically sacrifice that meat on their end of
12:42it and so we can get our hands on it and turn it over to these food banks.
12:45The wild game that is donated remains in the community where it is processed.
12:49Like Smith's processing here.
12:52It's all the deer that are processed here and the venison burger stays within this community.
12:58It helps out the communities a lot.
13:01And we get a lot of cards, a lot of letters thanking us for that.
13:04We're 10, 12 years into the program.
13:06And now we do a number that's just staggering when I look back.
13:10Nearly 5,000 pounds of venison donated to these local pantries.
13:14MSAH, VETS processors, before they're approved for the program,
13:18they must be insured and properly licensed.
13:21The effort to provide food for people in need is a great alliance between processors,
13:26the Michigan DNR, and Michigan Sportsmen Against Hunger.
13:29From the DNR's perspective, having an opportunity to harvest game,
13:33be able to provide food for families in need is just a great thing for us.
13:39We have an abundance of deer and we have a lot of hunters,
13:43but there's also a lot of other people that can benefit that may not be out in the woods.
13:47So it's an awesome thing for us.
13:49It's a good feeling to know that there's a lot of people that care about the hungry in this state
13:52and they want to see them benefit from channeling our precious resources.
13:57We had one lady here this year.
13:59It was a really neat experience for me.
14:02We've been doing it for several years and had a lot of grateful people.
14:06But this lady actually asked me if it was okay to give me a hug and she had tears rolling down our cheeks.
14:13And, you know, to see that amount of gratitude that she had towards this program,
14:17I mean, it would touch anyone's heart.
14:20Michigan Conservation Officer Todd Thorne has pulled up behind a stopped pickup that doesn't have a license plate on it.
14:32Upon asking for and being granted permission to search the vehicle,
14:36C.O. Thorne found an open bottle of liquor.
14:39The driver of the truck has a driver's license that is suspended.
14:42Sir, step out and come back here.
14:45You've got a warrant for your arrest, okay?
14:53So I'll explain it in a minute, but I want you to lean forward, turn that way, lean forward,
14:58put your hands behind your back like this.
15:00Lean forward and look that way.
15:01What's all this stuff in here?
15:04Pardon me?
15:06You don't have any drugs or anything on here, are you?
15:08No, no, I'm on probation.
15:10Yeah, but you've got alcohol in there and you're driving suspended while you're on probation.
15:14Right?
15:15Yeah.
15:16So you just borrowed the truck?
15:21Well, we bought this washer and dryer and we got both.
15:27Yeah.
15:28So you wanted me to drive home right at the guy's house.
15:31Okay.
15:32And it just, the clutch just went out, didn't it?
15:34Yeah, it seems like it hit those tracks, it just stopped.
15:36Yeah.
15:37Because you were still rolling when I pulled up.
15:41All right, so you just hold tight for a second.
15:44I'm going to put these on your seat.
15:46Okay?
15:47The location of this traffic stop is more than 25 miles away from the county that has a warrant out for him.
15:53Since this particular warrant is only for pickups within a 25-mile radius, this man will not be taken to jail as a result of this stop.
16:00Sir, you're not going to jail.
16:03They already told me that they don't want you.
16:06Okay?
16:07You can go get one of them to sit in the truck and then you can push it off the road, I guess.
16:11All right.
16:12But just don't leave until I tell you, okay?
16:14Yep.
16:15And I'll find out the information further on this warrant.
16:20All right?
16:21Yeah.
16:24I know it's out of Lansing.
16:26Oh, yeah.
16:27I know it's a 25-mile pickup.
16:29I was in Lansing one day.
16:30My buddy, I let him drive and I had to pee real bad.
16:33And there's a road, just two more blocks.
16:36I hopped out of the car and I went to pee down a building.
16:39Oh, jeez.
16:40Somebody saw you?
16:42Oh, yeah.
16:43Apparently there's a truck right behind us.
16:45Oh, wow.
16:50All right.
16:51Good?
16:52This is your warrant and it's for unsanitary action.
16:57Yeah.
16:58So that's better than them writing you for public indecency or whatever.
17:03This man has issued two citations, one for driving with a suspended license and one for having an open container of alcohol in his vehicle.
17:11I almost gave him a warning for the opening talks until he told me that when he saw me, he put a sweatshirt over the whiskey and he said, Oh, S.
17:21So at that point, I knew he was trying to hide it.
17:24He did give me consent to search, but I don't think he thought I was going to find it under the sweatshirt.
17:28So when they start hiding things, I'm less likely to give them a warning.
17:34Get the vehicle off the road as soon as you can, okay?
17:36Yeah, the dirt will be coming.
17:37Yeah.
17:38And then I advise you to call Lansing and get that warrant taken care of.
17:42Yeah.
17:43It's only a $300 bond, so it'd be better to take care of it than have to look over your shoulder all the time.
17:49Sure.
17:50All right?
17:51All right.
17:52Take care.
17:53Take care.
18:03Michigan Conservation Officer Carter Woodwick is on patrol of the second day of the state's firearm deer season.
18:09He has contacted two hunters on the same hunting property.
18:12One of them was riding an off-road vehicle with a firearm that was not in a gun case.
18:16The other man shot a deer, recovered it, and brought it up to his house,
18:20but did not have it tagged when C.O. Woodwick made contact with him there.
18:24So, you know, when you shoot a deer, you know, the old saying goes, tag it before you drag it.
18:30Oh, okay.
18:31You got to make sure you tag it immediately.
18:34That's the one I use, right?
18:35Yep, that's the one you're going to have to use.
18:37Did you hear what I was saying there in terms of tagging it?
18:40Yeah.
18:41Yeah?
18:42That make sense?
18:43Yeah, I used to, but I always...
18:45So, is there any reason when you were driving up here after you shot your deer that you don't case your gun up
18:50or lock it up like it's supposed to be?
18:52I had it down there.
18:54When you were coming in on your gator?
18:57Uh, I had, uh, it was unloaded.
19:01Right, and it was sitting on your lap?
19:03Yeah.
19:04Yeah.
19:05That's the issue.
19:06It's got to be locked.
19:07It either has to have a...
19:08So, somebody's spying on me?
19:09Yeah, me.
19:10So, uh, even if it's on your own property, the firearm has to be...
19:15Yeah, there's no exception to it.
19:18Yep, no exception.
19:19Doesn't matter if you're on private property, public land, driving down the road.
19:22It's gotta be...
19:23You either have to have a locking device that locks the trigger, like a mechanical key locking
19:29device, or it has to be locked in something or completely cased up.
19:34As soon as you get it right in the bucket, don't bring it all the way up to the house
19:37and then decide to tag it later.
19:39Is this gonna affect me buying a license next year?
19:42Nope, it shouldn't.
19:44Nope, I don't plan on going for any kind of, uh, license revocation or anything, but
19:49obviously...
19:50No...
19:51I just want you guys to learn from it, and...
19:53Oh, I learned a lot, yeah.
19:55In this case, for operating an ORV with an uncased firearm, this man pled guilty and
20:00paid a court-ordered fine of $275.
20:04His dad faced the same charge of having an uncased firearm, and was also charged with
20:09failing to immediately put a kill tag on his deer.
20:12He pled guilty to both charges and paid $275 for the uncased firearm and $325 for the
20:19untagged deer.
20:20As a result, his grand total in court-ordered fines was $600.
20:25If you have a locking mechanism that will go over your trigger, like a, you know, like
20:30they have on pistols sometimes, if you put that on it, then you're good to, yeah, put
20:35it in there or carry it on your lap.
20:41As long as it's fully encased, if you got a piece that goes on the backside here and
20:46you can fully encase it in there, then you're good.
20:49As long as it's unloaded.
20:50Like I said, remember to tag it before you drag it and case up the firearms unloaded and
20:55you won't have any issues.
20:57Obviously, you guys are wearing orange, you're good there.
20:59As long as you're not baiting back there, then we won't have any issues moving forward.
21:02For many Michigan residents, winter in the Great Lake State seems to linger on for much
21:08longer than a quarter of the calendar.
21:10While there's a wide array of outdoor activities for people to pursue when it's cold outside,
21:15many Michiganders prefer to wait for all the snow to melt and for the ground to thaw completely
21:20before they venture outdoors to really soak up the state's natural resources.
21:25One way that some people have fun outside is by utilizing off-road vehicles on some of
21:32the state's designated ORV trails.
21:35In Michigan's District 5, it's Memorial Day weekend and Conservation Officer Josh Russell
21:41is monitoring ORV users who are taking advantage of the long weekend to venture outside and bask
21:46in the unofficial start of summer.
21:49Things we look for for ORV safety is, first and foremost, people who are operating either
21:54a dirt bike or a quad have some sort of helmet on.
21:57Or if they're in a side-by-side, they have a roll cage and their seatbelt on.
22:01Because if they don't have either one of those, then they have to wear a helmet.
22:04Also looking for goggles for eye protection.
22:06Just trying to make sure people are just operating safely.
22:08Then we're also looking for ORV stickers, which is their registration to be on the roadways.
22:13That allows them to leave private property and be on the roadways.
22:16And we're also looking for trail stickers if we're actually on the ORV trails.
22:19You got ORV stickers on there?
22:20You do?
22:21Okay, perfect.
22:22I couldn't see them, so okay.
22:23Okay, no problem.
22:24I apologize.
22:25They both do too.
22:26They do too?
22:27Okay.
22:28Just want to double check.
22:29They're hard to see on those machines.
22:30Other side.
22:31Other side?
22:32Okay.
22:33Right there?
22:34You're good.
22:35So you guys are just sticking to the roads then, not going down trails?
22:37No, we're going down the trail here.
22:39No, you're not sticking, you're not going to ORV trails?
22:41No, no, no.
22:42Okay.
22:43Yeah, you're right.
22:44Okay, just the State Force 2 tracks then?
22:45That's correct.
22:46Okay, perfect.
22:47Awesome.
22:48All right, guys.
22:49I'll let you get back to it.
22:50You're good.
22:51All right, thank you so much.
22:52Not a problem.
22:53Just wanted to make sure you had them.
22:54I didn't see them.
22:55No, no, I appreciate it.
22:57All right.
22:58Have a good one, guys.
22:59You do the same, thanks.
23:00After conducting several checks on riders, their equipment, and their DNR stickers, Officer
23:01Russell is called to the scene of an accident.
23:03There's a lot of fires here.
23:04Still requesting medical attention from EMS.
23:06Do you have any idea what happened?
23:10Something really long.
23:11I didn't got that far.
23:12I didn't know who was operating those.
23:13I didn't know who was operating those.
23:14So I was coming up to the corner.
23:15They were coming around.
23:16I saw them coming.
23:17They went over, like, four times.
23:19Oh, yeah.
23:20Back on the trail.
23:21Is it still back there?
23:22Oh, that's it.
23:23Okay.
23:24Just help them get them lifted up off of them in the machine.
23:26There's two girls here, and then the mom and the daughter there.
23:29Is that almost there?
23:30Yeah.
23:31No.
23:32That's still back there?
23:33Yeah, still back from the machine.
23:34That's all you doing?
23:35What color machine it was?
23:36It's blue and black.
23:37It's a little silver black.
23:38Silver and black.
23:39Yeah, okay.
23:40Did you hurt?
23:41I didn't see that.
23:42Everybody else seems fine.
23:43Another couple miles up, then, you think, around that bend?
23:44Yes.
23:45Okay.
23:46We should go find Dad, then.
23:47Should I head up there?
23:48Yeah, I'll head up there.
23:53Maybe underneath the hood here.
23:55Maybe we pop the hood and try to find the VIN quick?
23:57Yeah.
23:58Okay.
23:59We cleared one ORV accident, which was a seven-year-old who got caught underneath a side-by-side,
24:03and as we were finishing the investigation on that, we got us to call for a second personal
24:07injury accident on ORV just north of us a couple miles here, right at the Jonesville trailhead.
24:12So this is the machine?
24:13Yep.
24:14Yeah.
24:15Okay.
24:16That's all she did to it, then?
24:17Yeah, that's it.
24:18Okay.
24:19The subject seems to have a broken arm.
24:20Looks like they just went off the trail and hit the side, blew a tire out, and broke their
24:25arm range of their arm of some sort.
24:26They're loading up the ambulance now and heading to the hospital.
24:29After clearing the two ORV accidents, CO Russell notices an off-road vehicle that's on a trail
24:36that's currently closed.
24:38How's it going?
24:39Good.
24:40So, did you miss the signs where you're not supposed to be in here with these?
24:43Oh, no.
24:44Oh, no.
24:45How'd you get here?
24:46Um, by, what's it, Oyster Lake?
24:49Off of Chapel Dam?
24:50Off of Chapel Dam.
24:51Okay, so you came in for off-
24:53Oyster.
24:54So you came in off Chapel Dam and dumped into here?
24:56Yeah.
24:57The red sign says no ORVs, and there's a big-
24:59Oh, no, I didn't see-
25:00Oh, you didn't.
25:01Yeah, yeah.
25:02How much have we been drinking tonight, ladies?
25:03I can smell it, so let's be honest.
25:05We had, like, two.
25:06Everyone says two.
25:07It's two, like, four, or is it six?
25:09We had two or four.
25:10Two or four?
25:11Okay, how many have you had?
25:12That's the big issue.
25:13Probably about two or four.
25:14Two or four?
25:15Somewhere in there?
25:16Okay.
25:17You got your ID on you?
25:18Go ahead and turn the machine off for me, if you would.
25:19Yeah.
25:20So we've had between, like, two and four to drink tonight?
25:22So, is it two or is it four?
25:24Be honest with me.
25:25I don't know.
25:26It didn't count.
25:27It didn't count?
25:28Okay.
25:29Any empties back here at all?
25:30Got one couple?
25:32All right.
25:33No crazy wandsworns?
25:34Nothing I need to know about?
25:35Nothing.
25:36Okay.
25:37All right.
25:38Sit tight for me, okay?
25:39Okay.
25:48Michigan's DNR strives to place leg bands on 2,000 mallards and 450 wood ducks each year,
25:54As a result, different regions of the state use different techniques to place bands safely and efficiently.
26:00One spot where they put bands on mallards is in a suburb of Detroit in a busy residential neighborhood.
26:06We moved here, it was a new house, about eight years ago.
26:10And this whole hill was covered with weeds waist high.
26:15And when we mowed down the weeds and saw that there was a creek here and saw a few ducks floating, I said, oh, this is nice.
26:24Four grew to be 20 and then 50 and then 100.
26:29So now, when the flight ducks come in early August, we have two, 300 every morning and every afternoon here just roosting on the hill.
26:39The technique used in this location utilizes a net that's propelled by air over the ducks after they've been attracted to the area by corn.
26:52Once the net is spread out over the ducks, DNR staff and volunteers from the neighborhood work in pairs to safely and slowly remove them from the net and take them to two banders.
27:02As they are being banded, the sex and age are noted and recorded.
27:0686 is a juvenile hen.
27:0887, juvenile drake.
27:10This one's a juvenile drake.
27:1283, JM.
27:14Although the ducks occasionally appear to be struggling while they're under the net, they are handled extremely carefully and very seldom injured and frequently returned to the area where they were banded right after being under the net.
27:25So here's a duck we just did, right?
27:27We just banded this thing, shot the net over it and it decided that it was comfortable enough that it just went back in and ate some more corn and got captured again.
27:34So we're just going to let it go since we just put this band on.
27:37But brand new shiny band and yeah, let it go.
27:42Our first concern is always safety for the birds no matter what we're doing.
27:45If we're banding ducks, we're banding geese.
27:48We want the birds to be healthy and safe when we let them go.
27:52It can be a fairly traumatic event for them, but we also just showed that we captured two birds that we had already caught this morning and handled once.
27:59So if you're doing things really well, it doesn't bother them very much.
28:02So the biggest thing we try and stress to our staff and our volunteers is remaining calm.
28:07Most animals are real receptive to your body language and your excitement level, waterfowl especially.
28:13If you can stay relaxed, it'll help them stay relaxed.
28:16The data collected from banding birds in Michigan is a small part of a much larger nationwide effort to study waterfowl.
28:23Biologists study the movement, survival, and behavior of these banded birds.
28:28This data also helps federal and state agencies set bag limits.
28:32That banding effort also allows us to expand hunting opportunities.
28:36If we can show that populations are doing really, really well, production is high,
28:40we're banding a lot of juvenile birds, we have a lot of birds.
28:43That's what's allowed us to have really liberal goose seasons in Michigan.
28:47And that's, you know, for the flyaway, it's allowed us to expand from it wasn't that long ago,
28:51you could only shoot one wood duck a day in Mississippi flyaway.
28:53And now you can shoot three a day because these production states are showing that, you know,
28:57our wood duck production is really high.
28:58We're putting a lot more ducks on the landscape than we thought at one time.
29:01Banding is a pretty important role in, like, a broader partnership.
29:05And the partnership expands to, you know, hunters, returning bands, people that help us out,
29:11partners that, you know, participate in this sort of exercise here.
29:16But really the states each have quotas to put bands on ducks.
29:20And that way we can learn more about, like, migratory patterns and juveniles versus adults,
29:25so production and things.
29:27I've worked with some grouse before and done some radio collaring for telemetry work and stuff like that,
29:32but not banning waterfall.
29:34I've always been aware of it, aware of the program and everything like that,
29:38but never been a part of it actually being implemented, so it was pretty neat.
29:42Pretty dialed in program.
29:43It was very cool, very efficient.
29:45Yeah, it was a neat experience.
29:46Wildlife and law enforcement does a lot of work together,
29:49and yeah, this is definitely a good example of that.
29:51The opportunity to band ducks in a suburban setting is somewhat unique
29:55and can help foster excitement, enthusiasm, and the spread of information regarding wildlife.
30:00Finding these partnerships where people are already feeding ducks,
30:03they already know where ducks are at, allows us to tap into a huge resource
30:07that wasn't previously being monitored, and that impacts, you know,
30:11our knowledge of how many ducks are on the landscape,
30:13and then whether these urban ducks are going out into rural areas,
30:17are they being harvested by hunters afterwards, are they then going to other states
30:20and, you know, going into different environments,
30:23or are they going right to another urban environment?
30:25It's a whole other question that's interesting to ask.
30:27Approximately six months before he conducted his spring ORV patrol,
30:46Michigan Conservation Officer Josh Russell was checking on late season deer hunters.
30:51Check your gun real quick and your licenses, and I'll let you get warmed up in the car.
30:54How does that sound?
30:56He's in the parking lot of a state game area
30:58and checking the licenses and equipment of hunters
31:00as they return to their vehicles after their evening hunts.
31:03Is it all unloading all that good stuff?
31:08Perfect, that's what I like to see. Awesome.
31:10Yeah.
31:11Well, I wish I was seeing a dragon deer out or something like that.
31:14I could, you know, finish helping you get into the truck,
31:16but I'll let you get back in the truck and get warmed up then, sir.
31:19Alrighty, well you guys have a good time.
31:21You as well. Good luck the rest of the season.
31:23Later in the evening, CO Russell meets up with Officer Mike Haas to conduct an interview.
31:28They're at the home of a man who has self-reported that he mistakenly shot a deer
31:32while hunting for coyotes and foxes.
31:34I got your call in the middle of the night last night,
31:36and then I had a bunch of other complaints to get to today,
31:38so you were the next one on my list.
31:40So I guess I'm just trying to figure out exactly everything that went down.
31:44Oh, we were out cow hunting.
31:46Mm-hmm.
31:47So there was a fox back there.
31:49He said he was coming from the left.
31:52Come out in that hill right there, the way that deer was,
31:56looked like a fox sticking through.
31:59I just shot and dropped the gun a little too early.
32:03Okay.
32:04Were you calling or anything?
32:05Yeah, I had a call going.
32:07Okay.
32:08Was hunting right with you then?
32:09He was not right directly sitting with me.
32:11He was over there.
32:12He was on the other side.
32:13Okay.
32:14How many guys were hunting, I guess, with you?
32:15Five of us.
32:16And what did you shoot it with?
32:17I took five turned out.
32:18Okay.
32:19Did you have that here?
32:20I do have that.
32:21Can I get some information off of it?
32:22I'm not saying I'm taking it or anything.
32:23I'm just going to get some information off.
32:25Unloaded and everything?
32:26Yep.
32:27All right.
32:28So you had this.
32:29Ooh.
32:30Two years?
32:31Okay.
32:32So you've been hunting coyotes then and stuff for at least two years?
32:37I don't know.
32:38For a couple years.
32:39Okay.
32:40Yeah.
32:41Okay.
32:42It's registered to you and all that good stuff?
32:43Like I said, there's nothing in the chamber right now?
32:45No, there's nothing in the chamber.
32:46Okay.
32:47I'll get some information off of it.
32:48Like I said, then I'll come bring it back to you.
32:49I'll talk with my partner here.
32:50Like I said, I'm not taking it or anything.
32:51Yeah.
32:52Because you called.
32:53You did the right thing by self-reporting.
32:55But I guess ultimately it's kind of a, when most people are going to see a deer and a
33:00fox and you put them side by side, there's quite a deer.
33:03Yeah.
33:04So I want to make sure you're like, man, I got my deer tags to fill.
33:06There's a nice deer.
33:07And then you shot a deer and it wasn't like, it wasn't anything crazy like that.
33:10No.
33:11Okay.
33:12Michigan Conservation Officer Josh Russell has encountered an ORV
33:16that was operating on a trail that was closed.
33:19Upon making contact with the vehicle's occupant, C.O. Russell smelled alcohol
33:23and saw empty beer cans in the back of the vehicle.
33:26We're going to do a few tests to make sure you're not, you know, over the legal limit
33:29and you're able to drive this machine.
33:30Okay.
33:31Feel comfortable with that?
33:32Yeah.
33:33Okay.
33:34We're going to step to the front of the machine here.
33:37Do me a favor and take your glasses off.
33:40Okay.
33:41All right.
33:42So first test I'm going to do is going to be testing your eyes.
33:44All right.
33:45So do me a favor.
33:46Feet together, hands to your side.
33:47Watch the tip of my finger.
33:48All right.
33:49Just follow your eyes only.
33:50All right.
33:51You're going to take nine heel to toe steps, right?
34:04So it's going to be one, two, three, et cetera, until you get to nine, right?
34:09Then you take small steps to turn around.
34:13Then you're going to walk back 10, 11, 12, and so forth until you hit 18.
34:18Okay.
34:19Does that make sense?
34:20Mm-hmm.
34:21Do you understand those instructions?
34:22Yep.
34:23Okay.
34:24Go back nine, come back to 18.
34:25Yep.
34:26Exactly.
34:27So we'll go ahead and get back in the start position.
34:28And then when you're ready to begin, go ahead and begin.
34:31One, two, three, four, five, seven, 1,000, four, 1,000, five, 1,000, six.
34:38Keep looking up.
34:39Yep.
34:40Keep going.
34:41Keep going.
34:42Seven, 1,000, eight, 1,000, nine, 1,000, 10, 1,000.
34:45Keep going.
34:4911, 1,000, 12, 1,000, 13, 1,000.
34:53All right.
34:54Ready?
34:55Good.
34:56All right.
34:57Well, it's saying zeroes.
34:58I don't know how you've had two to four beers and you don't have, you're not blowing anything,
35:01but that's good for you, right?
35:02That's over a matter of time.
35:04We've been, yeah.
35:06So you probably haven't drank while you've been driving then?
35:08No.
35:09Okay, so you probably.
35:10No, we stopped that.
35:11Yeah.
35:12Well, it's fine.
35:13Just verify and everything.
35:14All right.
35:15Well, that's good, because I didn't want to have to haul you to jail tonight anyways,
35:17right?
35:18Oh, I appreciate that.
35:19After conducting several tests, Officer Russell determines that the driver of the ORV is not
35:24too impaired to drive, but he does issue her a citation.
35:29In this case, for operating an ORV in a prohibited area, this woman was found responsible and paid
35:35a court-ordered fine of $240.
35:38This whole area here is off limits to ORVs.
35:40It's actually the Gladden Field Trial Area.
35:42It's actually a state game area, so there's no ORVs allowed at all unless it's plated,
35:45which your vehicle is not plated, right?
35:48So we got that issue with this as well.
35:51So are you just going to go check out the campground and buzz back home, or what was the game plan
35:54of the day?
35:55Mm-hmm.
35:56Yeah.
35:57Well, I have friends that just bought property up here on Dutcher Road.
36:00Oh, okay.
36:01So I'm like, do you know what's back here?
36:04So I was just taking them for a ride to show them, and they turned around and went back,
36:08and I was just like, let's just see the rest of it.
36:11Yep.
36:12Unfortunately, from Chapel Dam, that gate there, this whole section is all off limits
36:17to ORVs.
36:18I'm going to help her pant.
36:19There you go.
36:20She took you for the ride, right?
36:21Exactly.
36:22It's only nice of you to do so.
36:23Damn it all to hell.
36:24We had no idea we were on the sea shed.
36:25We should have cleaned the sea shed.
36:27I know.
36:28We were going to clean the sea shed.
36:29Approximately six months before conducting this patrol for ORVs, Michigan Conservation
36:44Officer Josh Russell was working a deer case with Officer Mike Haas.
36:48They are investigating a case where a man self-reported that he shot a deer after dark while hunting
36:53for coyotes and foxes.
36:55The hunter says that he mistook the buck for a fox.
36:57You need to know what your target is, period, right?
36:59Yep.
37:00And you're supposed to know what's in front of your target, behind your target, and not
37:02like you shoot and then you walk up on it and realize you just shot the neighbor's dog
37:05or the kid was in a Halloween costume.
37:07After interviewing the man at his home, Officers Haas and Russell head to the hunting property
37:12to take a look at the deer and chat with the landowner who was also hunting in the woods
37:16when the deer was shot.
37:18So you knew it was a deer right away when you saw it come out?
37:21I did, yeah.
37:22I was over there.
37:23And then when I heard the gunshot, that was the only heat in the field I'd seen in the
37:27thermal, obviously.
37:28So I'm like, well, I have another cornfield blocking me, so if there was something that
37:32popped out out here, I'm not going to see it in the thermal.
37:35Yeah.
37:36I'm like, well, maybe.
37:37Because you can't see that corner.
37:38Right.
37:39So then I turned the call down, and I turned on pup distress, I think, for a couple minutes,
37:42and then I turned the call off and I yelled over.
37:44I was like, well, what'd you get?
37:45And he goes, well, I shot a fox.
37:47So was he pretty animate right away about, like, oh, shoot, what do we do?
37:50Do I need to call this?
37:51Or, like, what happened?
37:52It was an in-shock moment for everybody.
37:54You know what I mean?
37:55And I just, I told him, you know, and I said, well, I said, you know, it's a pickle.
38:00I said, it's got to get, you know what I mean?
38:01You need to make a phone call because I said, I've got too much on the line.
38:04You know, and I said, it's not, it's not worth it over a deer.
38:07These things happen.
38:08You can make mistakes.
38:09You've got to own it.
38:10You pulled the trigger, you've got to own it.
38:11You know, you know, and I don't have to preach to you.
38:13You've got to identify your target at night before you pull the trigger.
38:16Nobody needs to tell you that.
38:17Sounds like the same stuff we told them today, then.
38:19Vision and thermal.
38:20There's no reason.
38:21You know what I mean?
38:22I can see if you're just using a light, it's an eyeball.
38:24But, you know, you've got a bunch of scope.
38:26Yep.
38:27So, this, I mean.
38:28Yeah, I see the deer butt, I think.
38:29Yeah, he's within one of these two rows.
38:31Yeah, I see him right there, I think.
38:32Yep.
38:33That's my thing with a fox and a deer, their body composition is so different.
38:37Like, how do you, with the neck and everything, I mean, it's, there's nothing about this looks
38:42like a fox.
38:43Nothing.
38:44I mean.
38:45I think he just got excited, but it's, but again, when you, when you, when you're going
38:49to shoot something, you better, you need to know what you're shooting.
38:51I don't think he's going to come to your house and then shoot a deer in front of everybody.
38:54Especially not.
38:55I mean, no.
38:56Right.
38:57But, but, I don't think there was criminal intent, but how, that's a, that's a pretty
39:00bad mistake to make.
39:02You see that neck and the head, it's very distinct compared to a fox.
39:05So, that's a big fox.
39:07No, and like I said, he's, he's wrong.
39:09He just, I think he made an honest mistake.
39:11But it's just, um, again, he just, I don't think he'd shoot a deer on someone else's
39:16property in front of, you know.
39:17I definitely don't.
39:18So, yeah, I think it was just, he just got excited.
39:20And I just, I don't, for the principle of the matter, I don't, I'm not, I don't feel
39:24very good about it because that's a bad mistake to make to shoot something.
39:27Whether it's a deer or a skunk or whatever, you just, you need to know what you're shooting.
39:30That's like the one thing you should know from hunter safety class.
39:32Like if you sleep through the whole class, at least know what the heck you're going to shoot.
39:35In this case, after conducting follow-up interviews with other members of the hunting party,
39:39who all supported the story of the hunter, and also determining that all of these hunters
39:44had clean criminal histories, officers Haas and Russell decided not to pursue charges against this hunter.
39:50A significant factor in making this determination was that the hunter self-reported his mistake
39:55and did not try to hide it or cover it up.
39:58The DNR Law Enforcement Division encourages individuals to self-report issues that arise
40:03so that they can be addressed quickly and with the least amount of hassle.
40:07Although no citations were written or charges pursued, officers Haas and Russell did issue warnings,
40:14and they also revisited with the hunter to reiterate the importance of always positively identifying his target
40:20prior to pulling the trigger.
40:22Even if all you see is the thermal or the blob, a deer looks nothing like a fox.
40:26So the long neck on a deer, the, oh well.
40:29Like I said, it is what it is.
40:30He just made it, I think that's what it comes down to, he made a bad mistake.
40:33Like I said, that's why I'm hung up on.
40:35The principle of the matter is it's, it's, I don't care if it was just a deer or, you know, a chipmunk or a squirrel,
40:40it's still a bullet.
40:41It's a live bullet and you send it down range and you better know what you're shooting.
40:44You better know what you're shooting.
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