DRESSED in camouflage, the three officers from Idaho Department of Fish and Game were deep undercover in the rugged mountains, living on rations, camping rough and for nine days intently watching their quarry: A group of Australian hunters.
The game wardens were aware that Anton Kapeller, 58, from central Tasmania, had for 20 years been bringing other Australians and New Zealanders to Idaho to hunt elk, deer and wolves.
They had long suspected him of illegally hunting elk out of season. But what really motivated them was that Kapeller left his camps, high in the beautiful mountains, littered with rubbish.
There was also a suspicion he was committing the ultimate sin: Taking antlers and leaving the meat to rot.
This year game officers Marshall Haynes, Brian Flatter and Brian Marek were determined. With the help of various agencies, they knew Kapeller's travel movements well in advance.
He was travelling with his long-time friend and neighbour Darren Tubb, 43, and Tubb's nephew Samuel Henley, 18, both first-time guests on his hunt.
Tubb and Henley bought tags which allowed them each to shoot one elk, one deer and one wolf. But for Kapeller, the rules didn't really matter.
The place he was taking them to was so remote they could do as they pleased.
The officers positioned themselves in Kapeller's favourite spot - high in the Sawtooth National Forest. "We were dressed like hunters, in full camo, carrying rifles," Mr Flatter said.
"So, if we were seen, it wouldn't be too surprising. But we worked extra hard not to be detected. We were hiking in the dark, and by day we were watching them."
On October 26, the wardens watched as the party (which included another Tasmanian and a New Zealander, who were not convicted of any offence) set up base camp. Kapeller knew a spot where the elk liked to graze. He put Tubb and Henley in position and, on October 28 just before nightfall, a prized six-point bull elk appeared.
So did the game wardens.
Tubb and Henley were in radio contact with Kapeller, who told them: "Go for it," even though elk season had not opened. Henley took three shots but missed. Tubb took over and nailed the elk.
The officers did not make an immediate arrest.
"We're looking at guys in camouflage. We couldn't say for sure who did what. We saw the elk go down but we needed more," Mr Flatter said.
Over the following days, Tubb, Henley and Kapeller returned to the kill site. They took a small bit of meat but were only interested in the "rack" - the antlers.
MEANWHILE, the officers paid secret visits to the now bloated elk, taking DNA samples.
Tubb and Henley dragged the elk into a more open spot to attract bears and wolves.
Henley shot two wolves and later claimed on Facebook that he had done so in self defence.
That was not true, said Mr Marek.
"The wolf was just standing there," he said.
"I think he's trying to save face with his buddies.
"He is a good kid, he's not a monster, but he's starting to throw some stuff around that's not quite true."
Henley had a tag which allowed him to kill only one wolf, so Tubb transferred his to his nephew. Another illegal move. On November 3, as the group left the area on their horses, the undercover officers moved in.
"Everyone was very untruthful," Mr Marek said. "They said the elk was killed on November 1 and the wolves were killed by Henley and Tubb. None of that was true."Once we determined they weren't going to be co-operative, we showed them our eight-day beards and said: 'We know you wasted the elk'."The three were sent to Elmore County Jail, where they spent six days. They pleaded not guilty at an initial hearing and were ordered to post bail bonds up to$75,000. They eventually pleaded guilty.Everyone in Idaho understands hunting. It's not about dead animals or pitying wolves and elk. It's about doing the right thing.
The three were each fined up to $5000 and lost their bonds. Kapeller and Tubb lost their guns and will never be allowed to hunt or fish in Idaho again - a ban that also covers most US states.
And they will never again eat huckleberry cheesecake at Trudy's Kitchen, in Idaho City, where Kapeller was a loyal customer.
Owner Trudy Jackson said: "I sent (Kapeller) away with huckleberry cheesecake only two weeks ago. I'm just floored that they came to the States and took advantage of us. It's so disappointing. I can't believe they did that."
To report a natural resources violation, call 1-877-TIPS-MNR (847-7667) toll-free any time or contact your local ministry office during regular business hours.
You can also call Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).
IDNR Conservation Police Make Arrests in Deer Poaching Case
November 4th, 2011
SPRINGFIELD, IL – Charges have been filed against three individuals after an 11-month investigation by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) Office of Law Enforcement in a deer poaching case. The three men were cited for numerous Wildlife Code violations including the illegal take of a potential state-record whitetail deer, and now face charges through the Grundy County State's Attorney's Office.
"Our Conservation Police Officers are tasked with the mission of protecting the public and our natural resources and they do it effectively and vigilantly," said IDNR Director Marc Miller. "I am proud of the hard work of the IDNR law enforcement staff and have a warning to those who choose to hunt illegally: We are watching."
"The IDNR Office of Law Enforcement has zero tolerance when it comes to poaching matters," said IDNR Conservation Police Chief Rafael Gutierrez. "Our Conservation Police will continue to protect our natural resources so that legal sportsmen get every opportunity they deserve."
The investigation focused on the unlawful harvest of a 36-point non-typical deer scoring 261 5/8 and valued at $35,000. Charges were filed after a thorough investigation with assistance from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, Wyoming Game and Fish Department, Alberta Sustainable Resources Department, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, Missouri Department of Conservation, and Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks.
The following individuals were cited on charges related to unlawfully taking a total of 24 deer in Illinois and Canada over a 10-year period. Specific charges were filed as follows:
Christopher Kiernan (age 45, of Minooka, IL)
11 counts of hunting without permission of landowner and being an accessory to the charge
19 counts of unlawful possession of illegally taken deer
5 counts of hunting with invalidated permit
5 counts of unlawfully taking of deer
2 counts of falsifying harvest records
1 count each of: Failure to report harvest on the same day as killed, Fail to tag deer as required
Garret Armstrong (age 31, of Avon, NY)
9 counts of hunting without permission of landowner and being an accessory to the charge
8 counts of hunting with an invalidated permit
4 counts of unlawful possession of illegally taken deer
2 counts of unlawfully taking of deer
1 count each: Failure to tag deer as required, Failure to report harvest as required, Falsifying harvest record
Larry Smith (age 49, of Williamsburg, Ontario, Canada)
1 count each of the following:
Hunting without permission of landowner
Hunting with invalidated permit
Failure to tag deer as required
Unlawful possession of illegally taken deer
Unlawfully taking of deer
Failure to report harvest as required
Falsifying harvest record
To report a natural resources violation, call 1-877-TIPS-MNR (847-7667) toll-free any time or contact your local ministry office during regular business hours.
You can also call Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).
Chris McCloud (217) 785-0075
Stacey Solano (217) 558-0994
$16,500 In Fines For The Illegal Sale Of Angler-Caught Fish
July 6th, 2011
Two Windsor area residents were fined $12,000 for illegally possessing overlimits of fish and selling the fish without a licence.
Nicholas Obermok, 63 of Lasalle, and Carmen Rainone, of Windsor, were each fined $6,000. In addition, two vehicles, a boat and trailer,
an outboard motor, a fridge and freezer, as well as a large quantity of fishing gear were permanently forfeited to the Crown. Obermok
and Rainone are prohibited from fishing in Ontario and cannot possess fishing equipment or sport fish, except at their residence, for
the next five years.
Court heard that conservation officers with the Lake Erie Enforcement Unit launched a 16-month investigation after receiving several
complaints from the public regarding alleged illegal fishing activities. Between April 25, 2007, and May 9, 2008, conservation officers
conducted surveillance of Obermok and Rainone. The pair were observed catching walleye and yellow perch in excess of the limits from
the Detroit River and Lake Erie, and then processing the fish and selling it to a fish retail outlet and individuals on at least 16
occasions. On May 15, 2008, officers executed three simultaneous search warrants on two residences in Lasalle and a fish retail outlet
in Windsor that led to charges.
In earlier convictions related to this investigation, the Coolwater Fish Ltd. retail outlet in Windsor and an employee of the retail outlet,
Gerald Goldhar of Woodslee, were fined a total of $4,500 after pleading guilty in a Windsor court on May 6, 2010.
Justice of the Peace Robert Gay heard the case in the Ontario Court of Justice, Windsor, on June 15, 2011, and Justice of the Peace Susan Hoffman
heard the case on the earlier convictions in the Ontario Court of Justice, Windsor, on May 6, 2010.
In order to harvest and sell fish in Ontario, a licence is required from the Ministry of Natural Resources. Fish retail outlets must purchase fish
for resale from fish processing plants or holders of commercial fishing licences. It is also illegal for anyone to purchase or sell any angler-caught fish.
To report a natural resources violation, call 1-877-TIPS-MNR (847-7667) toll-free any time or contact your local ministry office during regular business hours.
You can also call Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).
Kevin Sprague, Lake Erie Enforcement Unit, 519-324-7662
David Beneteau, Lake Erie Enforcement Unit, 519-825-4297
Group Ordered To Pay $45,700 For Poaching Incident
May 31, 2011
Seven southern Ontario residents have been fined a total of $36,500 for 30 offences relating to illegal hunting, and were ordered to pay an additional $9,200
in applicable court costs.
Six men and one woman pleaded guilty to numerous offences under the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act related to the poaching of three adult moose and a
deer in the Dog River Road area, Thunder Bay District.
Scott Walker of Badjeros was fined a total of $14,000 for hunting a bull moose, two cow moose and a white-tailed deer during the closed season, possessing
and abandoning the illegally killed animals, unlawfully using another person's licence and obstructing a conservation officer. His rifle was forfeited to
the Crown and his hunting licence was suspended for 10 years.
George Speer of Priceville was fined a total of $5,500 for unlawfully possessing illegally killed animals, unlawful abandonment and knowingly making a
false statement to a conservation officer.
Johan Speer of Dundalk was fined a total of $5,000 for unlawfully possessing illegally killed animals, unlawfully enabling the use of his licence and knowingly
making a false statement to a conservation officer.
Lyle Reynolds of Dundalk was fined a total of $5,000 for unlawfully possessing illegally killed animals, unlawful abandonment and knowingly making a false
statement to a conservation officer.
Geordan Speer of Priceville was fined a total of $4,000 for unlawfully possessing illegally killed animals and unlawful abandonment.
Beverly Speer of Priceville was fined $1,500 for knowingly making a false statement to a conservation officer.
Johnathon Speer of Dundalk was fined $1,500 for unlawfully possessing illegally killed animals. His hunting licence was suspended for two years.
All meat from the animals was unlawfully abandoned and ultimately became unsuitable for human consumption.
The court heard that on October 12, 2008, Ministry of Natural Resources conservation officers came in contact with some members of the group while conducting
a routine check on Highway 17, west of Schreiber. The officers inspected two adult moose in their possession. Investigation later revealed that Scott Walker,
George Speer and Geordan Speer were travelling in a separate vehicle and had abandoned additional illegally killed moose and a white-tailed deer.
Four days later, the Ontario Provincial Police investigated a complaint from the public regarding rotting meat abandoned behind a Schreiber business and
alerted the Ministry of Natural Resources. Conservation officers used DNA, forensic ballistics, search warrants, photography and physical evidence to link
all the abandoned animals to the same group.
The investigation revealed that Scott Walker had independently killed a bull moose, two cow moose and a white-tailed deer prior to open hunting season.
To cover up this fact, the group made false statements to the investigating officer. George Speer, Geordan Speer, and Scott Walker also abandoned and
hid the illegally killed moose and deer meat in an attempt to obstruct the investigation.
Over 20 officers from three different Ministry of Natural Resources units were involved in the investigation, as well as Ministry of Revenue special
investigations officers who specialize in searching computers, cameras and digital media.
Justice of the Peace Ray Zuliani heard four of the cases in the Ontario Court of Justice, Thunder Bay, on April 1, 2011. Justice of the Peace John
Guthrie heard the other three cases in the Ontario Court of Justice, Thunder Bay, on April 6, 2011.
To report a natural resources violation, call 1-877-TIPS-MNR (847-7667) toll-free any time or contact your local ministry office during regular
business hours. You can also call Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).
Cabela's Canada donates hunter vests for Manitoba Junior Rifle Club Graduates
May 30, 2011
The MNROA in its efforts to promote the Turn In Poachers Line have partnered with Cabela's Canada and The Manitoba Wildlife Federation.
The MNROA is a strong supporter of the Manitoba Junior Rifle Clubs. The Clubs are part of the Manitoba Wildlife Federation Hunter Education
Program.
The MNROA contacted Cabela's Canada for a donation of hunter orange vests, Cabela's generously supplied the vests including the Turn In Poacher
logo and the partner logos.
The vests were presented at the provincial Junior Rifle Awards Banquet in Winkler Manitoba on May 28, 2011.
Spring has sprung, the grass has ris, I wonder where that black bear is!
May 2, 2011
It's early May and the word from the southern Manitoba forests is that our black bears have woken up
from their long winter sleep. Bear hunters are reporting baits being hit hard and regularly!
The bear is quite the versatile animal. It lives in the remote areas of Manitoba and on the virtual doorstep
of suburbia. Dens range from a hole in the ground, brush piles from logging activity or in this case, the crawl
space of a Hillside Beach cottage.
Officers were called to this location by the cottager who was opening up his cottage for a new season.
NROs Atkin and Lyons are seen planning and preparing to tranquilize the bear. Atkin believed the bear
to be a male approximately 150 kg in weight.
Bears are typically tranquilized then removed to remote areas for release. They are marked with an ear
tag to show that they have been captured at a previous time.
Goodbye Jake!
February 27, 2011
EULOGY TO CANINE JAKE
February 16, 2011. Yesterday, I laid Jake to rest. He was my partner for 9 years!
We were virtually inseparable for all that time!
Jake started feeling under the weather in November 2010. He had lost quite a bit of
weight too. After a series of tests he was diagnosed with Inflammatory Bowel Disease,
(IBD). There is no cure for IBD but it could be controlled given the right medications and diet.
We put Jake on anti-inflammatory drugs and steroids and he started eating a different diet. He responded quite well but was inconsistent from day to day. In mid-January 2011 it was decided to retire Jake from enforcement service and let him enjoy the rest of his life. But things got worse and his weight continued to drop.
On Wednesday February 9, 2011 I would have trusted him with my life! The next day I was deliberating whether or not to end his. How a short 12 hours can change your outlook?
He woke up sick on Thursday with severe vomiting and diarrhea. We were going to the vet anyway so I informed her that I didn't think it was fair to Jake to have these extreme ups and downs. Jake weighed in at 28 kg (61 lbs) whereas he normally weighed 39kgs (86lbs). The vet agreed!
After consulting with Headquarters supervisors Paul Hopkins and Grant Wright it was decided that when I felt the time was right I would make the appointment. Back at home in Ashern, Jean and I agreed that "now" was in Jake's best interest.
On February 15, 2011we said our goodbyes to Jake!
JAKE'S STORY!
Jake. a Belgian Malinois, came to the Manitoba Department of Conservation in a rather unusual way. He is a product of the Winnipeg Police Service (WPS) K9 Unit breeding program. His father Buddy was an active and very successful WPS K9 member. On several occasions he was bred with Cinder, a rather normal looking house pet female. They produced some very successful litters; one of which included a male named Rowdy.
Rowdy was not destined for Winnipeg police work. In fact he and 2 litter mates were sold to an officer in Nebraska. This officer was privately rearing and training dogs to sell to other agencies. He was just getting his business going when a tornado struck and wiped out his kennels. Two of the pups were in those kennels! Although shaken up the puppies were okay! Rowdy however was kept inside the owners' house so he never experienced the tornado trauma.
With no insurance and no kennels the owner offered them back if a home could be found. These pups were 4 months old!
My first canine Duke was getting older and I figured he may have a year or two left in him when the opportunity came along to receive a Belgian Malinois. So in August of 2001 I picked up Rowdy.
Four months old and in true Malinois fashion he lived up to his name. Literally eating, chewing, barking at, and running over, through and into anything and everything in his path.
We kenneled Rowdy in the house at first but soon realized this dog was destined for the out of doors no matter how young he was. We did not get much sleep in the first few weeks of taking on this young energetic handful. I quickly constructed a kennel/run next to Duke's in our backyard; only to find out this guy could dig faster than a badger. His barking did not stop! Even though the neighbours did not seem to mind Rowdy's behaviour, I apologized several times!
Rowdy's enthusiasm, energy and drive really impressed me. But if we were going to make him a department dog we felt he needed a more suitable name. I sat down with my kids and threw a bunch of names onto the table. I'm really not sure who came up with it or why but out of nowhere, "Jake" replaced Rowdy! He was on his way to becoming Manitoba Conservation's second K9 Unit!
Puppy training commenced immediately under the guidance of Sgt Cliff Samson and Cst Dave Bessason of the WPS K9 unit. Puppy tracks, simple obedience and general exposure to a variety of environments were introduced to Jake.
I remember one evening Jean and I took Jake and Duke for a walk through Ashern. Going past a gas station noisy with highway semi-tractors, traffic and people was good for Jake. On this occasion a muskrat had somehow found the ditch in town and decided to cross in front of us. I was holding both leashes. Jake freaked out and turned to high tail it while Duke went straight for the 'rat! Somewhere in the episode my arms became a lot longer in both directions. Duke made the kill by shaking the thing to death. Jake then decided he should check it out, picked it up, and gave it a little shake just like the "old boy" and we continued on our way. It was probably the only time I saw Jake scared of anything. He grew into a very courageous adult with drive beyond expectations.
That December, we moved out of Ashern and built a nice double kennel with a large run for the dogs. The nearest neighbor was ½ mile away so noise was not a factor, to them anyway.
Jake accompanied Duke and me on all patrols that fall. I did some training and obedience with him when I could. The rest of the time he hung out in the suburban.
A Malinois does not like to sit around. He managed to stick his head through to the front seat and located my sweater, patrol jacket and the seatbelt to ease his aching/teething gums.
In his boredom episode he decided that eating the interior of the door would be cool. I then had to cover the door and any exposed interior to keep him from chewing.
One afternoon I opened up the door to find fabric all over the kennel floor. Where did it come from? Looking up I found he had eaten the headliner. Needless to say when the new suburban arrived a fully enclosed kennel needed to be constructed. I used to keep my tack in the same kennel with Duke…this would not work with Jake!
Many officers will remember a certain training course at South Port! I brought puppy Jake into the bunk house for a visit. Jake disappeared for a moment then returned with a mouth all blue with some kind of substance. Mouse poison! He had found it under a dresser and eaten it. I had to call the VET poison control center and then dump a bunch of peroxide down his throat to make him vomit…oh the joys of puppy rearing!
In May of 2002, Jake and I began formal training with the WPS K9 unit. Two teams were being trained; Cst. Eric Luke and Jake's litter mate Cinder (Jr.) were the other team. It was a different style of training than Duke and I had experienced with the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) but over the next 4 months they taught me so much. Training and working with the WPS officers was an experience I will never forget.
JAKE GOES TO WORK!
Jake graduated in late summer of 2002 we hit the road on patrol. The rest is history.
Together Jake and I traveled to most corners of the province including Churchill. We patrolled alongside Manitoba Conservation's finest officers hoping to lend a hand if needed.
I remember one southbound angler check stop on PTH #6. We had a car of young adults stopped coming home from college. They had some fish so I took Jake around the car to look for more. He indicated on an A&W bag on the front seat. I looked in it and saw a Teen burger. Thinking what a difference between Jake and Duke! Duke would have eaten it flat out. But Jake went back to it a second time and sat down again (Jake sat down to indicate an item). I checked it again but this time I took out the teen burger. Under the burger was a bag of marijuana. Jake had been trained to find dope as well!
Jake came to the aid of one NRO and some RCMP members during his career. On one Folk Festival night a male subject destroyed a private yard with his truck trying to sneak into the park. While being apprehended by the NRO, the subject punched the officer in the head and ran off. Jake and I weren't far off so we got there quite quickly. We located the guy hiding in a goat shelter. The NRO ordered him to show his hands when he suddenly came out, swung at the officer again and jumped the fence to escape. Without hesitation, Jake made a great takedown! Utilizing minimal force the subject was taken into custody.
The other incident occurred where RCMP officers were arresting a subject on warrant when he assaulted them and ran off into the woods. There was no RCMP dog available and I was asked to attend. We got there a couple of hours later and cut a track only to find the subject a short distance into the bush. He sprang up and ran, refusing to comply with orders to stop. Jake was released and made a very quick apprehension. The RCMP members were quite happy with Jake as he was a tool that worked very well for them.
There are various Jake stories including evidence recovery and assisting with investigation. However, like Duke the most rewarding were the visits we had with schools and the demonstrations we gave to thousands of folks.
Jake started coming to those events as a puppy. I exposed him to those demonstrations at a very early age. He became quite a crowd pleaser, especially with his desire to get his toy after a search. He was very aggressive at holding on to his toy so as I swung him around the audience cheered.
But the important thing was that he sent a message of Conservation. While a person can talk until they are blue in the face, having a dog as the message sender really gets their attention. And it showed with the letters and notes sent to Jake after the talks.
Jake was not only my partner but a partner to all the NROs of Manitoba Conservation. So we say goodbye to a great partner!
Butchers, individuals to be charged in DNR sting
February 2, 2011
RICHIBUCTO - Conservation officers knew something was amiss, but they also knew it
was going to take a long time to find out what was happening to so many moose and
identify the people responsible.
Crimestoppers tips, moose hides discarded in the woods during the off-season, complaints by citizens that moose meat and antlers were being bartered on the open market all pointed towards the illegal taking and selling of moose meat. It would have been easy enough to arrest a few culprits relatively quickly, but the provincial Department of Natural Resources instead called in conservation officers from across the province and mounted one of the biggest undercover operations in DNR's history.
The results were unveiled for the first time yesterday: three-quarters of a ton of moose meat, 48 sets of antlers, freezers, meat-cutting equipment and cash, all seized as a result of Operation WAK, an 18-month operation that saw conservation officers buy moose meat and animal parts in a sting that will lead to about 50 charges against eight individuals and two butcher shops.
"These recent seizures are the culmination of years of intelligence followed by an 18-month special investigation by conservation officers in eastern New Brunswick," said Neil Jacobson, DNR's acting provincial conservation manager. "One of our primary roles as conservation officers is to identify and target the illegal killing of moose or any other wildlife that undermines the province's conservation efforts."
Game wardens are asking the Crown to lay multiple counts of illegal sale and possession of moose meat, offering the sale of hunting rights over land, possession of loaded firearms in vehicles and discharging firearms from vehicles.
The sheer amount of seized meat and butchering equipment filled most of the floor space in the garage at DNR's Richibucto regional headquarters: sausages, bottled meat, jerky, steaks, burger, roasts, chops, entire sides of moose, and antlers, some of them of trophy proportions.
Officers believe it is possible that some innocent customers of the two butcher shops might have been sold moose meat thinking they were buying cuts of beef or other meat. There is no evidence at this point any meat was sold to restaurants.
While Operation WAK started in 2009, it was five years ago that officers started poking around and asking questions, collecting intelligence that suggested this wasn't simply a crook trying to earn a bit of cash on the side, but organized crime. They ultimately uncovered evidence of a large-scale moose-peddling operation that spanned the area from Miramichi in the north to the Nova Scotia border in the south.
In the 1990s, some aboriginal hunters in the province carried on a considerable business by using their native-hunting rights to supply eager non-native customers with moose meat, in particular in and around the Richibucto area, but regulatory changes curtailed much of that. Jacobson declined to say if this sting had anything to do with aboriginal hunting.
"The file is still under investigation at this time," Jacobson said, and more charges could be coming, only after which will any suspects be named or otherwise identified.
The Crown has six months in which to formally lay charges. The suspects will eventually be appearing in Miramichi provincial court. It is thought the moose were being shot between October and December but no actual charges of jacking (hunting at night) or poaching (hunting out of season) are expected.
Conservation officer and district supervisor Norman Bourque said cumulative fines could reach into the six figures with up to two years in jail on top of that.
In his years as a conservation officer, Jacobson has never seen anything like it. The equipment seized from the butcher shops has an estimated value of $20,000, including four freezers, a number of table- and band-saws, sausage-making equipment, packaging machines and more. At $2 per pound, the meat is valued at $3,000 on the black market (there is no legal market for moose meat in New Brunswick) but in many ways moose defy a monetary value because the illegal sale of moose meat robs all New Brunswickers of a natural resource.
As well, about 60,000 New Brunswickers apply to hunt moose annually at a cost of about $10 per application, while fewer than 3,000 moose licences are available by a random draw. One reason the number of licences is restricted so tightly is to account for the unknown number of moose taken illegally, so a healthier moose herd would lead to more applications and more hunting licences and more money in public coffers.
The value of moose antlers can vary widely. Mostly, buyers want them for crafts or to adorn their camps, cottages or homes. Some of the antlers in this investigation were being sold through the popular online sell-and-buy site Kijiji, where even as Operation WAK was unveiled yesterday, moose and deer antlers were being advertised as wanted as well as for sale. It is generally illegal in New Brunswick to buy or sell parts of wild animals, or even to even take animals or parts of animals from road kill.
Wardens were excited at the prospect of making a dent in the local trafficking of moose meat, but they have no illusions that their work is finished.
The seized meat will be kept as evidence, then destroyed. It cannot be put to use because officials can't be certain that it was processed correctly and in a sanitary environment, and that the animals were in good health.
WICHITA, Kan. The poacher thought he had pulled off the perfect crime. He had shot a big buck, his biggest, before the 2009 season opened.
On opening day, he parked at his hunting spot so others would think he was legally afield. Months passed, and each day brought less concern.
Then, in late March, game warden Hal Kaina came knocking with proof the deer was poached before the season. Busted.
The poacher had no choice but to confess, lose the mount and take his lumps. Kaina made the case with the help
of a valuable game warden's tool: Facebook.
"I was cruising (online) and I found a picture of the guy with the deer," Kaina said. "The date on
the photo said opening day, but the deer's nose was flat and cape looked stiff like they'd been frozen.
He had to have shot it before the season."
It was one of several cases Kaina made browsing social-networking sites after the season closed.
Many game wardens see technology as a constant ally.
"I think I can make more cases sitting at a computer than out traveling around the country,"
said Phil Kirkland, a Kansas game warden for more than 25 years. "This technology stuff
is really changing how we work - and for the better."
Simply cruising online, Kaina also caught a poacher for bow-killing a whitetail buck when
his permit allowed him to hunt only with a rifle. An online photo was his tip. A guy from New
Jersey went online with a gnarly buck he killed in western Kansas. Kaina found he lacked
the needed hunting license.
These days, there are thousands of photos placed online every year of hunters with their
deer. Sometimes a date on the photo is a dead giveaway of an out-of-season kill. It takes a
warden only a few seconds to see if the hunter had the proper licenses. Kaina can quickly
pull up the hunter's electronic record with the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks—as well
as details such as addresses and phone numbers, he can learn exactly what permits and
licenses the person has and when they were purchased.
"Fifteen years ago, if we wanted to see if someone had the proper licenses, we had to
go and dig through 15,000 paper permits by hand-looking for their name," Kirkland said.
"That took a lot of time, and sometimes it took two or three of us to do it."
And they don't need to drive to their office to check, either. Kirkland's pickup carries
a laptop computer that usually allows him to instantly access the agency's database from
the field. If he's away from his rig, he can get the information via cell phone.
Many Options Now
Quick access to records has kept some hunters and anglers from getting cited for violations, too.
"If I'm checking somebody and they don't have a license on them but say they've bought one,
I can take their information and know right away," Kirkland said. "I'll say something like,
'Yep, you do so you're OK, but you'd better find it or get a duplicate.' "
More high-tech tools are being added to a game warden's arsenal. DNA testing can link a
set of antlers in Texas or Alaska with a headless deer found in a remote Kansas field. There are
now ways to tell how long an animal has been dead and if it was killed by bullet or arrow. Wardens
also can tell if a dried stain on a pickup bed is oil or blood of a poached deer.
Universal Tool
No piece of technology has made life harder on poachers than the cell phone.
Much of his career, Kirkland patrolled with only radio contact. People
witnessing violations had to find a phone and call the sheriff's department
to report the crime. The information was forwarded to the game warden, who
often had to go find a phone to call witnesses for information.
Precious hours were often lost, and violators escaped with ease.
Not now.
"These days, it seems like everyone's carrying a cell phone, and they can talk
with me directly, right then, often while they're watching someone break the l
aw," Kirkland said. "And now it seems like most cell phones can take pictures
or videos, too. We have people out there gathering evidence for us right then,
when it needs to be done, and sending it to us within seconds."
"This technology stuff lets us act smoking fast. I can't tell you how big a
difference it's making for us in the field."
Self Incrimination
And in these days of dozens of outdoors television shows, wardens can make cases
from their own living rooms, too. Kirkland rattled off a long list of violations
he has seen on hunting shows. Often the violation is rifle hunting for deer
without the proper amount of orange.
Several years ago, he was watching a show host on a deer hunt in the Red Hills
without any orange. A quick check online showed the guy also didn't have the
proper deer permit for hunting deer in Kansas.
"When I see them advertise a show about hunting in Kansas, I try to watch it,"
Kirkland said. "It's not for enjoyment at that time. It's like I'm working."
Manitoba Conservation Canine Teams training their dogs. NRO Tim Cameron with his long time Belgian Malanois partner Jake,
new Canine Team NRO Chad Ducheck with his German Shepherd partner Rebel and future Canine Team hopeful NRO Shaun Lyons with
German Shepherd Fauna. Tim and Jake are stationed in Ashern, MB while Chad and Rebel are stationed in Grandview, MB.
Shaun is stationed in Selkirk, MB and assists Tim and/or Chad at every opportunity.
Fauna who is now a fully trained conservation enforcement service dog is waiting for a new home.
Cougar Found in Turtle Mountains
January 19, 2011
A local trapper found a cougar in a power snare on January 12, 2011 in the William Lake area of the Turtle Mountains. It weighed approximately 145lbs and appeared to be in reasonably good health.
The cougar was delivered to officials with Manitoba Conservation's Wildlife and Ecosystems. A necropsy will be conducted to analyze age, recent food sources and general physical condition including recent and old injuries.
MNRO's Corey Meadows and Brent Fuchs out of Boissevain are pictured with the cat.
2010 Shikar-Safari Wildlife Officer of the Year
January 13, 2011
The MNROA is proud to announce that Selkirk Natural Resource Officer André Desrosiers is the Manitoba recipient of the 2010 Shikar-Safari Wildlife Officer of the Year award.
Shikar-Safari Club International sponsors this award for a Wildlife Officer who has shown exemplary conduct and initiative in the performance of their duties as a
Wildlife Officer. This award is peer driven in the aspect that nominations for the award are made by other officers -- people that know and work with the nominee.
André's career as a Wildlife Officer was pre-determined at a very young age. A true love and interest in the outdoors was apparent by the age of 7 as he took his
first casts of a fishing rod. By the age of 10 he was tagging along on his father's rabbit and grouse hunts. At 14 years of age André knew that his vocation would
revolve around conservation enforcement.
Upon graduation from Ste Anne High School in 1977, he enrolled in the Environmental Science program at Lethbridge Community College. An 18 year old boy from
small town Manitoba moved 750 miles away from home to pursue the education that he needed to someday be a Game Warden. Two years later in December 1979,
he graduated from LCC.
By this time he had already spent 3 summers working for the Department of Fisheries and Oceans as a summer student/fisheries technician.
Within several months of graduation he began his employment with the Province of Manitoba. Although he had made the eligibility list for Conservation Officer
recruitment, he decided to take a position as a Fisheries Technician based out of the Central Region. This wasn't enforcement work but fisheries was always another
of André's keen interests! His supervisors quickly noticed how well he related to Conservation Officers as they were called at the time. They were easy to
relate to as he shared their interest in enforcement as well as resource management.
Five years later (August 1985) and still as a Fisheries Technician, he transferred to the Northwest Region. It was there that his inner need to
pursue his original career plans took hold.
In March of 1988, André became a Natural Resource Officer and was stationed in Mafeking, MB. It was there that he had the privilege of working with two of the
most influential Game Wardens of his career. NROs Roger Cross and Grant Wright took André under their wings and made HIM a Game Warden!
A move to Thompson, MB occurred in 1994 where he worked with other very positive influences on his career. NROs Luke Peloquin and Mitch Walker taught him the
art of believing in yourself and what you stood for!
In 1999 André transferred to Selkirk where he is presently posted.
André is known by his peers as a dedicated officer who is willing to take on the tough and complex enforcement investigations. These often resulted in solid
prosecutions while further developing new skills along the way. André has always been willing to share his skills and knowledge with other officers;
especially newly hired and younger officers.
André's leadership, knowledge and patience has molded and developed many seasonal officers over the years. He is well respected by all who have had
the privilege of working and learning under his guidance. Many of those seasonal officers have gone on to become successful Natural Resource Officers
or other law enforcement professionals!
André is a committed community oriented individual. He has been very active in community events such as Kids Fishing for a Cure and Big Brothers.
He also helped establish the Oak Hammock Mentored Youth Hunt. For several years, he has been a leader and supervisor at the College Louis Riel annual
outdoor camp at Spruce Woods Provincial Park. André is always willing to provide school group or community based presentations about his
profession, resource issues or resource education.
He's also taken on extra challenges both at work and away. He is currently the Planning Section Chief on one of Manitoba's Incident Management Teams.
He's worked in this capacity as well as Logistics and Division Supervisor on many large and complex Manitoba wildland fire incidents and the Flood of
the Century in 1997. This wildland fire expertise has also taken him to Alberta, Saskatchewan and multiple deployments to Québec. André credits NROs
Craig Asselstine, Pierce Roberts, Gary Friesen, John Rodgers and Roger Cross again for teaching him how to fight large wildland fires! Easily one of
the most interesting activities that NROs will ever perform in their careers!
André held various positions within the Manitoba Natural Resource Officers' Association culminating as the President in 1994/1995. He is presently
the MNROA's website manager. He remains a strong supporter and fund raiser for the association.
During his time in Selkirk, André has shown a keen interest in the environment and fishery of the lower Red River. This is one of the largest
recreational fisheries in Manitoba! André has worked hard at identifying issues, promoting solutions and acting as an advocate for this precious resource.
While André has always demonstrated respect for the resource, he has simultaneously earned the respect of his peers, supervisors and resource stake holders.
Several years ago, he was asked by senior Regional Managers to chair a committee assigned to develop an Enforcement Strategy for the Central Region. This
required meeting with NROs from each District in the Region to compile a list of enforcement issues that were of a scope too large or complex to manage at
the District level. This process took several months to develop but led to a strategy that was implemented at the Regional level. This also contributed
to a greater collaboration between Districts in terms of present day enforcement initiatives. He is honoured that Senior level managers like Brian
Gillespie have offered him the opportunities to participate in such important initiatives.
In his personal life André is still an avid outdoorsman. Always eager to take newcomers out and teach them the skills of hunting and fishing or simply
to enjoy and appreciate the great outdoors that he strives to protect as an Officer.
André truly believes in what he does and wears his uniform with pride and dignity.
André says: "I thank Jim Giesbrecht, Darren Henry and the Maritimer who shall remain nameless (lol) for nominating me! I am truly humbled! None
of this would have been possible without the support of my wonderful family, Rachelle, Janelle and Serge. Like all NRO families, they've shared all
the ups and downs with us! My Dad Lou was the man who planted the outdoor enjoyment seed! The outdoors did the rest!"
Archived News
Saskatchewan Anglers Fined $4,200 for Fisheries Violations
January 7, 2011
Two Saskatchewan men pleaded guilty to one count each under The Saskatchewan Fisheries
Act and Regulations and were fined a total of $4,200 in Melfort Provincial Court.
Larry Sens of Melfort was convicted for possessing northern pike within the protected size
range of 75-115 cm that were taken contrary to The Saskatchewan Fisheries Regulations.
He was fined $1,400 and prohibited from purchasing an angling licence for two years.
Larry Lee of Tisdale was convicted of aiding and abetting in the contravention of the Act.
He was fined $2,800 and prohibited from purchasing an angling licence for three years.
The charges were laid as the result of a two-year investigation by the Ministry of Environment.
The investigation determined that protected size northern pike were being caught and kept on
Tobin Lake. Tobin Lake is well known as one of the premier walleye and pike fishing destinations
in Saskatchewan. Reduced limits on the lake are designed to protect the fisheries for future generations.
"Taking protected fish can harm efforts to maintain game fish populations," Environment's Compliance
and Field Services Executive Director Kevin Callele said. "We hope that the significant penalty
imposed in this case will serve as a deterrent to those who abuse our fisheries resources in the future."
Anyone who is aware of or who suspects wildlife, fisheries or environmental violations is encouraged to
report them to the nearest Ministry of Environment office or to call the provinces toll-free Turn in
Poachers (TIP) line at 1-800-667-7561 or #5555 from any SaskTel cell phone subscribers.
For more information, contact:
Bonnie Greene
Environment, Prince Albert
Phone: 306-953-3499
Email: bonnie.greene@gov.sk.ca.
On September 20, 2010 Canadian Pacific workers were doing a brake check of a rail car during the middle of the night.
An unusual object, black in colour and lodged under the rail car caught their attention. After the black object moved they realized
it was a bear and noticed that its head was stuck. The CP rail employees immediately contacted their supervisor
who in turn reported the unusual find to the Manitoba Conservation TIP line.
Officers responded early the following morning and met with CP rail employees who escorted officers through
the maze of rail cars. At first glance nothing seemed to be out of the ordinary! However, further investigation
revealed what was causing all the excitement upon CP rail employees.
A bear cub had climbed up onto the wheels of the grain car and stuck its head into a hole approximately
7 inches in diameter. The bear was most likely trying to get at some grain that had been spilled when the
car was being loaded at the elevator. Getting its head stuck was probably upsetting to the bear, but the
ride it took to get into Winnipeg would have been one heck of a surprise!
According to the CP rail employees the grain car had been loaded 317 km west of Winnipeg at Foxwarren,
Manitoba; a 12 hour ride in grain car time! The train then sat another 6 hours in the Winnipeg yard before
the brake inspection found the bear. The bear had been stuck in the hole for at least 18 hours!
NROs certified in wild animal immobilization assessed the bear as weak with shallow breathing but alive.
The bear was administered a drug by use of a jab pole. It didn't take long before it was asleep and safe
to remove from under the rail car. Once the bear was successfully removed from the hole another health
assessment was done and an ear tag was attached.
The female bear cub was secured in a culvert trap and spent the day and following night recovering from
the drug and "holy" experience! She was then successfully released in a forested area east of Winnipeg.
Public consultations have demanded increased enforcement efforts to deal with the garbage accumulation,
illegal consumption of alcohol and other violations directly related to permanent shelters.
Cooperative patrols with other Central Region Districts and the RCMP will focus on curbing this illegal activity!
20lbs of Fillets Seized
December 1, 2010
On May 4, 2010 Selkirk officers received a complaint about a person who was selling fish in a parking
lot outside of a local business. Several officers attended and had one officer take up a surveillance
position. He observed the man selling fish to people who were passing by. Officers moved in and
approached the man. The investigation revealed that the fish were caught under Samuel FLETT's treaty
rights and could only be used for his own personal consumption. 20 lbs of walleye fillets were seized
and the man was charged with two fisheries offences. Patrick FRAIN who is the man who was seen
purchasing the fish was also charged. He later pled guilty with an explanation to purchasing fish
from other than the Freshwater Fish Marketing Corporation and was given a reprimand.
On December 1, 2010 Samuel FLETT had his day in court. He was found guilty of both counts. He was issued
a $200 fine for selling fish not taken under specified licences and a $200 fine for transporting fish not
accompanied by a load slip. The fish was forfeited and donated to a local youth home.
Cranberry Portage Fires
June-July 2010
Manitoba NROs led the wildland fire fighting efforts on a large fire in Northwest Manitoba. Incident Management
Team Alpha was deployed to Cranberry Portage on June 19, 2010. A lightning strike fire had escaped initial attack
and quickly grew beyond local suppression capabilities.
Before the fire was contained, it grew to ~56,000 hectares, caused a partial evacuation of the community of Cranberry
Portage, evacuation of the Sourdough Bay cottage subdivision near Flin Flon, closed down Provincial Trunk Highway 39,
closed down campgrounds and access to the Grass River Provincial Park, threatened to burn dozens of remote cottages
and virtually shut down all backcountry travel in the Northwest Region.
Specialized fire fighting crews from B.C., Ontario, Minnesota and Wisconsin were brought in to help with fire line
control. Heavy equipment (bull dozers and skidders) were utilized. As many as 8 water bombers dropped water on various
parts of Fire NW 024. 16 helicopters bucketed water, transported crews and equipment and flew operational planning missions.
The Manitoba Office of the Fire Commissioner spent days establishing structural fire fighting equipment on buildings in
Cranberry Portage, local lodges, remote cottages and the Sourdough cottage subdivision. Considering the hundreds of structures
threatened, only a handful of the more remote structures were overcome by the huge fire.
At its peak operation, approximately 450 personnel were involved in the management of the incident. The specialized training that
IMT Alpha took two years ago proved instrumental in their abilities to organize and manage this complex incident.
Going for the green on Lake Winnipeg
March 2010
Brad Dokken, Grand Forks Herald
SOMEWHERE ON LAKE WINNIPEG, Man. — Immersed in a shroud of fog and bouncing across the icy surface of a lake that now was covered with nearly a foot
of water and slush, it occurred to me that someone who'd never ice fished might find this whole experience a bit unsettling.
It was hard to tell where the ice ended and the horizon began.
As for me, I had "greenback" walleyes on the brain, and I was with a group of people who knew what they were doing and where they were going,
thanks to the magic of GPS technology. All I had to do was hang on in the backseat and avoid banging my head on the roof as Stu McKay rumbled
across the water and slush in his white SUV.
Besides, there was nearly 3 feet of ice below us, and bumpy rides and slush go with the territory when it comes to late-winter fishing.
Owner of Cats on the Red resort in Lockport, Man., McKay and his fishing partner, Holly Chow, were wrapping up a four-day excursion hosting a
small group of outdoor communicators and fishing industry types to show off their home water and demonstrate why Lake Winnipeg has become one
of the hottest ice fishing destinations in North America.
The reason: Size matters.
Without question, massive Lake Winnipeg, the 11th-largest freshwater lake in the world, offers perhaps the best shot at a trophy walleye
this side of Lake Erie. Known for the iridescent bluish-green coloration that appears to be unique to Lake Winnipeg, greenback walleyes
will average 20 inches, and fish that tip the scales at 10 pounds and more aren't unusual.
Earlier this winter, an angler fishing with McKay and Chow released a walleye on the Red River that measured a whopping 33 inches and
likely tickled 15 pounds. The fish had migrated into the river from Lake Winnipeg.
This winter alone, Chow said, she's seen 30 walleyes measuring 28 inches — the minimum to qualify for Manitoba's Master Angler program
— or larger landed; she's caught seven.
"Every hook-set, you have the potential for a big fish," said Chow, Winnipeg. "You just don't know … it's such a mystery."
Fishing for fun
Most of the crew had left for home on this foggy Sunday morning, and for McKay and Chow, this day was more about catching their collective
breaths and having a bit of fun. Also along for the ride were Andre Desrosiers, a natural resources officer from Selkirk, Man., enjoying a
day off to go fishing; daughter Janelle Desrosiers, Winnipeg; Travis Dunbar, Winnipeg; and Coleen Lewis, a family friend from Austin, Texas
who has spent a fair bit of time north of the border since marrying a Canadian.
Lewis's goal: To catch her first walleye. And clean it and cook it and eat it.
Andre Desrosiers led us through the morning fog, following his GPS to a spot a few miles from shore where he and his daughter and their
two friends had done well the previous afternoon.
The ticket, he said, was big baits that rattled.
"Yesterday, they'd gobble them right down to the throat," Desrosiers said.
Ice conditions were going south in a hurry, and the odds of accessing the lake until the close of fishing season March 31 weren't looking very good.
"This ice is getting rotten pretty fast," Desrosiers said. "We won't be fishing here in two weeks, I don't think."
Their holes from the previous day were still open and waiting for us when we arrived, our anticipation mounting.
"I feel a big fish coming on," Chow said. "Maybe it's indigestion, but I think it's a big fish."
Sharing the fun
Chow, 50, grew up near Riding Mountain National Park in western Manitoba and has been involved in the outdoors industry since she started
fishing bass and walleye tournaments on both sides of the border in 1992. An avid hunter, Chow also was the first woman on Bass Pro Shops'
Redhead pro hunting team.
"A natural love of the outdoors," she said, is what got her started.
Chow started guiding for Cats on the Red last summer after a mutual friend introduced her to McKay. She's now Cats on the Red's head guide
and goes for catfish in the summer and walleyes in the fall and winter.
Her nickname: Mama Cats.
"I just love the clients," she said. "The catfishing is remarkable, and I really love promoting the ice fishing industry."
As a female guide, Chow said she's especially interested in getting more women and young people involved in fishing. One way
she's doing that is with a group she's dubbed the "Canadian Jigglers."
The goal, she said, is to offer women's-only weekend fishing excursions for a discounted price, similar to the Becoming an
Outdoors Woman programs so popular in Minnesota and North Dakota. The only requirement for the women, she said, is a desire to fish.
"All they have to do is come out and try it," Chow said. "And when they do, they're going to get hooked."
Growing popularity
Chow's winter workload says a lot about the growing popularity of ice fishing on Lake Winnipeg and the Red River that feeds it.
Like so many other anglers, Chow only started fishing Lake Winnipeg two winters ago, but there's little doubt it's made a big impression.
With little obvious structure in the south basin of the lake, knowing where to set up is always a guessing game.
"I was just amazed," she said. "There's no rhyme or reason (on where to fish). If there is, I haven't figured it out. It's just a
walleye factory, as far as I'm concerned."
Known mainly for its commercial walleye fishery, which in recent years has tallied annual harvests approaching 10 million pounds,
Lake Winnipeg was rarely fished among hook-and-line anglers before McKay, Desrosiers and a handful of their friends tried a few
spots beyond the mouth of the Red River late one March about five years ago.
"I'd drive down the main channel of the Red, and there were three or four permanent houses a mile or so out, and that was
it," Desrosiers said. "I checked them, and they always had fish.
"It finally clicked."
Because of its sheer size, the lake is rarely fished hook-and-line during the open-water season, but the increase in winter pressure
has been "exponential," Desrosiers said. One popular access point near Matlock, Man., on the far southwestern corner of the lake has gone
from a couple of permanent houses to more than 100.
"And that's not counting the portables," Desrosiers said. "It was the power of the Internet."
More evidence
Chad Hornbaker, a wildlife inspector for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service who works at the U.S. Customs
station in Pembina, N.D., said he's really noticed the uptick in anglers fishing Lake Winnipeg the past couple of winters.
Hornbaker, who also has been bitten by the Lake Winnipeg bug, fished with Desrosiers and McKay on some of their early
forays onto the lake. Now, he says, places such as Cats on the Red, hotels in Selkirk and the South Beach Resort and
Casino near the eastern shore of Lake Winnipeg routinely are filled with American ice anglers, especially in March.
"I couldn't tell you numbers exactly, but the first time I went up there and went out with Andre and Stu, there
were very few people out there even on a weekend," Hornbaker said.
He said the contrast was striking when he fished the big lake last weekend.
"The casino was full of trucks and great big rigs — snowmobiles, four-wheelers, Argos and ATVs with tracks,"
Hornbaker said. "There are a lot of Minnesota guys, and I've seen South Dakota, Iowa plates and North Dakota plates."
Steady fishing
The attraction became apparent minutes after we dropped our lines in the water Sunday morning. Using large baits
such as Salmo Chubby Darters and Reel Bait flasher jigs, our crew landed probably 50 walleyes up to 25 inches in
the small, fog-enshrouded area that was our universe.
The walleyes came in fits and spurts, a pattern McKay said has characterized the winter.
Lewis, the Texan in the group, was undaunted by the sloppy ice and achieved her goal by landing her first
greenback. Her shrieks of excitement as she played the fish likely penetrated the fog for a mile or more.
Janelle Desrosiers used her cell phone to capture the moment on video and soon had it posted on Facebook
for the world to see.
All of this happened in an area of less than 100 square yards — in the middle of a lake that covers more than 9,000 square miles.
"It makes you wonder," McKay said. "What's in this system when you can come out here — there's no structure — and boom, you're catching fish."
"The Pope" as he was known amongst many of his colleagues and junior staff was taken from us in early March, 2010. Diagnosed with a terminal cancer 2008, Joe fought a brave and enthusiastic battle. Unfortunately this battle was too difficult and Joe succumbed on March 6, 2010.
A Graduate of the Conservation Enforcement program at Lethbridge College in Alberta, Joe began his career as a Manitoba Natural Resource Officer in 2007. Many of us wondered who was this kid?
He can't be working for us, he isn't old enough! Joe was used to being kidded about his youthful looks! His dedication, energy, outgoing personality and thirst for knowledge are what got him hired.
Joe was stationed at Hodgson, MB and lived in Fisher Branch. Joe was only here for a short time but he has left a long list of friends. His enthusiasm and pleasant personality
immediately endeared him to everyone that Joe met!
On Friday March 12, 2010 fifteen Manitoba NROs including 6 members of our Honour Guard made the last patrol to Lloyminster, Alberta to attend the celebration of Joe's life. Honour Guards and Officers from Saskatchewan, Alberta and the Federal Governments attended in dress uniforms.
On behalf of the Manitoba Natural Resource Officers' Association, we extend our sincere condolences to Joe's family, friends and colleagues! We also thank each agency who permitted their Officers to attend Joe's service.
We know that he'll be watching over us as we don our uniforms in the battle against poachers! God Speed Joe!
Manitoba Wildlife Officer of the Year 2009
December 2009
The MNROA is honoured to recognize Natural Resource Officer Ken Ulrich as the Shikar-Safari Club International Manitoba Wildlife Officer of the Year.
Ken started his career in June of 1973 and for the past 35 years has demonstrated the highest level of competency
and leadership in all aspects of his duties. His earlier years were spent developing his enforcement skills in Clandeboye,
Whitemouth, Hadashville and Portage La Prairie Districts. These Districts were some of the busiest wildlife enforcement
areas in the Province. From this he gained an uncanny ability to apprehend violators.
As he moved north to Snow Lake, those abilities led many officers to seek Ken's guidance and knowledge with enforcement
situations, Wildland fire suppression and field smarts.
Ken's time in Snow Lake coincided with 3 of the worst Wildland fire years experienced in Manitoba. He represented the
Department's involvement on several very large fire incidents; culminating in the evacuation of Snow Lake residents
in the immense fire of 1989.
As the Snow Lake District Supervisor, he also managed the Wekusko Falls Initial Attack Base. Wekusko Falls is the
elite level operational and logistical Initial Attack base that it is because of Ken's attention to detail.
His organizational skills resulted in Ken being hand picked by the Department to take on the challenges of supervising
the operations of the Falcon Lake area of the Whiteshell Provincial Park. In his capacity as District Supervisor,
he gained the respect of the whole community; at work and outside of work. He and his family became valuable members
in the community with ties that exist to this day.
During his tenure at Falcon Lake, Ken took a lead role in developing major enforcement strategies such as the Provincial
Liquor Ban. This policy has greatly improved the May Long Weekend camping experience in every Manitoba Provincial Park.
Many of the current policies that positively affect officer safety were initiated as a result of Ken's dedication.
A move to the Lac du Bonnet District held many more challenges that Ken eagerly accepted. Wildlife enforcement was a
major role in this district with numerous cases being initiated and conducted under Ken's guidance. The "tree stand
removal policy" is one of his initiatives.
He was instrumental in the development of a new "Peat Burning Policy" along with crop burning guidelines due to
the high occurrences in the LDB District.
LDB has seen some of the busiest black bear occurrence years during Ken's term. Consequently, his insight contributed
to a detailed reporting system which aided Wildlife Branch in developing the Bear District Occurrence Reports, the
development of bear policies and programs.
For approximately 10 years, he has been one of only two Incident Commanders for Manitoba Conservation's Incident
Management Teams. He's led his teams at several large Wildland fire and tornado type incidents. His ability to
cope with the pressures of evacuations, containing the situation, directing staff, and dealing with the media
all with great poise and professionalism have given him the respect he well deserves.
Dueto his high standards and capabilities, the Department appropriately assigned him acting Chief NRO status,
not once but several times. It was always Ken's decision to not pursue a Chief position full time as he
preferred the field work and public contact of the District NRO.
He has been an active member in the Manitoba Natural Resource Officers' Association and spent many hours at
booths, trade shows and community career events promoting the role of the Natural Resource Officer.
Ken's ability to organize and manage has always been his greatest asset! This time his peers hand picked him
to sit on the organizational committee of the 2004 North American Wildlife Enforcement Officers' Association
annual conference held in Winnipeg. His positive and respectful nature made him the natural choice to serve as
liaison between the MNROA and the Department over a two year period.
Congratulations to the Ulrichs on Ken's selection as Manitoba's 2009 Wildlife Officer of the Year!
Western Canadian Game Warden Magazine
November 2009
Visit the Western Canadian Game Warden website. Subscriptions to "The Western Canadian Game Warden Magazine" available!
Subscriptions can be purchased on line via PayPal, or a subscription card can be printed and mailed in.
Manitoba Conservation Operations Division is proud to acknowledge the Natural Resource Officer Provincial Honor Guard. The Honor Guard consists of 12 Natural Resource Officers
who at anytime can be called into action. The Honor Guard attends various ceremonies such as the Police/Peace Officer Memorial held each year on the last Sunday of September
at the Manitoba Legislature. This ceremony is held in concert with the national event that takes place each year on the same date in Ottawa. Police and Peace Officers are
honored for the ultimate sacrifice at this event and is open for all the public to attend.
The Honor Guard also attends fallen Resource Officer funerals or officer sudden deaths at the request of families. The Guard will act as pallbearers or simply be present
in full dress uniform. The Natural Resource Officer Honor Guard has attended out of province fallen officer deaths as a sign of respect and solidarity.
The Natural Resource Officer Honor Guard is a representative of the Minister of Conservation.
If anyone would like to contact the Honor Guard feel free to send an email to the Commander Robert Belanger at Rob.Belanger@gov.mb.ca .
2008 Checkstops
March 2009
Manitoba NROs conducted several checkstops during the 2008 hunting seasons. Hunter compliance was very good with only a few violations encountered. Hunters, anglers and anyone
transporting wildlife or fish are reminded that written authority to transport and/or possess these items must be carried by the persons in possession of these items.
For hunters, authority is generally in the form of the game tag or possibly a Permit to Possess Wildlife. For persons transporting more than an allowable limit of fish,
authority is generally in the form of a commercial sales receipt from a vendor or a loadslip from a producer.
It is illegal to transport fish or wildlife without proper authority.
It's Not All Checking Hunting and Fishing Licenses
November 2008
Sometimes the issues are bigger. Like when a Nevada game warden was handed the chore of figuring
out how to separate two bull elk who locked horns while sparring and couldn't untangle them.
The saga began Nov. 21 when a rancher in Reese River Valley spotted the two elk.
By the following day, the animals were gone and the rancher assumed they had separated.
A week later, according to Nevada Division of Wildlife biologist Tom Donham, the rancher was out
looking for some of his cows and saw the elk again.
This time, he called the wildlife department and Donham, game warden Brian Eller and Bureau of Land
Management wildlife biologist Bryson Code headed out to see what they could do.
When they reached Indian Valley, south of Austin, it was Nov. 29, one week after the elk were first
seen.
"When we arrived where the rancher had last seen them, we found them pretty quickly. They were both
lying on the ground and one of them was in a very uncomfortable looking position with his head directly
above the others head and his nose pointing straight up to the sky," Donham said.
Eller said he wondered if they had survived their ordeal.
"Once we found out they were alive, I was hoping they couldn't move and would stay where they were.
That didn't happen. When they ran off, I was hoping that they could not go very far. That didn't happen
either," he said.
The elk may have been sparring at the outset, but Donham and Eller say they used teamwork to run for
nearly a mile to evade the newcomers.
"It looked like they had been doing it all their lives; serious cooperation if I've ever seen it,"
Donham said.
After two unsuccessful attempts, Donham was able to get a tranquilizer dart into one of the elk. With
one down, the other could not run, but was also partially tranquilized in order to separate the two.
Eller and Code helped hold the elk down while Donham used a hand saw to remove part of an antler off one
of them.
"As soon as they were apart, the bull that hadn't gotten a full dose jumped to his feet and Bryson,
Brian and I quickly gave him all the room he wanted. He went off about 30 yards and lay down for abou
10 minutes before finally walking up the hill and over the ridge, none the worse for wear" Donham said.
The other elk was treated with antibiotics and eventually walked off as well after the tranquilizer had
worn off.
"If these two bulls had not been discovered, and we never got the call, they more than likely would have
both died. Watching the bulls walk away, and knowing that we likely saved them from a slow death was
definitely one of those moments that makes this job rewarding."
