VT: A collection of recent hunting violations
Vernon men may face fed charges
Brattleboro Reformer
By BOB AUDETTE, Reformer Staff
Monday, December 22
BRATTLEBORO -- A father and son from Vernon are being investigated by
the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and Explosives for
possession of firearms after the men were arrested by a game warden for
the Vermont Department of Fish and Wildlife for illegally shooting and
butchering a doe.
Rodney Moore, 43, and Donald Moore, Sr., 76, both of Vernon, were
cited for taking deer by illegal means, taking deer in closed seasons
and possession of a deer in closed season.
Rodney Moore could be fined $1,500 and be ordered to pay $1,000 in
restitution if convicted of the offenses. He could also lose his
hunting, fishing and trapping privileges for three years.
Donald Moore was cited for possession of deer taken in closed season.
If convicted, he could be fined $500 and also lose his hunting, fishing
and trapping privileges for three years.
The two men shot the doe from Rodney Moore's porch using a light,
said Kelly Price, the game warden for the Brattleboro District.
The state charges are the least of the worries for the Moores. Both
of the men are convicted felons, prohibited from possessing firearms.
During a search of Donald Moore's home, police turned up five rifles
and one handgun.
Price said police also learned that Donald Moore had illegally sold a
pistol and shotgun to an as of yet unnamed person.
Both men face "serious federal jail time" if convicted, said Price.
Game wardens were especially busy this year, he said. "I don't know
if I have an explanation," said Price.
It could be that more hunters were breaking the law this year, he
said, or just because game wardens caught more violators than in
previous years.
"Some on the (arrest) list were repeat offenders," said Price. "Some
things will never change." Many of the offenders will get some sort of
community service if convicted of their offenses, he said.
But, he added, "If you're a repeat offender you're going to get the
whole fine," because Deputy State's Attorney Steven Brown is "taking the
cases very seriously."
Repeat offenders could find themselves spending time in jail, said
Price, and could have their firearms confiscated.
Price said "the blatant disregard for the fish and game laws" is the
most frustrating part of his job as a game warden, but the most
rewarding part of the job is the interaction he has with those who are
following all the rules.
"The vast majority of hunters are hunting legally and abiding by the
law," he said.
In other cases:
* Norman Amidon, 32, Putney, and Edward Baxter, 33, Brattleboro, were
arrested for several offenses after they shot an illegal deer from
Baxter's motor vehicle while in Dummerston on Nov. 15.
The men were arrested on Route 5 for fleeing the scene with their
kill. Baxter was also found to be in possession of marijuana. Amidon was
cited for taking possessing and transporting of deer taken in closed
season, hunting while under revocation and shooting deer from a motor
vehicle.
Amidon could face $2,435 in fines and $1,000 in restitution and could
lose his hunting, fishing and trapping privileges for three years.
Baxter was cited for possession and transportation of deer taken in
closed season and shooting a deer from a motor vehicle.
He could be fined $1,824 and ordered to pay $1,000 in restitution and
lose his hunting, fishing and trapping privileges for three years. The
marijuana possession charge is being handled by the Vermont State
Police.
* Christopher Brough, 38, Rockingham, was arrested and cited for
taking deer by illegal means and taking deer in a closed season for
shooting a doe from his front porch using a light and rifle. He could be
fined $1,000 and ordered to pay $1,000 in restitution to the state.
* Charles Duke, 20, Grafton, was arrested and fined $324 for having a
loaded muzzle loader in a motor vehicle while on a public highway on
Nov. 28. In addition to the fine, Brough also lost his hunting, fishing
and trapping privileges for one year.
* Russell Brown, 35, Athens, was arrested and cited for shooting a
deer from his vehicle window while in a roadway on Dec. 12. He was fined
$324 and lost his hunting, fishing and trapping privileges for one year.
* Mark Carignan, 34, Brattleboro, was arrested and cited for taking a
spikehorn buck in closed season on Nov. 15.
Carignan turned the buck in at the Guilford Country Store and
admitted to taking the deer by mistake. Because Carignan took
responsibility for the for shooting the deer, said Price, he will most
likely be entered into a diversion program.
* Brandon Dix, 27, Readsboro, and Marshall Dix, 28, Whitingham, were
arrested Nov. 23 for shooting at a decoy deer three times from a window
of a pickup truck in Marlboro.
Marshall Dix, who was driving the vehicle, fled from a game warden
but was pulled over a short while later. He was cited for aiding in the
shooting from a motor vehicle and failure to stop/attempting to elude a
law enforcement officer.
He was fined $934 and could lose his hunting, fishing and trapping
privileges for three years if convicted on all counts.
Brandon Dix was charged with shooting from a motor vehicle on a
public road and fined $324. He will lose his hunting, fishing and
trapping privileges for one year.
* Gary Gagne, 38, Brattleboro, was arrested and cited for shooting a
deer from the window of his vehicle in Guilford on Oct. 20. He was also
charged with making a false statement on his license application. Gagne
was fined $475 and will lose his hunting, fishing and trapping
privileges for two years.
* Francis Grover, 50, Florence, Mass., was arrested and cited on Nov.
15 for attempting to take deer by illegal means, hunting deer using
bait, failure to label tree stand with name and address, not having
landowner permission, operation of an unregistered ATV and operation of
an ATV on private property without landowner permission.
Grover could be fined $1,511 and may also face federal charges for
illegal firearm possession.
* Delmar A. Hopkins, Sr., 52, Winchester, N.H., was arrested and
cited for failure to tag a big game animal on Dec. 6. He was fined $151
and will lose his hunting, fishing and trapping privileges for one year
if convicted.
* Robert LeCours, Jr., 25, Townshend was arrested for shooting a
spikehorn buck in Brattleboro on Nov. 29. Because LeCours was
cooperative and took full responsibility for the accidental shooting he
will most likely be entered into a diversion program.
* John Simons, 36, Chester, was arrested in Bellows Falls on Dec. 11
for having his wife check in a deer he had shot legally earlier that
day.
Simons was cited for failure to tag a big game animal. He could be
fined $151 and lose his hunting, fishing and trapping license for one
year.
* John Tierney, 76, Westfield, Mass., was arrested and cited for
using bait at his hunting camp in Newfane on Nov. 17. Tierney faces a
$500 fine and three year loss of hunting, fishing and trapping
privileges for three years.
* A 16-year-old was arrested on Aug. 5, for shooting a bear in his
yard on May 28 "just because it was there" according to a statement made
by the juvenile in a taped interview.
The juvenile was charged with shooting a bear in closed season and
possession and transportation of bear in closed season. He faces $1,500
in fines and $1,000 restitution for the illegal killing.
