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ECO confiscates illegally shot bucks in Warren County

JOHNSBURG — A state Department of Environmental Conservation police officer discovered two illegally taken bucks at a home in Warren County on Nov. 22.

Environmental Conservation Officer Robert Higgins was on foot patrol investigating a tree stand that had pumpkins and apples under it when he heard a gun shot nearby, the DEC reported. Higgins made his way to the tree stand to find five deer gathered around the bait pile, but the hunter was already gone from the area.

Higgins found a drag line and followed it to a house where he found a nine-point buck already dressed and hanging, and a recently shot eight-point buck that a man was preparing to dress.

The man told Higgins he did not have a tag for the eight-pointer but that a friend had shot the nine-pointer the previous day. Upon further questioning, however, the man admitted he had shot both bucks.

Higgins and ECO George LaPoint interviewed the friend and found he had supplied the suspect with deer tags.

The suspect was charged with numerous violations of Environmental Conservation Law, including taking deer over bait, taking an over-the-limit number of deer, possessing the tags of another hunter and illegally killing deer. The case is now pending in the town of Johnsburg.

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