Environmental conservation officer busts bear baiter

On Friday, Sept. 22, three state environmental conservation officers began an investigation into the possible illegal shooting of a black bear in the town of Day, in north Saratoga County in the Adirondacks.

ECOs Shaw, Higgins and Kelley interviewed a man who said he had shot the bear in his yard because it was a nuisance.

Upon investigation, the ECOs found a 275-yard shooting lane leading from the man’s porch to some metal targets in the yard. When the ECOs inspected the targets, they found a pile of corn covered in blood and black hair.

When the ECOs confronted the man with this new evidence, he confessed to shooting the bear over the bait pile.

He was charged with illegally feeding bears, hunting bear with the aid of a pre-established bait pile and taking an illegal bear. The bear skull, meat and gall bladder were seized as evidence.

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