Poachers Get Nabbed

A group of 10 hunters from Tennessee were caught with 150 pheasants on their fifth day of hunting. A tip from a concerned sportsman stated these hunters did not hunt one day, but shot extra birds other days to make up their limit. In the investigation that followed, it was learned the group did not hunt one day and thought by staying the five days they would avoid being caught. They each paid $226.60 in fines for being four pheasants over their limit and lost all their birds. This is an excellent case because officers from the Mitchell Police Department, Aurora County Sheriff's Office and conservation officers all worked together to make the case a job well done.

In another TIPs case going on the same week, seven violators decided to take 32 pheasants on opening day of the season. One person took the responsibility for being 11 birds over and paid a $576.50 in fines and $1100 in civil damages.

Still another TIPs case on this same day and only 20 miles away, a poacher was caught with four birds over his limit and was fined $226.50 His poaching partner was caught with a hen pheasant, which is illegal, and was fined $176.50.  His hunting privileges were revoked for one year.

Three TIPs callers made three successful TIPs cases. All because someone cared enough to call.