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Puppy Leads Michigan DNR Officer to Illegal Deer Hunter

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources gets a little help from man’s best friend. The puppy led them to an illegal deer hunter.

They often say snitches get stitches. But that doesn’t apply to an adorable little puppy and this poacher. In this extraordinary story, a puppy led a DNR conservation officer to an out-of-state. Reportedly, the hunter illegally poached two deers.

Conservation Officer Richard Cardenas was on the case. The officer witnessed two hunters driving an off-road vehicle. There appeared to be a deer upon the back. Cardenas followed the hunters to one of their homes and waited to discuss the matter with the two. But the officer got an assist from one of the hunter’s dogs.

The canine went into a pole barn on the property and returned with a deer leg in its mouth. Later, the officer learned one of the hunters was from out of state and didn’t have a hunting license.

“The puppy reappeared and led CO Cardenas to a trash bag with additional antlered deer parts inside of it,” the police report said. “After some more questioning, it was found that the suspect had hunted and harvested a deer during the archery season as well.”

Currently, the State’s DNR is planning to charge the hunter with multiple offenses.

Robot Deer Catches Poacher

Move over puppy, because a robot deer also caught an illegal poacher in Kentucky. Kentucky wildlife officials used the faux creature to trick would-be hunters in the state. The fake deer proved to be effective when a poacher stopped to shine his spotlight on the robot animal.

That’s when officials for the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife moved in and arrested 29-year-old James Malone. They charged him with spotlighting, possession of a controlled substance, illegally pursuing deer, and hunting without a permit. The hunter admitted he was out looking for a deer without a proper permit or license. He also confessed to hunting a deer earlier in the season.

Sometimes authorities have to get creative when pursuing those who commit illegal hunting. Poaching animals is detrimental to wildlife populations and conservation efforts. Hunting seasons were installed to manage wildlife populations without hunting the animal to extinction.