Recent investigations and arrests from the around the State

The opening of archery season brought an unusual arrest in Allegany County. ECOs Mark Wojtkowiak and Russ Calanni investigated the report of a bowhunter who had shot and killed a domestic donkey mistaking it for a deer.

It seems that the donkey broke its tether and wandered onto an adjacent property where some hunters from Niagara Falls had gathered at a camp. One of the hunters, returning to the camp, spotted the animal with its head down on the edge of a field below the camp. Stalking within 20 yards of the animal, the hunter shot the donkey. His explanation was that he thought it was the biggest doe he had ever seen. This in

spite of the fact that the animal weighed about 400 pounds, was light gray in color and had a tail that was three feet long!

ECO Wojtkowiak reports that the investigation uncovered that the donkey had its head down at the time it was shot because it was licking on an illegal salt lick at the edge of the field. The camp owner, Michael Hansen of Niagara Falls, was chaged with the illegal placing of the salt lick on lands inhabited by deer.

Michael Crampton, also of Niagara Falls, was charged with hunting over bait, a Conservation Law violation and with the unjustified killing of an animal, which is a crime prohibited by the State's Agriculture and Markets Law. Maximum fines could be up to $1250.00, and Mr. Crampton's hunting privileges could be revoked for up to five years. Mr. Crampton will also be held responsible for reimbursing the donkey's owner with the value of the animal, which was estimated to be about $2000.00.

It is very unfortunate when a hunter gets so caught up in the hunt that reason and training is forgotten. There is no reason that an incident like this should ever happen. No hunter should ever discharge a firearm or shoot an arrow without first positively identifiying their target and ensuring that the area behind the target is safe for the shot.

In October, Environmental Conservation Officer Michael Arp received an anonymous tip indicating that illegal baiting activity was taking place in the Town of Halcott, in Greene County, New York. The caller informed Officer Arp that the owner of a hunting camp had been baiting bear with apples, corn, bagels, and donuts for approximately five weeks. The camp owner had also been bragging that he intended to shoot a bear with a rifle over the bait pile prior to opening day of archery season if he had the opportunity.

While ECOs Mike Arp and Mike Terrell were initiating a surveillance of the area of the camp, they were surprised to see a man dragging a large bear across the property. Under close questioning, the man admitted that he was the

camp owner. The evidence was obvious and the man could not deny that he had just shot the bear as it stood in the middle of his bait pile, which was over ten feet square and two feet deep. Further questioning uncovered that the man had shot the bear from the roof of the camp garage during the previous night. The bear's estimated live weight was over 550 lbs. An untagged turkey was also uncovered during the investigation.

The camp owner, 50 year-old Peter Varvatsoulis of Whitestone, New York, was charged with the illegal taking of a black bear, the illegal taking of a turkey, and a number of related violations. He was arraigned in the Town of Halcott Court where he pled guilty to all charges and was fined $1450.00. Mr. Varvatsoulis is now facing revocation of his hunting privileges.