November 22, 2005

WOODBINE, IOWA - Seven out-of-state poachers racked up nearly 70 violations and more than $45,000 in fines and liquidated damages relating to the illegal hunting of antlered deer with rifles in Harrison County near Woodbine. All had non-resident antlerless archery tags.

The seven people were charged Saturday evening following a week-long surveillance by law enforcement officers. They pled guilty to all of the charges and were released after paying more than $8,000 in fines and making restitution of $40,000 in liquidated damages for illegally shooting eight deer. A number of rifles, bows, optic equipment and other hunting-related items were seized.

The investigation was initiated by Conservation Officer Dave Tierney after he became suspicious of the same out-of-state individuals coming to the county over a number of years with antlerless bow tags.

The individuals involved and their charges were:

● John Pittman, 46, of Kinston, N.C. charged with three counts of illegal method of taking deer by rifle; three counts of unlawful killing of antlered deer without a license; three counts of having a loaded gun in a vehicle, three counts of illegal transportation of deer, three counts of illegal use of a vehicle for hunting; three counts of shooting a rifle from a roadway; three counts of wanton waste; one count of illegal use of an artificial light for hunting and one count of shooting after hours. He was ordered to pay $15,000 in liquidated damages for three illegally shot bucks.

● John Crawley, 34, of Kinston, N.C., charged with one count of illegal taking of a deer without a license; three counts of having a loaded gun in a motor vehicle; one count of illegal use of a motor vehicle to hunt deer; one count of wanton waste; one count of shooting a rifle over a roadway and one count of attempting to take a deer with a rifle. He was ordered to pay $5,000 in liquidated damages for one illegally shot buck.

● Tony Fox, 33, of Greenville, N.C., charged with three counts of having a loaded gun in a vehicle, one count of hunting with artificial light; one count of wanton waste; one count of illegal taking of an antlered deer without a license; one count of shooting deer after hours; one count of illegal transportation of deer; one count of illegal use of a motor vehicle to hunt deer; one count of shooting a rifle from a roadway and one count of unlawful method of shooting a deer with a rifle. He was ordered to pay $5,000 in liquidated damages for one illegally shot buck.

● John Plasky, 36, of Scottdale, GA, charged with one count of wanton waste; one count of shooting a rifle from a roadway; one count of shooting after hours; one count of having a loaded gun in a motor vehicle; one count of illegal taking of an antlered deer without a license; one count of using a motor vehicle to hunt deer, one count of unlawful transportation of a deer and one count of unlawful method of shooting a deer with a rifle. He was ordered to pay $5,000 in liquidated damages for one illegally shot buck.

● Donald Rouse, 44, of LeGrange, N.C., charged with two counts of illegal method of shooting an antlered deer with a rifle; two counts of illegal taking of an antlered deer without a license, two counts of wanton waste; two counts of illegal use of a motor vehicle to hunt deer, two counts of shooting a rifle from a roadway and two counts of having a loaded gun in the vehicle. He was ordered to pay $10,000 in liquidated damages for two illegally shot buck.

● Ashley Rouse, 31, of LeGrange, N.C., charged with two counts of attempting to take a deer without a license.

● Ted Hardison, 33, of LeGrange, N.C., charged with one count of hunting without a license.

● Also charged on Monday as a result of the investigation was Dennis Snyder, 34, of Woodbine, for two counts of aiding and abetting illegal activity for allegedly selling two landowner deer tags to the group.

The investigation is continuing and additional charges are expected to be filed.

Iowa DNR officers were assisted in the investigation by agents from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, an officer from the DeSoto National Refuge, the Harrison County Sheriff’s Department, Woodbine Police Department, an agent from the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement and the Iowa State Patrol.