Maine Wardens Make Huge Poaching Bust Thanks To Tip

Maine Game Wardens made a huge poaching bust, all thanks to a report made by a concerned community member.

According to the Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife, this is one of their largest cases to date. After six search warrants of three different homes, game wardens issued 60 criminal and civil violations, all to do with deer.

"It all started when a concerned community member suspected a deer had been illegally killed and called the local warden...Through numerous interviews and physical evidence collected at poaching scenes, wardens uncovered a disturbing pattern of repeated intentional wildlife violations involving five individuals on Mount Desert Island...When someone intentionally chooses to break the law and abuse Maine’s natural resources, the consequences are real. In this case, the main violator lost his hunting license for 13 years, paid nearly $10,000 in fines, and served 30 days in jail."

Wardens posted a picture of some of what they confiscated on their social media page. Warning for those who don't do well with animal parts, perhaps scroll quickly past it below. There were quite a few containers of meat, antlers, and deer heads recovered from some of the searches.

Warden Camden Akins says it's situations like this, where the Department can intervene and protect the animals of Maine in such a way, when the hard work pays off.

“Wildlife can’t call and ask for help when someone is taking advantage of our natural resources. That’s why it’s so important when members of the public speak up, we can step in and protect the wildlife we all cherish.”

Wardens say that while a small few choose to break the law and exploit Maine's wildlife, many more outdoorsmen and women are not only knowledgeable about Maine's great outdoors, but also do their best to follow the rules and act as good stewards for Maine's natural resources.

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Folks wanting to make a report of suspected illegal activity can do so anonymously through Maine Operation Game Thief by calling 1-800-253-7887.

You can also reach out to the Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife via their offices in Augusta ( 1-800-452-4664), Bangor (Bangor 1-800-432-7381) or Houlton (1-800-924-2261).