Latest news with #OperationGameThief
Miami Herald
26-06-2025
- Miami Herald
Appalachian Trail hiker sends distress signal — then saves herself, officials say
A bleeding 67-year-old hiker on the Appalachian Trail sent an emergency signal after falling, then she took matters into her own hands. The British woman was 100 miles into the Appalachian Trail this year after hiking 1,700 miles of it last year, according to the New Hampshire Fish and Game Law Enforcement Division and Operation Game Thief. At around 2:30 p.m. on June 25, rescuers said they got a distress signal from a Garmin GPS device on Rattle River Trail only a few miles from the border of Maine. Without cell service, the woman sent a message that she was 'all alone, had fallen and was bleeding,' according to rescuers. She was about 4.5 miles into the woods near Middle Moriah Mountain. A team of volunteers and conservation officers set out to her location, but about 90 minutes after the woman sent the distress beacon, the rescuers ran into her only half a mile from the main road, according to the wildlife department. Authorities called it a self-rescue. The London woman was bleeding from a 'significant laceration,' and the team helped get her to a waiting ambulance at the road and then onward to a hospital, according to rescuers. 'Her physical fitness and 'Can-do' attitude got her to treatment quickly and helped save rescuers from an arduous extraction out of the woods,' the team wrote.
Yahoo
10-06-2025
- Yahoo
Safety concerns close local shooting range to public use
ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — The Missouri Department of Conservation announces the indefinite closure of shooting ranges at Pigeon Hill Conservation Area to the public. The rest of Pigeon Hill will remain open to the public, according to a press release on the MDC website. A MDC investigation found 'evidence of range misuse at Pigeon Hill CA that put public safety at risk.' 'Unfortunately, the actions of unsafe, irresponsible shooting range users created a situation that we could not allow to persist,' said Justin McGuire, MDC's Hunter Education and Shooting Range Coordinator, in the press release. The shooting ranges located in St. Joseph are some of the unstaffed ones across Missouri. Conservation area goers are encouraged to report unsafe or unlawful activity to the Operation Game Thief at (800) 392-1111 or contact a local agent. To find agents by county, visit
Miami Herald
02-05-2025
- Miami Herald
Hunter accidentally shoots partner while aiming for turkey, NH officials say
A turkey hunter was shot in the face by his partner, New Hampshire officials said. On May 1, New Hampshire Fish and Game received a report of a shooting in Madison, according to a Facebook post by the New Hampshire Fish and Game Law Enforcement Division and Operation Game Thief. The two already killed a turkey earlier in the day and began searching in a different area, officials said. The pair eventually got separated and were on opposite sides of a wooded area when a turkey passed through, officials said. The man, not knowing his partner was nearby, fired a shot and pellets from the shotgun blast struck the hunter in the face and torso, officials said. Although he had multiple wounds, none of them were life-threatening, officials said. The two called 911 and walked back to their car, where an ambulance met them to transport the victim to a hospital, officials said. The investigation remains ongoing, the release said. Madison is about a 70-mile drive northeast of Concord.
Yahoo
15-04-2025
- Yahoo
Three sentenced after 19 deer found poached in Somerset County
SOMERSET COUNTY, Pa. (WTAJ) — Three Somerset County men have been sentenced for killing 19 deer over a two-month span in 2020, according to the Pennsylvania Game Commission. Caleb Roland, 26, pleaded guilty to three summary counts of unlawful killing or taking of big game. As a result, Roland was ordered to pay $3,000 in fines and $5,000 in replacement costs as well as he will now lose his hunting and trapping privileges for 30 years. He will also be required to forfeit all firearms used in the crimes. A juvenile was also found guilty of 23 felonies and two summary counts including unlawful killing or taking of big game and unlawful use of lights while hunting. The juvenile was ordered to pay $25,000 in fines and $5,000 in replacement costs. They will lose their hunting and trapping privileges for 50 years and were ordered to forfeit all firearms used in the crime. The third person who pleaded guilty, also a juvenile, did so to 14 felonies and six summary counts including the aforementioned charges of unlawful killing and use of lights. They were ordered to pay $15,000 in fines and $5,000 in replacement costs. The juvenile will lose their hunting and trapping privileges for 28 years and will have to forfeit all firearms used in the crime. During the commission's investigation, the office was able to identify 19 white-tailed deer killed by the trio, however, it was noted that it is believed that there are up to 31 unlawfully killed throughout multiple townships in Somerset County. Most of the poaching was done at night where the trio would shoot from the vehicle with a spotlight. Many of the deer were left to rot while only a few were taken for consumption. The two juveniles were known to be habitual game law violators, according to the commission. Report poaching and wildlife crimes to the Pennsylvania Game Commission by calling the agency's 24-hour dispatch center at 1-833-PGC-HUNT or 1-833-PGC-WILD, or call the Operation Game Thief toll-free hotline at 1-888-PGC-8001. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
13-04-2025
- Yahoo
Jail official faces massive consequences after investigation uncovers repeated violations: 'We find these actions disturbing'
A New Hampshire law enforcement official was charged 17 times after allegedly violating state hunting laws. Travis Cushman, the Merrimack County jail superintendent, was hit with seven misdemeanors and 10 violations, the New Hampshire Union Leader reported. Conservation officers said the charges related to "multiple illegal night hunting offenses, illegal baiting and using a live action game camera to aid and assist in taking of deer." They seized three deer mounts as well as a firearm and archery equipment. Cushman was placed on leave. He was promoted to superintendent in 2022 and has been with the Merrimack County Department of Corrections since 2006, per the Union Leader. The New Hampshire Fish and Game Department Law Enforcement Division investigated Cushman for eight months before arresting him March 25. He is due in Laconia District Court on May 15 and faces multiple fines and a hunting license suspension, according to Outdoor Life. One of the counts Cushman was charged with stems from his registering a whitetail deer Nov. 15, WSHU reported. A photograph of the animal included a timestamp from the day prior. The New Hampshire Antler and Skull Trophy Club said it removed one post related to Cushman and would erase him from a record book after "the legal actions are complete." "When you enter a buck into NHASTC you sign that the animal was taken legally and ethically," it stated. "We find these actions disturbing and will not tolerate them." Some commenters on the N.H. Fish and Game post expressed their displeasure with the potential punishment, saying it was too light. In Wisconsin, a farmer who illegally killed more than 150 deer was sentenced to four months in jail and fined $27,416. Stiff repercussions for poachers and people who try to game hunting contests act as a deterrent and help protect wildlife and keep Earth's ecosystems in balance. Do you think America is in a housing crisis? Definitely Not sure No way Only in some cities Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. N.H. Fish and Game encourages folks to report wildlife crimes via its app, Operation Game Thief. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
