Pennsylvania Game News - August 2009 - 29

Even in August By Daniel P. Schmidt Forest County WCO “The heat was stifling, but I had a job to do . . . ” HAT A HOT, humid miserable day, I thought as I drove through my new district in southern Clarion County. I had been in the area for a little more than a month, and was still amazed at the road system. There seemed to be no rhyme or reason to the web of dirt and paved roads. Hardly any seemed to run north/south or east/west for very long, but just seemed to meander through the rolling hills. I later found the large scale coal industry had a lot to do with the tangled mess. My law enforcement supervisor informed me that when he had the district, all the strip mining could change the local road systems in a matter of weeks. As I continued my exploring, the region office dispatcher radioed. “Franklin to 118, could you please call for a possible illegal deer kill?” “10-4, as soon as I get cell phone coverage.” As I searched for better reception I couldn’t help but wonder who would kill a deer in this hot August weather. I finally got a few bars on my phone and called dispatch. The dispatcher informed me that a fisherman from Ohio was in his boat along the Allegheny River in the town of West Monterey when he noticed two men firing rifles from a bench across the river in Armstrong County. As the men shot at targets two deer came off the steep AUGUST 2009 W wooded embankment to get a drink of water. When the deer reached the river’s edge, one of the men shot and killed one. The two men then got in their pontoon boat and retrieved it. The angler stated he didn’t want to make it obvious that he was watching and wasn’t able to see what was happening in the pontoon boat. He did say that the two cruised downriver and then back up to their camp, where they exited the boat and quickly put all their guns and ammunition away. The witness, who preferred to remain anonymous, also stated the two men were now on their porch drinking beer. I acknowledged the information and quickly pulled out my map to locate the small village. Luckily, I was nearby and when I got to the area I found the bench the fisherman had mentioned and noticed two men sitting on the porch of a small cottage. I also noticed the pontoon boat docked along the shoreline. I tried radioing the region office to let them know where I was but, once again, there wasn’t any coverage. My cell phone was useless as well. I approached the two sitting on the porch. One was nervous and fidgety, while the second was calm and collected and had a blank stare. “Hello, gentlemen, I’m Officer Schmidt with the Pennsylvania Game Commission and I’m here conducting an investigation concerning someone shooting a deer. Do you two know anything about it?” The two denied any involvement, but did admit to shooting their rifles across the 29

Pennsylvania Game News - August 2009

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