CDFW Investigation Unearths Various Poaching Violations By Kern County Suspect
California Department of Fish and Wildlife officers investigated a Kern County suspect who was arrested for various illegal and fishing and hunting violations. Here are details from a CDFW Facebook post:
A recent CDFW investigation led to the arrest of one suspect who was booked into the Kern County Jail on multiple violations of the California Fish and Game Code, including the unlawful take of deer, unlawful possession of deer, hunting without a license, take of fish and wildlife in excess of three times the daily bag limit and take of fish and wildlife for profit.
On Sept. 24, following an extensive investigation into poaching activity, wildlife officers executed two simultaneous search warrants in Kern County. One at a residence in Bakersfield, and the second at a property in Stallion Springs.
In the months leading up to the search, a wildlife officer identified a suspect who was involved in numerous poaching incidents. The evidence gathered by the officer established probable cause to believe the suspect illegally harvested several deer without first procuring a hunting license or deer tags, took deer out of season and some of the deer included does and spike bucks that were not legally harvestable.
The warrant served at the Bakersfield residence uncovered significant evidence connecting the suspect to numerous wildlife crimes. Officers located 931 black bass, numerous packages of suspected deer meat, six sets of deer antlers and packaged bear meat. Samples of the deer and bear meat, along with samples of the antlers were sent to CDFW’s Wildlife Forensics Lab where the DNA will be analyzed to determine the sex and genetic profile of each sample. With this information, the investigating officer will be able to determine exactly how many deer and bear the suspect was in possession of.
The suspect was arrested and booked into the Kern County Jail.
CDFW reminds the public that poaching harms California’s wildlife resources and undermines conservation efforts. CDFW’s wildlife officers take these crimes seriously. Anyone with information regarding wildlife crimes is encouraged to report tips via the 24/7 CALTIP hotline at 1?888?334?2258.W
