Two Wetzel County men have been charged with various violations of West Virginia's wildlife laws in connection with the illegal taking of two trophy buck deer (see above) according to Capt. W.A. Persinger of the Law Enforcement Section of the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources.
On Oct. 28, 2011, Sgt. C.D Shriner received a citizen complaint from the Eight Mile Ridge area of Wetzel County near the Tyler County line that two individuals had killed two deer in that area and cut the heads off, leaving the remainder of the carcasses at the scene. An investigation led Sgt. Shrine to the location of the carcasses and information that resulted in the recovery of two trophy eight-point bucks. Further investigation led Sgt. Shriner to a suspect who, after being questioned, confessed to the unlawful taking of these two bucks.
Tylor Hostuttler, age 18, of Jacksonburg, W.Va., was issued various citations for the violations as well as trophy buck replacement fee for both bucks. Codie Leek, age 18, of Pine Grove, W.Va., was also charged in the incidents as an accessory to the crimes. The charges are pending in Wetzel County Circuit Court.
Conviction on deer poaching charges can result in $200 replacement costs for each deer, plus an additional fine of $1,000 to $2,500 for the illegal taking of trophy bucks.
"This investigation was successful because someone saw a crime being committed and reported it to the proper authorities," said Capt. Persinger. "The concerned sportsmen in the area are to be commended in this case for their information and reporting of this unlawful act."
Two Terra Alta men have been charged with illegally killing a trophy buck deer in Preston County (see above) according to Capt. W.A. Persinger of the Law Enforcement Section of the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources.
Natural Resources Police Officers were alerted to the situation the afternoon of Oct. 22. Sgt. G.A. Johnson, Officer J.A. Rhodes and Officer P.S. Ferguson conducted four hours of surveillance near the scene of the crime, a hunting camp near Terra Alta.
That evening, Officer Ferguson and Officer Rhodes watched a pickup truck leave the hunting camp. The officers followed the vehicle into Terra Alta and made a traffic stop. They found that the two men in the truck had a 10- point buck deer in the bed of the vehicle.
Upon further investigation, Sergeant Johnson, Officer Ferguson and Officer Rhodes issued three citations each to Ernest Nice, age 39, and Bryan Sypolt, age 37, both of Terra Alta. The citations were for illegal possession of wildlife, providing false information to a law enforcement officer, and hunting without a license.
The officers confiscated the buck deer, which had an inside antler measurement of 15 1/4 inches, making it large enough to qualify under the enhanced penalties section of the West Virginia hunting regulations regarding the illegal taking of trophy bucks.
Charges are pending in Preston County Circuit Court. If convicted, the suspects will be assessed a minimum of $1,000 replacement cost under the trophy deer regulations and up to $2,805 in fines and court costs.
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