Poaching brings to mind gruesome scenes from the African continent of elephants or rhinos grotesquely butchered for their tusks or horns, with the bloodied carcasses discarded to rot in the sun. Poachers there have pushed several species to endangered status, and they could threaten to wipe these rare animals out if this illegal activity continues.
But poaching takes on many other forms, and it is found throughout the globe, including here, in and around the city of Toledo. Over the past month, poachers have killed four white-tailed deer around Delaware Creek Park, a small slice of greenspace that runs from Detroit Avenue down to River Road, bordered by Wildwood Boulevard.
The park, and the ravine that cradles its waterway, provides a corridor for wildlife to reach the Maumee River and the habitat along its edges.
The whitetails — all male antlered deer known as bucks — that were poached from the Delaware Park area were not taken by a desperate individuals seeking food for their families — three of the deer were beheaded and their carcasses left behind as waste. A fourth deer was found intact.
In one case a portion of the backstrap — the filet mignon of venison cuts — was removed.
Otherwise, however, the poacher or poachers appeared to have sawed off the heads and taken only the skull and antlers.
“It needs to be said that this is not hunting — this is definitely poaching,” said Allison Snyder, a Beverly Block Watch leader and a resident of the neighborhood around the park. “This isn’t how hunting is done, and it’s worth mentioning that there are people in this neighborhood who are hunters and they’ve been to our meetings — they are very upset about this. This is not hunting and it gives everyone that hunts a bad name.”
Poaching is the illegal pursuit, killing, or capturing of wild animals. It is also the complete disregard for the rules and laws that regulate hunting, an obvious disdain for the principles of fair chase, and it is often the grand theft of something that belongs to others. Poachers are criminals, not just careless sportsmen ignorant of regulations.
Paul Kurfis, Law Enforcement Supervisor for the Ohio Division of Wildlife’s District Two office in Findlay, said an ongoing investigation into the Delaware Creek Park poaching incidents has shown that numerous laws likely were broken. Mr. Kurfis said it appears that the poacher or poachers used a crossbow to kill the deer, and several arrows have been retrieved from the site. It is also likely the deer were poached after dark, with the perpetrators possibly using a spotlight or the headlights of a vehicle to temporarily blind the deer. This “jacklighting” practice is illegal.
“These are obviously not sportsmen,” Mr. Kurfis said. “A few years ago this is what we called ‘slob hunters.’ And they are absolutely illegal hunters. They are just shooting these deer for the antlers.”
Mr. Kurfis said cases of poaching in Ohio’s urban and suburban parks and natural areas occur “every now and then” and he cited similar crimes taking place in the parks in Cleveland and Columbus. These poaching cases are not new to Toledo’s parks, either.
Side Cut Sam, a highly-recognizable buck that frequented the Metropark along the Maumee River and sported a record-book size rack and two large drop tines, was poached in the fall of 2000. The following spring, hikers on the river’s Blue Grass Island found what was believed to be Sam’s carcass, minus the head and antlers. A man in possession of those unique and easily identifiable antlers was arrested shortly after that discovery.
A huge Side Cut buck believed to be a descendant of Sam and known as “Big Boy” was poached in 2008. Big Boy had the large rack and distinct drop tines and was a celebrity known to legions of park visitors and river-walkers. Two University of Toledo students were charged in the case and found guilty of a laundry list of violations, and ordered to pay $13,277.60 in restitution for the animal they poached.
Mr. Kurfis said Lucas County Wildlife Officer Michael Ohlrich is actively investigating the Delaware Park poaching cases, and that the residents living around the park are anxious to see the criminals brought to justice.
“There is a lot of interest in this case, and it’s on the front burner. People want to see someone caught,” he said. “And there are more ways to catch these poachers today than there used to be. You never know how you are going to get information, or where it might come from.”
Ms. Snyder said more than 75 people attended the last neighborhood block watch meeting, with many expressing serious concerns about the poaching incidents in the park.
“People are disgusted by this,” Ms. Snyder said. “This park is a place where people walk their dogs and where kids play. And it is a very common occurrence to see deer throughout the park and the neighborhood, but there typically aren’t any problems with them. For someone to come in and kill these deer, cut off the heads and just waste the rest — it is very upsetting.”
Ms. Snyder and Mr. Kurfis urged anyone with information on the poaching to call Ohio’s 1-800-POACHER hot line, or call Officer Ohlrich at 419-429-8388. Callers can remain anonymous and are eligible for cash rewards. Mr. Kurfis said poaching is a third-degree misdemeanor, and that numerous factors can enter into the punishment levied by the courts in poaching cases. He added that the investigation will reveal the specific charges in these poaching cases, and that the perpetrators could face both state and local charges. Hunting inside the city limits is illegal by Toledo city ordinance and a minor misdemeanor.
“Anytime you wade into something like this, there are a number of other things that could pop up,” Mr. Kurfis said. “If it turns out that local ordinances were violated, since this poaching took place inside the city limits, then there could be more charges related to that aspect of the case. The investigation hopefully will tell us what took place and what laws were broken, and it will be up to the prosecutors to make the charges from there. We can only speculate at this point.”
The restitution value of a poached white-tailed buck is based on its antler size, with one recent case in Huron County calling for the convicted poacher to pay $28,000 in restitution. Mr. Kurfis said that in the Delaware Creek Park case, if the four bucks taken by poaching were potentially trophy animals, the restitution penalties could be substantial.
Each poaching charge also carries a possible 60 days in jail, a $500 fine, the confiscation of the archery equipment used to commit the crimes, and potentially the confiscation of the vehicle used in the poaching.
“With this case, we’ve seen more of a public outcry than in the usual poaching cases,” Mr. Kurfis said. “This wasn’t a misunderstanding or someone not being sure of the rules — this was illegal activity from the get-go. We want to see the person or persons responsible apprehended, and we appreciate any help from the public. We always have our eyes and ears open.”
Contact Blade outdoors editor Matt Markey at: mmarkey@theblade.com or 419-724-6068.
First Published February 21, 2016, 5:59 a.m.
