Shooting out a car window, otherwise they wouldnt need a compact weapon. Strange I found a full length arrow/broad head in my front yard, guessing somebody shot out of the back of a pickup with a normal bow. :brickwall:
How often is it happening, versus how often it makes the news? Xbow poachers are not alone, some guys shot a swan with a nail gun a couple years ago while building a new house. :brickwall:
Here is 3 months during the fall of 2015 of people who got "caught" with uncased crossbow in a vehicle acting suspicious. Appears some of these poachers had a xbow and gun. How many dont get caught, guess we dont know......
While working shining activity, CO Chuck McPherson and PCO Craig Neal located a vehicle whose occupants were shining for deer. The COs made contact and found an uncased loaded .22 and a cocked and loaded crossbow. The weapons were seized and numerous tickets were issued.
COs Bobbi Lively and Sam Schluckbier stopped a vehicle that was driving slow in the rain with the window down. After making contact with the occupants, the COs located an uncased bow, uncased crossbow, and a firearm in the vehicle. Enforcement action was taken.
CO Gainforth was on patrol for shining activity on the Missaukee/Osceola county line, when he conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle with a headlight out driving down an unimproved road. After contacting the two subjects in the vehicle, it was found that the driver possessed an uncased crossbow in the backseat covered with a sweatshirt. After discussing the subject's deer season, the driver admitted to shooting an eight point buck. The subject showed CO Gainforth pictures of the buck on his phone. It was apparent that the buck was not tagged in any of the pictures. CO Gainforth asked to see the subjects hunting license, and he produced both of his combination tags. When CO Gainforth asked the subject what he tagged his deer with, the subject stated that he did not tag the deer because it was wounded, and he thought it was going to die anyway. After more questioning, the subject admitted that he did not tag the deer because he filled both of his tags last year during the archery season, and did not have any tags left for the firearm season. CO Gainforth followed the subject to his residence where he produced the antlers from the eight point deer. CO Gainforth seized the antlers, restricted tag, and the crossbow used to take the deer. A citation was issued for the untagged deer, and a verbal warning was given for the uncased crossbow.
While on patrol in Clare County, CO Steve Lockwood and CO Josh Wright noticed a vehicle operating without taillights. The driver took a long time to stop the vehicle when signaled by the officers, and the passenger appeared to be frantically moving things in the back seat. Officers quickly secured the scene and located the source of excitement in the back seat. It seems the men were trying to hide a cocked and loaded crossbow. Officers took the appropriate enforcement action.
CO Casey Pullum made contact with a suspicious vehicle travelling a public land two track area in Ogemaw County. The subject had an uncased crossbow with a bolt, positioned just behind him in the vehicle. The subject was on probation and also in possession of marijuana. He was arrested and transported to the Ogemaw County Jail. CO Brian Olsen assisted at the scene.
CO Jacob Griffin was asked to assist a local police department in the investigation of one subject who illegally took an antlered deer at night with a crossbow. CO Griffin worked with multiple detectives to assure the proper questions were asked regarding the deer and an accurate location of the incident was given. CO Griffin later assisted the department with organizing the proper charges, penalties, and restitution regarding illegally taken game in the State of Michigan.
CO Bobbi Lively and PCO Sam Schluckbier contacted a 19 year old subject driving around near the Oscoda County line. The officers observed a tree stand and bait in the back of his vehicle along with a crossbow on the passenger seat. Further investigation revealed there was also a loaded shotgun behind the driver's seat. Enforcement action was taken.