1MONTHLY FIELD REVIEW MARCH 2020

OREGON STATE POLICEFISH & WILDLIFE DIVISION

CONTENTCommunity Outreach ............................................................................................... 3General Law & Rescues ......................................................................................... 4-5Administration and Enforcement of Wildlife Laws ................................................ 6-9Marine Fisheries Team ........................................................................................... 10Shellfish and Angling ......................................................................................... 11-13Turn in Poachers ..................................................................................................... 14F&W Recruitment ................................................................................................... 15

On the cover:A Fish and Wildlife Trooper on an ATV patrol near Adel, Oregon.

COMMUNITY OUTREACH

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Oakridge Elementary Read Across America Event

A Fish and Wildlife Trooper attended the Oakridge Elementary School Read Across America Event. The Trooper was a guest reader and read a short story to several small groups of children. He also handed out OSP wristbands and stickers to each participant. Several other local agencies participated in the event including the U.S. Forest Service (Smokey Bear), Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) Willamette Hatchery, Oakridge Police Department, and Oakridge Library. The Trooper’s daughter and her Extreme Air Dog Bubba, a black Labrador, also read to the children.

Sandy Hunter Education Class

A Fish and Wildlife Trooper attended a hunter education class in Sandy. The Trooper gave a presentation to a group of approximately 22 students and their parents. Topics discussed included firearm safety, hunting rules, and updates to the 2020 regulations.

Bull Trout Working Group Meeting A Fish and Wildlife Trooper attended the annual Upper Willamette Bull Trout Working Group meeting at the US Forest Service (USFS) Willamette National Forest Supervisors Office in Springfield. The Trooper provided a law enforcement update for the group regarding angling enforcement at Hills Creek Reservoir and in the Upper Middle Fork Willamette River drainage.

Inter-Agency Human/Bear Interaction MeetingFish and Wildlife Troopers attended the second inter-agency meeting concerning human/bear interaction in the lower Rogue River Wild & Scenic section.

Hunter Education Class - John Day Fish and Wildlife Troopers conducted a presentation to a hunter’s education class in John Day. The presentation included OSP’s role in the enforcement of game regulations and the importance of being a safe and responsible sportsman. The class contained approximately 45 students consisting of mostly young upcoming hunters, but also several adults. The presentation seemed to be well received, with several questions from the students. Later in the week, a Trooper assisted with the field day to insure the students could demonstrate the proper and safe use of firearms.

Elementary School Presentation - Klamath Falls A Klamath Falls Fish and Wildlife Trooper talked to a group of elementary students at a local school. General law enforcement duties, OSP Fish and Wildlife duties, and recreational safety were discussed. The students especially enjoyed the show and tell session involving animal pelts, skulls and antlers.

Lincoln County TMA Policy Finalized at Meeting

Fish and Wildlife Troopers attended a Travel Management Area (TMA) meeting at the Adair Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife office, with members from the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, and managers from Hancock Forest Management and Weyerhaeuser Timber. The meeting went well and Troopers helped to finalize a Travel Management Area/Access policy that will provide consistency and simplicity between the two large Lincoln County landowners.

Hunter Education Class - Burns Area A Fish and Wildlife Trooper from the Burns Office spoke at a local hunter education class to kids and several parents about general hunting laws and regulations for big game and game bird hunting. There were 18 kids that attended the class. The discussion was well received by the kids, parents, and hunter education instructors.

Troopers Attend Sportsmen’s Banquet Portland Fish and Wildlife Troopers hosted a booth at the Good Shepherd Sportsmen’s Banquet and offered education to attendees on the work of OSP Fish and Wildlife Troopers. There were approximately 200 people in attendance.

Editor’s note: These community outreach activities all occurred in early March, prior to Oregon’s Stay Home, Stay Safe order.

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GENERAL LAW & RESCUES

Abandoned Boat Pulled From Umpqua River

Fish and Wildlife Troopers and a Douglas County Marine Patrol Deputy worked together to recover a boat that had been dumped in the South Umpqua River. It appeared that someone backed up to the river and dumped the old tri-hull boat and let it float downstream until it became hung up on rocks. The Troopers floated the OSP drift boat down the river above the boat. Two Troopers, in dry suits, hooked a rope onto the bow and gave it to a Trooper in the drift boat. The Troopers then pushed the boat off the rocks after making a temporary plug for the boat. After pushing it off the rocks, the Troopers climbed on the boat and oared it down the river backwards about one river mile to the next take out area. The Deputy loaded the boat, which was last registered in 1985, onto a flatbed trailer and will attempt to find who dumped it.

Trooper Provides Live Saving Assistance A Fish and Wildlife Trooper responded to an agency assist request near the Siskiyou Summit on Interstate-5. Medford Police and Jackson County Deputies were attempting to locate and take a suicidal male into custody for a previous assault. The subject was located on Old Hwy 99 and officers engaged in negotiations. Unfortunately the suspect smoked a large amount of heroin in front of responding law enforcement before being taken into custody without incident. While being transported to Jackson County Jail, the subject began to overdose and was pulled from the vehicle onto the shoulder of I-5. The Trooper assisted the transporting deputies by administering two shots of Narcan but the subject stopped breathing. The Trooper began CPR and gave 15 chest compressions which apparently circulated the Narcan and the subject was revived. He was then transported by Ashland Fire and later jailed for multiple crimes.

Subjects Educated about Forest Product Permits Coos Bay Fish and Wildlife Troopers contacted a subject who had been parked at the Noel Ranch Boat Launch for a couple hours. He had about five gallons of fiddleheads (curls of new growth on the fronds of a fern) visible in the bed of the pickup truck, which he stated came from private property. He did not have a transportation permit and stated he had a verbal agreement. He was advised about needing one, according to Unlawful Cut and Transportation of Special Forest Products. The landowner was contacted and agreed to the circumstances. She was advised about the lawful requirement for a special forest product transportation permit.

Red-Tailed Hawk Rescued A Roseburg Fish and Wildlife Trooper responded to the report of an injured hawk. A red-tailed hawk was located in a yard of a residence. The Trooper placed the hawk into a box and transported it to a member of Umpqua Wildlife Rescue for evaluation.

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GENERAL LAW & RESCUES

Illegal Harvest of Oregon Grape A Springfield Fish and Wildlife Trooper and Sergeant assisted a Bureau of Land Management (BLM) law enforcement officer with the seizure of 679 pounds of illegally harvested Oregon grape. The subject was stopped for a traffic violation and during the investigation it was learned he did not have a permit for the special forest product. The Oregon grape was seized and transported to a local processor.

Known Poacher Arrested on Warrant

A Fish and Wildlife Trooper observed a shed antler hunter who had returned to Oregon after being in Idaho for the last two years. The subject had previously been arrested for unlawfully taking and wasting more than 25 trophy bucks. After being convicted for wildlife crimes, the subject failed to complete probation and community service requirements and was known to have an outstanding bench warrant. He was arrested, and lodged at the Deschutes County Jail.

Trooper Assists Shed Hunter Left Out in the Cold A Fish and Wildlife Trooper contacted a subject in the Metolius Travel Management Area (TMA) area standing beside a pickup. He was shivering and had been waiting, almost an hour, for his fellow shed hunters to return. The gentleman was offered a seat in the Trooper’s truck to warm up. About an hour later his partners returned with keys to the vehicle. The gentleman was grateful for the assistance.

Smith Rock Climber Rescue A Fish and Wildlife Trooper responded to Smith Rock State Park for a report of a rock climber who had fallen approximately fifteen feet. The Trooper provided care to the subject until medics arrived and then assisted with his extraction.

Boat Removed from River after Boaters Rescued Roseburg Fish and Wildlife Troopers worked with a Douglas County Marine Patrol Deputy to recover a drift boat that got stuck in the bottom of a rapid on the North Umpqua River. The subjects were rescued from the boat about an hour prior. The boat was sideways in the rapid, slightly tipped upstream and the river was flowing into it. One of the Troopers maneuvered the OSP sled boat up to the boat where the Deputy and Trooper, in dry suits, made a plywood dam on the upstream side of the boat to keep most of the water from flowing in. Then one of the Troopers operated a gas powered water pump that was sitting on the front of the OSP boat. The water pump pumped about 90 percent of the water out of the boat. A Trooper tried to shake the inside of the boat while the other Trooper lightly bumped the boat off the rock. The boat broke free with no damage and a Trooper rowed it through the rest of the rapid and downstream to a boat ramp that was nearby.

Fuel Theft Suspects Arrested - Grant County A Fish and Wildlife Sergeant assisted John Day Patrol Troopers and Grant County Sheriff ’s Office with an ongoing theft investigation involving multiple suspects in the Grant County area. The investigation began in the fall of 2019, with numerous thefts of fuel occurring on the Malheur National Forest at a logging site. In total, the logging company sustained thousands of dollars of fuel theft and damage to heavy equipment. Several suspects were identified and subsequent interviews conducted. A stolen firearm was also recovered. The primary suspect, an adult male, was arrested without incident in Prairie City for two counts of Theft I (fuel/firearm), Unlawful Entry to Motor Vehicle, Burglary II, and Criminal Mischief. Two other suspects were cited and released for Theft II.

ADMINISTRATION & ENFORCEMENT OF WILDLIFE LAWS

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Multiple Subjects Cited After Two Elk Unlawfully Taken in Indigo Wildlife Management Unit

A Springfield Fish and Wildlife Trooper received a tip that shots were heard coming from private property in the Perkins Creek area southeast of Cottage Grove. The Trooper found two vehicles parked on a ridge above a series of clear cuts where elk are frequently seen. The area is in the Indigo Wildlife Management Unit (WMU). The Trooper then found four adults and a juvenile packing out elk meat behind a locked gate. The initial investigation indicated that the 13-year-old juvenile hunter, who had a Melrose WMU antlerless elk tag had killed his first elk. The subjects led the Trooper to the location where the juvenile shot the elk. At a landing at the top of a clear cut, the subjects and juvenile described the events of the hunt and where the shot were fired from. While talking to the subjects the trooper spotted another elk carcass in the bottom of the clear cut. The subjects acted surprised to see another dead elk and claimed only the juvenile had shot. The subjects were identified, a rifle was seized, and they were released from the scene and told they would be contacted at a later time. With the assistance of a few other Troopers the second elk was quartered and packed out of the clear cut.

The next day, follow up interviews were conducted in regards to the previous day’s elk case. It came to light that the adults in the group had not been honest with the trooper. It was learned one of the adults had shot and killed the second elk and he had a Melrose WMU antlerless elk tag. Additionally, no one in the group had permission to be on the property. Two more rifles were seized and all four adults were issued citations. The criminal citations issued were: Aiding in a Wildlife Offense-Take Elk Closed Season, Aiding in a Wildlife Offense-Hunting While Trespassing, Take Antlerless Elk Closed Season/Area, and Hunting While Trespassing. Violation citations for Aiding in a Wildlife Offense were issued to the father of the juvenile and to the fourth adult for assisting in the packing of the illegal elk meat. The juvenile was warned for Take Elk Closed Season. While one of the Troopers was interviewing the subjects, K-9 Buck was deployed to the clear cut where the elk were killed and found additional evidence which helped to confirm the location of at least one of the shooters and also to confirm statements made by the involved subjects. The meat from both elk were donated to charity in Oakridge.

ADMINISTRATION & ENFORCEMENT OF WILDLIFE LAWS

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Abandoned Trailer in Ladd Marsh Wildlife Area

A Fish and Wildlife Trooper conducted a patrol in the Ladd Marsh Wildlife Area. One subject was issued a citation for Unlawful Entry into State Wildlife Area. The Trooper also worked with ODFW staff and a local tow company to get an abandoned trailer loaded with scrap metal towed from the wildlife area.

Subjects Cited for Hunting in Closed Refuge

A Fish and Wildlife Trooper was patrolling the Lower Klamath Lake National Wildlife Refuge when he noticed several subjects that appeared to be set up within the refuge, which is closed to hunting. The subjects were contacted and confirmed to be within the refuge, with their decoys set on private property. The local refuge officer requested that they be cited. One subject was also found to have an unplugged shotgun. Another subject did not have a signed waterfowl stamp. All were cited for Hunting Closed Refuge with several additional warnings issued.

Trespasser Attempts to Hide from Trooper A La Pine Fish and Wildlife Trooper observed a herd of elk being forced across a busy highway from a private ranch and suspected that someone was trespassing. Foot tracks were followed onto the private ranch and led to a known poacher who was observed carrying a spike elk head. The subject hid the head after his partner alerted him that the Trooper was in the area and also attempted to hide. The subjects were found to be running the elk in the heavy brush in an attempt to get their antlers to fall off. He was contacted and cited for illegal possession of the elk head. Trespass II charges are pending.

Bald Eagle Deaths Ruled Accidental

A Klamath Falls Fish and Wildlife Trooper received a request for assistance from a US Forest Service (USFW) Special Agent concerning a bald eagle investigation. Two bald eagles had been located deceased by an area rancher. The eagles were found several days apart in the same location. The Trooper took possession of the eagles, examined both birds and determined that they had both been electrocuted on power lines.

Washington Subject Warned for Taking Deadhead

A Fish and Wildlife Trooper from The Dalles received a call from a subject who had witnessed another subject taking a dead head bull elk skull out of the national forest. The reporting party was able to get a Washington license plate and a description of the subjects. The Trooper worked with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) and was able to develop a suspect. Phone interviews were conducted with two subjects and it was learned that the subject who had collected the skull did not know he couldn’t pick them up until his friend told him he couldn’t possess it. The subject said on the way down the hill he removed the skull from his backpack and tossed it out the window. The subject was subsequently warned.

Subject Warned for Wildlife Harassment

A Fish and Wildlife Trooper responded to a complaint of an elk shot and left to waste on a landing east of Roseburg. The Trooper located the animal (actually a sick adult deer) which was dumped with some dead farm animals. The Trooper concluded the animal likely died of natural causes and was dumped by a landowner after it died. Following that call, the Trooper responded to a complaint regarding illegal killing of multiple turkeys west of Roseburg. The investigation revealed a landowner actually shot into the ground four times to scare off the turkeys from eating his bird seed. He was educated on the hazing permit process and turkey hunting options coming up next month. The man was issued a written warning for Harassing Wildlife (No Hazing Permit).

Unlawful Licence Application Case Closed A Fish and Wildlife Trooper closed a case involving a California father/daughter duo who were found to be applying for Oregon resident tags when living as residents in California. A California Fish and Wildlife Officer assisted in serving four citations to the subjects. Both were criminally charged with two counts each of Unlawful Application for Hunting License for 2018 and 2019.

ADMINISTRATION & ENFORCEMENT OF WILDLIFE LAWS

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Subjects Cited for Multiple Thefts The Albany Fish and Wildlife team received a complaint from the South Santiam Fish Hatchery manager regarding multiple property crimes committed at their facility. Fish and Wildlife Troopers deployed trail cameras to identify the suspects. Two male suspects were caught on the trail cameras stealing gas out of tanks. Troopers went to the suspects’ residence to interview them. The two suspects ultimately admitted to most of the crimes committed at the fish hatchery. During a consent search of the residence, property taken from the fish hatchery was located as well as a homemade short barreled shotgun. One of the subjects admitted to shooting the shotgun and provided the Troopers with a cell phone video of him shooting it. The Troopers also located a spike elk head which one of the subjects admitted to finding and taking from the woods. A female subject at the house was cited and released for a warrant out of Lebanon Justice Court. One male subject was cited for three active warrants, three counts each of Theft II and Criminal Trespass, Unauthorized Entry into Motor Vehicle, Burglary II, as well as Criminal Mischief II, and Possession of Short Barreled Shotgun. The other male subject was transported to Linn County Jail where he was lodged on a detainer from his parole officer. He was criminally cited for three counts each of Theft II and Criminal Trespass II, as well as Fail to Register Address, Possession of Short Barreled Shotgun, Possession of Firearm by Felon, and Unlawful Take/Possession of Spike Elk.

Juvenile Coached to Commit Hunting Violation

A Fish and Wildlife Trooper was given information on a possible poaching case in the Gold Beach area. The Trooper contacted a juvenile girl at her residence. She indicated she had harvested a cow elk, with her father, on a licensed youth hunt. She told the Trooper she had hunted the elk in the Sixes Unit where her youth hunt license permitted. Under further investigation, she told the Trooper that she and her farther had actually shot and harvested the elk in a field behind her house. The daughter, under her father’s direction, shot the elk, in the Chetco Unit, which is not where the tag permitted. The father admitted to allowing his daughter to shoot the elk. The elk was seized and donated. The father was issued a criminal citation for Aiding in a Game Violation. The daughter was verbally warned and educated on the matter.

Bears Reported in Ashland Neighborhood

A Fish and Wildlife Sergeant responded to report of a bear in a cedar tree in Ashland city limits. Ashland has been seeing more and more bears in town recently. The Sergeant arrived and there was a sow bear and two older cubs in the tree. The property owners reported the bear had gotten in to several buckets of bird seed left out on the porch. The neighbors were educated on staying away from the bears and keeping all pets, food and garbage inside. The bears eventually came down on their own later that night.

ADMINISTRATION & ENFORCEMENT OF WILDLIFE LAWS

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Subject Bragged About Poaching A Portland Fish and Wildlife Trooper received a tip about a subject bragging at his former place of employment that he killed a deer. During questioning the subject stated he did not kill a deer, but found a cow elk dead and took the meat. The Troopers challenged the subject’s honesty and he finally admitted to shooting a cow elk in the Scappoose area. The subject and his girlfriend admitted to working together to load and transport the meat. Multiple packages of meat were seized along with the rifle used to kill the elk. The subject and his girlfriend were cited and released for their crimes. The Troopers then located the elk carcass. Near the carcass were multiple garbage bags, one of which contained a small amount of elk meat. Charges regarding trespass and waste were referred to the District Attorney’s office.

Unlawful Take of Bull Elk - Lincoln County Newport Fish and Wildlife Troopers received information regarding a bull elk that was killed out of season by a male subject in the Burnt Woods area in East Lincoln County. The Troopers went to the residence where the elk was reportedly being processed. A male subject at the residence was contacted and a butchered elk carcass was observed inside the garage. The subject ultimately admitted to killing the 2x3 bull elk at first daylight on his own property. The subject had already cut and wrapped the elk and placed the meat in a chest freezer. The elk meat was seized as evidence. The subject was cited and released for Take/Possession of Bull Elk Closed Season and No Resident Hunting License.

Angling Closed Season - Wickiup ReservoirA La Pine Fish and Wildlife Trooper patrolled the Cascade lakes and rivers where he contacted anglers on Wickiup Reservoir and the Deschutes River which were closed to angling. A subject was contacted with an unregistered boat and fishing with multiple rods. Citations and warnings were issued for Angling Closed Season and No Angling License, as well as marine board violations.

Deer and Ducks Taken in Closed Season

A Coos Bay Fish and Wildlife Trooper received a report regarding poaching in the Olalla area. He was unable to contact the suspect or observe any deer on the property, as was reported. A few days later Roseburg Fish and Wildlife Troopers interviewed the suspect who eventually admitted to unlawfully killing one small buck and two mallard ducks. The remains of the ducks and most of the meat from the illegally harvested deer was recovered along with the .22 caliber rifle allegedly used to kill the animals. He was cited for Unlawful Take /Possession Antlerless Deer. Unlawful Taking Game Bird and other charges were referred to the District Attorney’s office.

Angling Violations - Linn and Marion Counties

A Salem Fish and Wildlife Trooper was patrolling Linn and Marion County waterways and made numerous contacts on anglers committing egregious violations. Several citations and warnings were issued for No Resident Angling License, Angling Closed Area/ Stream, Angling Closed Season, No Combined Angling Harvest Tag, No Columbia River Endorsement, and Aiding Counseling in a Wildlife Offense.

MARINE FISHERIES TEAM

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Wholesale Fish Dealer Fails to Maintain Records Fish and Wildlife Troopers inspected a wholesale fish dealer in Rockaway Beach following a complaint from ODFW alleging the dealer had bought fish prior to obtaining a wholesale dealer license. The dealer failed to submit monthly remittance reports and landing fees for two separate months in 2019. The dealer was issued a citation for Failure to Submit Monthly Reports/Landing Fees.

Boat Captain Charged for Keeping Others’ Gear

The Marine Fisheries Team received information of possible theft of crab pots. Troopers arrived and observed a crab pot that did not belong to the boat’s gear it was stacked with. Upon closer observation, they found a second pot that did not belong to the boat. Troopers had previous contact and subsequent arrests and charges on different circumstances with the crew and captain of the vessel involved with the gear. Upon inspection of all of the stacked gear, Troopers confirmed four pots did not belong to the boat based on buoy tags, pot tags, and welded initials on pot weight bars. The rightful owners were contacted and verified ownership of the pots. Another 15 pots were seized that did not have any identifying tags and are being held pending further investigation. Additionally, port video surveillance showed the boat captain removing 3-5 pots from the derelict gear pile and corresponding buoy colors did not match the colors associated with his vessel. The captain of the vessel was contacted and admitted to loading pots on his boat that were not his but claimed he was going to return them eventually to the rightful owner. Oregon allows fisherman to bring in gear belonging to another vessel that is derelict, but they are required to enter this in their logbooks. The boat captain had not completed a logbook for the 19-20 crab season and there was no recording of gear he had pulled that didn’t belong to him. The boat captain was charged criminally with four counts of Theft II and one count of Failure to Complete Dungeness Crab Logbook.

USCG Assists on Marine Reserve Patrol

Members of the Marine Fisheries Team conducted a multi-day ocean patrol from Newport to the California boarder. The focus was on marine reserves, commercial Dungeness crab and recreational and commercial groundfish. Multiple sport anglers were contacted as well as several commercial near shore and open access groundfish anglers. Patrols in the Cape Perpetua Marine Reserve, with air support from USCG helicopter crew, located and retrieved three derelict pots inside of the closure. Patrols in Redfish Rocks Marine reserve found no violations. The team patrolled approximately five miles of the Oregon/California border and found no violations. The team also checked a multitude of commercial crab strings to ensure gear was marked appropriately with pot tags.

Squid Fishing Vessel in Marine Reserve

The Marine Fisheries Team received multiple complaints of a seine boat setting a net inside of the Cascade Head Marine Reserve. Troopers arrived by boat on scene to find a seine boat with a net deployed actively fishing for squid. The boat was dead center inside the reserve. The boat was boarded and instructed to release squid in the net that was currently deployed. Troopers found approximately two tons of squid already on board the vessel from the first tow that had been made just before Troopers arrived in the same area inside of the reserve. The captain was cited for Fishing Closed Area: Cascade Head Marine Reserve. He was instructed to return to Port immediately and offload the squid to OSP. The squid then were sold back to the plant and the value of the load will be paid to the ODFW commercial fish fund.

SHELLFISH & ANGLING

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Happy Angler Shows Off His Legal Walleye

Fish and Wildlife Troopers conducted a boat patrol on Lookout Point Reservoir. During the patrol they checked seventeen anglers and five boats. Two citations were issued for No Angling License. An angler with a nice sized walleye was also checked and was happy to show off his legal catch (see photograph above).

Guide Cited on Chetco River Patrol

A Gold Beach Fish and Wildlife Trooper conducted a pontoon drift patrol on the Chetco River. A guide with two clients was contacted. Investigation revealed that one of the clients had retained two steelhead and did not have a valid combined angling tag in possession. The guide allowed the client to simply tag the fish on a piece of paper. Furthermore, the guide allowed his client to continue to angle after retaining his daily bag limit. The guide stated that his client was fishing for trout. However, trout was closed during that time period and the client was clearly using Steelhead gear. The guide was issued a citation for Aiding in a Wildlife offense.

Subject Defies Angling Suspension A Fish and Wildlife Trooper patrolled the North Fork Alsea River and observed a subject angling under the Hwy 34 Bridge located at Fish Hatchery Road. Upon contacting the subject he provided a daily angling license/tag that was expired. After further questioning it was determined the subject had a permanent recreational angling suspension that took effect in 2019. The subject was also found to have three active warrants for his arrest. The warrants were confirmed and the subject was taken into custody and lodged at the Benton County Jail. The subject was criminally cited and released for Angling While Suspended and Possession of Falsely Applied for License/Tag at the jail. The subject’s angling rod, tackle box, and daily angling tag were seized as evidence.

Non-Resident Cited at Brownlee Reservoir While patrolling Brownlee Reservoir, a Fish and Wildlife Sergeant contacted a subject angling with two poles. The subject did not have a non-resident angling license. A consent search revealed the subject had caught and kept 11 catfish and 11 crappie. The subject was cited for Take/Possession of Game Fish.

Brookings Crabbing Violations A Fish and Wildlife Trooper was observing two youth crabbing and angling at the port of Brookings. The subjects kept at least seven Dungeness crab that appeared to be very small. The subjects appeared nervous and were concealing the crab in a bucket that was covered by an additional bucket. At one point, a supervising adult came down to look at the crab that the youth had kept. The subject then returned to his vehicle in the parking lot, nearby. The Trooper then went to contact the youth crabbers. When the youth saw the Trooper walking down the dock, one of them frantically went to grab the bucket containing the crab. The Trooper announced loudly to put the bucket down several times. However, the subject continued by dumping all of the crab into the water. Both youth (13 and 14 years old), were dishonest with the Trooper numerous times but eventually admitted that all seven crab were undersized and they had planned on keeping them. The youth appeared to have been coached on what to say to the Trooper. Their grandpa was contacted at the parking lot and was also dishonest, making similar statements as the youth did. Further investigation revealed the grandpa had been in trouble for numerous fish and wildlife violations in both OR and CA. Also, one of the youth did not have an angling license or shellfish license and the grandpa stated that he was aware of this. The grandpa was issued a citation for Aiding in a Wildlife Offense. The youth were reprimanded on the seriousness of their actions and were warned for No Resident Angling, No Resident Shellfish License, and Take of Undersized Dungeness Crab x7.

Citations Issued on Columbia River Patrol Pendleton and Hermiston area Fish and Wildlife Troopers conducted a boat patrol on the Columbia River between the McNary Dam and Boardman. Dozens of sturgeon and walleye anglers were checked. Citations were issued for Angling with More Than One Line and Possession of a Falsely Applied for License.

SHELLFISH & ANGLING

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Siletz Bay Crabbers Cited A Fish and Wildlife Trooper watched two subjects crabbing on Siletz Bay from a rubber raft using an electric motor. After observing both subjects using crab gear he contacted them at the shore. The Trooper noticed the raft was not registered, had no sound producing device and no personal flotation devices. He could also see the crab pot buoys were not marked as now required. Both subjects were asked for their licenses. The first subject stated initially he left his at home but was sure he had a license. The second subject provided a paper license but with a date of birth that was for a much older person. Investigation found the first subject did not have a license and admitted he was lying. After the second subject’s father showed up on scene, the subject admitted he was using his father’s license. The subjects were warned for the boat violations and for having unmarked crab buoys, and both received citations for No Resident Shellfish License. The use of the raft was terminated.

Subject Cited for Angling and Driving Violations A Fish and Wildlife Trooper was checking anglers at Henry Hagg Lake and contacted a subject fishing that, at first, refused to show the Trooper his angling license. The Trooper explained to the subject why he was required by law to show his angling license when asked by law enforcement. The subject finally admitted to not having an angling license and he was cited for No Resident Angling License and Marijuana Use in Public. During the contact, the Trooper and the subject talked about the subject having a suspended driver’s license and the Trooper told the subject to not drive. After the Trooper left the scene, he informed a Patrol Trooper that the subject was suspended. The Patrol Trooper stopped the subject leaving the lake and he was issued citations for Driving While Suspended Violation, Switched License Plates, and Failure to Register Vehicle.

Daily Limit of Marine Invertebrates Exceeded

Fish and Wildlife Troopers were checking shellfish licenses near the Garibaldi Pier when a female subject stated “I kept everything.” Upon checking her bucket she was found to be in possession of her daily clam limit (20) but was also in possession of 228 shore crab, 66 snails and one undersized Dungeness crab. The daily limit for Marine Invertebrates is 10 in aggregate. The subject was allowed to keep the clams and 10 shore crab, the remaining crab and snails were released. She was cited for Exceeding Daily Limit of Marine Invertebrates and given a warning for Possession of Undersized Dungeness Crab.

License and Tag Violations on Big Fall Creek A Fish and Wildlife Trooper observed two subjects on the bank of Big Fall Creek near the Unity Covered Bridge. A female subject was angling while a male subject was gutting a steelhead. When the Trooper inquired about an angling harvest tag the male acted confused and thought he could keep trout. The 25” wild steelhead was seized and the male subject was issued a violation citation for No Combined Angling Harvest Tag.

Violations Found on Yaquina Bay Night Patrol Fish and Wildlife Troopers conducted a nighttime shore patrol on Yaquina Bay. A group of people were contacted crabbing off of the Newport Pier and a consent search of their cooler led Troopers to discover multiple female and undersized Dungeness crab. Only one of the subjects had a valid shellfish license and was actively using five crab pots, two pots over number of pots allowed. One subject was cited for Take/Possession of Female Dungeness Crab, No Resident Shellfish License, and warned for Take/Possession of Undersized Dungeness Crab. A second subject was cited for Take/Possession of Female Dungeness Crab and warned for Take/Possession of Undersized Dungeness Crab. The crab were returned to the bay unharmed and the subjects removed the two extra crab pots from the bay.

Clamming Violations - Clatsop County An Astoria Fish and Wildlife Sergeant observed a subject dig two clams and drop them in the surf near his partner, who dug a fake hole and picked up the clams. Upon contact, the first subject had 23 clams in a milk jug. When confronted with this, he repeatedly said his jug would only hold 15, despite the fact that 23 had just been dumped out of it. The subject stated that he thought he had 14. He was cited for Exceeding the Daily Bag Limit of Clams and warned for Digging Clams for Another. Eight clams were seized and donated to charity.

SHELLFISH & ANGLING

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Tip Leads to Citations - Winchester Bay Fish and Wildlife Troopers responded to Winchester Bay on a tip that two subjects, who had been exceeding their daily limits of marine fish on several recent occasions, had just launched their boat to go fishing. The vessel was located and the Troopers observed the anglers for several hours. The anglers were contacted when they returned to the boat ramp, and both subjects were initially evasive in their responses to questions about their fishing trip. After further questioning, one of the subjects admitted to exceeding his daily limit of Lingcod, and that two of the fish were undersized. The other subject, a local guide, was dishonest about who caught the additional Lingcod, saying that another buddy caught it and went home because he got cold. The guide even went so far as to call a buddy and coach him over the phone about what he wanted him to say. The guide eventually admitted that there was never a third person on the boat. A consent search of the boat revealed five Lingcod, two of which were undersized, and several Dungeness crab, two of which were also undersized. The subject who admitted to catching the extra Lingcod and the undersized Lingcod, was issued a violation citation for Exceeding Daily Limit of Marine Fish, and warned for Take Undersized Fish. The guide was issued a violation citation for Take Undersized Dungeness Crab. The crab were released to the bay, and the fish were seized and donated to charity.

Angling Closed Area - North Umpqua River A Fish and Wildlife Sergeant arrived at Swiftwater Park on the North Umpqua River after receiving a complaint that two people were fishing in the closure. He observed evidence of someone being on the north side of the river in the closure but the associated vehicle was not at that location. He checked other areas and located the subjects at the base of the falls on the south side. After videotaping the subjects and being contacted by the reporting party, he contacted them as they were leaving. The one subject that had been angling was from California and had a one day license. He wondered what the painted line was for and why the other fisherman across the river was shaking his head at him. He was cited for Angling Closed Area, given a copy of the Sport Fishing Regulations, and educated on how to read them.

Out of Season Cabezon Seized

Fish and Wildlife Troopers obtained information regarding a Cabezon that was seized by a fish checker from the ODFW at the Garibaldi Marina. They contacted the subject, who was not aware that Cabezon retention was closed until July 1, 2020. The subject was cited for Possession of Marine Fish Closed Season- Cabezon. The Cabezon was seized and donated to the Tillamook County Jail.

Yelloweye Rockfish Mistakenly Retained A Fish and Wildlife Sergeant was dispatched to an ODFW report of the illegal taking of a large Yelloweye Rockfish in Charleston. An investigation revealed the subjects had been on several bottom-fishing trips with their new boat and had just finally got up the courage to keep one of the many species of red colored fish they had been throwing back. They were certain that the large Yelloweye was a Canary Rockfish because it didn’t have any black on the edges of the fins. They were very discouraged to learn that they hadn’t identified it correctly. It was determined that a warning was appropriate and the fish was donated to charity.

Multiple Violations on Big Fall Creek

A Fish and Wildlife Trooper patrolled Big Fall Creek below Fall Creek Dam and found many anglers out enjoying the sunshine, but unfortunately the majority of them were illegally angling in one way or another. The Trooper issued the following citations: Angling with Bait when Prohibited x4 and No Angling License x2. The Trooper also issued multiple warnings.

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TURN IN POACHERS5 Points-Bighorn Sheep5 Points-Rocky Mountain Goat5 Points-Moose5 Points-Wolf4 Points-Elk4 Points-Deer4 Points-Antelope4 Points-Bear4 Points-Cougar

$1,000 Bighorn Sheep $1,000 Rocky Mountain Goat$1,000 Moose$500 Elk, Deer & Antelope $300 Bear, Cougar & Wolf $300 Habitat Destruction $200 Illegally Obtaining License/Tags$200 Unlawful Lend/Borrow Big Game Tag(s)$100 Game Fish & Shellfish$100 Upland Birds, Waterfowl & Fur Bearers

PREFERENCE POINTS CASH REWARDS-OR-

The TIP program offers preference point rewards or cash rewards for information leading to an arrest or issuance of a citation for the unlawful take/possession or waste of big game mammals.

WHAT SHOULD I REPORT?- Nature of violation or activity observed or advised about- Location of activity (Road, Milepost, GPS, etc.)- Date and time of violation/activity- Description of any vehicle involved- Name and/or description of violator

Click here to access the TIP form

Oregon State Police work hand-in-hand with the Oregon Hunters Association and the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife to ensure the preservation of wildlife resources.

1-800-452-7888 or *OSP(677) TIP@state.or.us

FISH & WILDLIFE DIVISION

OREGON STATE POLICEInterested in becoming an Oregon State Police Fish and Wildlife Trooper?

For information, please visit our website at: www.osptrooper.com

Questions? Please call 503-378-4474 or email osp.trooper@state.or.us

“Assuring compliance with the laws which protect and enhance the long-term health and equitable utilization of Oregon’s fish, wildlife, and habitat resources.”

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