56 Charges Filed Against Worcester County Deer Hunters

Worcester MA

16 March, 2022

1:52 PM

Description

WORCESTER, MA — State Environmental Police have brought 56 new charges against a group of hunters in northern Worcester County who illegally killed deer late last year. In November, Environmental Police began an investigation into the illegal kills in the Templeton area. On one night, police watched as one of the hunters used a crossbow to shoot a decoy deer with the aid of a spotlight mounted on a truck. The hunter sped off when he saw that he had shot a decoy, police said. Environmental Police arrested three people in the truck — which contained severed deer legs in plain sight, police said — and later charged them with hunting with the aid of a motor vehicle, illegal hunting with a crossbow, hunting with an artificial light, hunting after hours and hunting without a permit. The hunters were arraigned on Tuesday, and are now facing a host of new charges, including illegal hunting on public property, hunting after the close of the season and discharging a weapon within 150 feet of a road. Police in New Hampshire are also investigating the hunters. If police determine the hunters crossed state lines, they may face charges under the federal Lacey Act. The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service into possible hunting violations, according to Environmental Police. In general, deer hunting season in Massachusetts is confined to October, November and December. Hunting times are limited to 30 minutes before sunrise and 30 minutes after sunset.