South Dakota Deer Poacher Nabbed With DNA Testing

[vermonster13]

DNA testing isn't just for major crime scene investigations anymore. Conservation officers of the S.D. Game, Fish and Parks Department used DNA testing to make a case against a Codington County poacher.

Devin Reuer, 20, Watertown, was convicted by a Codington County jury on the charge of hunting big game without a license.

Conservation officer Martin Yost, Watertown, saw a photo of the trophy buck Reuer shot in a local store and got a tip that the deer had been taken illegally. Yost found the kill site on land in Codington County owned by Gordon Lillie. Reuer had a deer tag good for Hamlin County.

At the kill site, Yost took blood and hair samples, a procedure he goes through during every investigation. "You never know," Yost said, "where that evidence is going to lead."

In this case, it led to the WestCore lab at Black Hills State University, one of 13 forensic wildlife labs in the nation. "This case was pretty straightforward," said associate lab director Cynthia Anderson, noting that the lab had to match the DNA in two samples.

Anderson, who testified for the prosecution, explained that the lab provides DNA testing for research at BHSU and throughout the state. In addition, the lab can provide species typing as well as paternity testing when the lineage of purebred animals comes into question.

"That’s a remarkable lab that we have available," said Codington County State’s Attorney Vince Foley who prosecuted the case.

Foley said that the use of DNA testing in wildlife cases sends a clear message to would-be poachers. "It gets the word out that we have that kind of testing available to us and that we will use it," Foley said.

At a cost of about $750 for the lab's services in the Watertown case, Foley likes the DNA testing because it's affordable.

Yost likes the testing because it's irrefutable. "If we have samples from the kill site and if we have samples from the animal," Yost said, "it's evidence they can't refute because we have genetic material that says the deer mounted on their wall or in their possession was taken illegally."

The road to Reuer's conviction was a long one. He shot the deer on Dec. 4, 2005, the last day of the East River deer season. After a lengthy investigation conducted by Yost and conservation officer Kraig Haase of Hayti, Reuer was convicted on Aug. 3.

Reuer was sentenced to 10 days in jail and told to pay $250 in fines and costs. Seven days of the jail sentence were suspended on the condition that he be a law abiding citizen for one year, pay the fines and court costs and lose his hunting privileges for one year. The state will also pursue $1,000 in civil damages against Reuer.

Yost praised State's Attorney Foley for his efforts. "Vince and I met many times concerning the case and the department is very fortunate to have a state's attorney like Vince Foley who did an outstanding job prosecuting this case," Yost said.

[Aeronut]

He was only fined $250??  If found guilty they ought to at least be required to pay the lab fees in addition to the fines.

Dennis

[vermonster13]

The State is taking him to civil court for those fees. I agree though, it should be required of him, $250 is an awful light fine and not much of a deterrent to a poacher.

[ArcticArcher]

I agree with Aeronut on the light fine, not to mention the other costs of conducting the investigation.  My brother in law is a CO in Indiana and has used DNA in cases in the past.

It's too bad that the court system don't take these offenses very seriously.  Heck they let drunk drivers go with only community service at times.

[Dryrot]

I think a lifetime revocation of hunting privledges would be in order.

[vermonster13]

DNA Testing catches a couple of VT poachers!

A father and son from Bennington have both pled guilty to charges related to a case involving two deer taken illegally in last December's muzzleloader deer season.

Theodore J. Dunn, 53, of Gore Road and Jason C. Dunn, 29, of Chapel Road were convicted after a lengthy investigation involving DNA testing of two deer shot in the vicinity of Skiparee Road in Bennington, ballistics linking a 45-70 lever-action rifle to the killing of both deer, and chemical analysis proving that a grain and mineral salt block used in taking the two deer contained a large amount of salt.

Vermont State Game Warden Travis Buttle led a team of wardens during the investigation, including Sgt. Paul Gaudreau, Greg Eckhardt, and George Scribner, as well as Deputy State Game Warden Wynn Metcalf.

Theodore Dunn pled guilty to two counts of using a rifle during muzzleloader season. He agreed to pay $400 in fines and $1,500 in restitution. In addition, he forfeited an ATV and rifle to the Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department and will not be able to obtain Vermont hunting, fishing and trapping licenses for three years.

Jason Dunn pled guilty to hunting from a ground blind without his name and address identified and to using an ATV on private property without permission of the landowner. He paid fines amounting to $362 and received five points in a Fish & Wildlife license revocation point system.

"I want to commend the wardens who worked on this case for their excellent investigative skills and thorough utilization of the latest technology available to us in crime scene investigations," said Colonel Robert Rooks, Vermont's chief game warden. "I also want to point out that the majority of Vermont hunters are law-abiding sportsmen and women who overwhelmingly support and make possible the wildlife conservation programs we have in Vermont. The actions of a small number of poachers should not reflect on Vermont's truly dedicated, conservation-minded hunters."

Colonel Rooks pointed out that Vermont hunters are helping to protect the future of hunting by continuing to report poaching violations.

Vermont slaps them a little harder.

[Dryrot]

Still not hard enough. I'm still in favor of a lifetime forfeiture of hunting privledge if convicted of a blatant game law violation.

[Ragnarok Forge]

$250.  I gotta say why not just shoot another one with that sissy fine.  It costs me more than that to buy an out of state Oregon Deer Tag.  Our state hammers poachers hard with heavy fines, real jail time and they loose their truck, rifle, hunting gear, etc....

[owlbait]

Higher fines, longer sentences, increased restitution. But LEFT WING JUDICIARY.???????REALLY????? Is there anything you WON'T blame on the "left wing'?  :confused:    

[mwmwmb]

I am not sure who is responsible. BUT, Someone should be held accountable for "dancing with the stars"

[Ragnarok Forge]

Left wing, right wing? They are all liars and fools that stick it to ya for taxes and fail to enforce their own laws.  It is the liberal left that is totally against the death penalty and high fines, and any serious punishments for the poor abused law violaters!  You just can't argue with documented facts.  They keep popping their inconvenient little heads up.  Oh, just for refence my political party is POP.  The Pissed off Peoples Party.    

I think a public flogging is in order for the accountable party for dancing with the stars.

[Tsalagi]

I, for one, am in favor of a new TV show: SEAR School For The Stars.

[Zradix]

Really I don't think he should have much done to him at all. He wasn't poaching in the WORST sense of the word. The guy had a tag a used it in the wrong county. Really no big deal in my book.
WHAT A COMPLETE WASTE OF MONEY TO GO AFTER THIS GUY in that way.

[Bill Turner]

There has got to be more to this case then what has been shared here. Gordan Lillie, the landowner, had to be involved in the prosecution of this case. How did the conservation officer happen to find the kill site quick enough to gather DNA without a complaint by the landowner? I expect the deer was unlawfully killed, the landowner filed a complaint describing the deer, (perhaps he even had pictures of the deer),the conservation officers went to the site and gathered the DNA and then waited for the deer to show up. Sure enough the pictures turned up later in a local store and the officers did their job, but the only thing they had to go on was the DNA and the location of the kill. If they had caught him on the scene, with gun in hand, and the deer in the back of his truck they might have been able to confiscate everything. With only the DNA evidence they could only do so much. I expect that is why he got off so easy. Only my opinion but it makes sense to me.

[Ric O'Shay]

What Bill said.

I wonder what really happened. Sure, this is the story the prosecutor went to court with. But, was the landowner also culpable? Questions:

1. Did he give the defendant permission to hunt on his land?
2. After the defendant shot the animal, did the landowner only then find out about the invalid county license?
3. Did the landowner, in order to cover his derriere, call the conversation officers and lead them to the kill site?
4. When did the officers collect the DNA? Prior to the picture showing up or after as the story says?
5. Just how did Officer Yost find a square yard of "kill site" in an entire county? Humm? Not without direction, I suspect.

Many more questions should be answered here. No doubt the deer was taken illegally. Poachers should be prosecuted and the maximum sentence handed down. But, as they say, the devil is in the details and these details smell to high heaven.

     

Danny

[Brian Krebs]

I question the DNA.

 I do so because I know that human twins if separated from one embryo to two within the first couple hours or days: can be identical.

 That is :  have the exact same DNA.

 If this guy shot the twin to the poached deer... he could be innocent.

  Deer normally have twins; and I don't know of any research done that shows if the twins have identical DNA or not.
  If any data like that exists- its probably with high fence operations and controlled and monitored breeding.
  Its a hole in the net that could be sewed up with the right data.

[dbow]

Maybe they should interview the deer's parents, or look up the deer's social security number just to make sure.  There also might have been other deer around that witnessed this horrible crime!  

What a waste of taxpayers dollars!!  Pretty soon you will get a pollution ticket for farting in your tree stand!

[Buckeye Trad Hunter]

I'm proud of how my state handles poachers.  If you're thinkin' of comin' to Ohio and poachin' our deer you may want to check this out first!

  http://www.petersenshunting.com/content/nabbing-poacher-johnny-b-clay

[Brian Krebs]

From the view point of a MICHIGAN - GO BLUE !!! fan; and not a Buckeye (for those that don't know it- a buckeye is a kind of a nut)- I say:
 
 GOOD WORK !!! That poacher deserves some wall to wall therapy - and the officer    

[ChuckC]

Brian    Twins starting from separate embryos have their own unique DNA,  Twins starting from the same embryo could be the same.

Typical fawns are not identical twins.
ChuckC