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00:00A Michigan conservation officer in District 1 patrols on a weekday in
00:08late October, encountering waterfowl hunters. A D3CO monitors off-road
00:14vehicles. It's not an ORV trail or nothing. It's trespassing. A look at the grand
00:19reopening of a renovated lighthouse. I think a lot of people come to the
00:23lighthouse to see that Fresnel lens. Two Michigan conservation officers in
00:27District 7 check on waterfowl hunters during the early season. Three D9COs
00:32patrol during the busy firearm deer season. Do you have any questions? Yeah,
00:36what's your direct number? Because you guys are gonna be out here a lot. That
00:39mother just f***ed with me. Guess what? He getting it back. And to look at the
00:43state's efforts to make its public lands accessible to all. Wild animals and wild
00:50places. They're more than a picture. They're inspiration, excitement, and
00:55adventure. Patrolling and protecting these natural resources is a first-class
01:00band of peace officers. These are the wardens, dedicated to the preservation of
01:07our great outdoors.
01:12Michigan's firearm deer hunting season is usually the time of year that sees the
01:21most hunters in the woods. However, Michigan residents and visitors are still
01:25frequently outdoors, enjoying what the state has to offer during other seasons as
01:29well. These pursuits can involve recreating on land and water, and entail hunting and
01:32fishing, as well as a vast variety of other activities.
01:34In Michigan's District One, Conservation Officer Brian Lasseton is patrolling on the third Friday of October.
01:51In Michigan's District One, Conservation Officer Brian Lasseton is patrolling on the third Friday of October.
01:57The fall time of the year, we've got a lot of activity going on. Small game, bow season, trapping. Beautiful day, 60-degree fall, so probably going to be some
02:11some ORV traffic. Just checking remote areas of the county, Misery Bay, behind Twin Lakes.
02:18We're going to go check another remote area through the county, see if we've got any road hunters or ORV activity and go from there.
02:29With unseasonably warm weather, C.O. Lasseton is anticipating a lot of off-road vehicle activity.
02:35However, early in his shift, he receives a call to respond to a different type of potential violation.
02:41Carcass dumping complaint. Two does were dumped there. So who knows how long they've been there.
02:48They could be from the youth season or they could be someone that's taking does out of season.
02:53Time will tell when they get there to see what it is.
02:56Critters must have got them. Everything's gone except the ribcage.
03:17It's pretty picked apart, eh?
03:24Well, I guess I'll check with the county to see if they dumped the road kill here.
03:28I mean, it's hard to see, but if you look through the trees, you can see a main highway coming through.
03:33So there's a good possibility that they were dumped from the road commission getting off the highway.
03:38So that's where I'll start to see what everything turns out.
03:42So Monday I'll check with them and go from there.
03:46The month of May is a time of the year that is not open to deer hunting, but does still see a lot of outdoor activity.
03:58In the state's District 3, Officer Dan Listenfels is working on the final weekend of May and monitoring areas that frequently have ORVs on them despite being closed for ORV use.
04:13It doesn't take long for CO Listenfels to encounter ORVs where they are not supposed to be.
04:24How's it going?
04:25Yeah, how are you?
04:26Are you by yourself?
04:27No, my phone's right behind me.
04:28Okay. Where are you guys coming at?
04:30I'm sorry?
04:31Where'd you guys hop on here at?
04:32Oh, way down there.
04:33Red Bike Chardon Valley Road down there?
04:35I'm not sure the road name.
04:36Okay.
04:37And you see all the ORV clothes, no ORV signs?
04:40Oh, no.
04:41Turn around.
04:42They're all along this power line.
04:43You had to, no matter where you came on, you drove at least a couple of them.
04:46That's my first time ever riding a dirt bike on them.
04:48How many people are you with?
04:50Just me and my friend.
04:51Okay, where's he at?
04:52Did he crash or something?
04:53I'm not sure.
04:54Okay.
04:55Well, no, he's like, he's experiencing dirt biking.
04:57I didn't know that there was like signs and...
04:59So, Michigan law, you can never operate on a power line or a public utility.
05:04No matter what.
05:05Even if it's not posted closed.
05:06It's ORV trespassing.
05:07Okay.
05:08It's private property.
05:09Utility companies own them.
05:10Okay.
05:11This one's so bad, though, it's actually posted closed.
05:12Okay.
05:13So, all right.
05:14Do you get your driver's license on you at all?
05:15I do not.
05:16You don't?
05:17Okay.
05:18Where are you from?
05:19I'm from down in White Lake.
05:20White Lake.
05:21All right.
05:22Where are you guys staying at up here?
05:23Just down here about a tad in a couple, like maybe a mile away.
05:26On 49 here, this main road?
05:28Yeah.
05:29Okay.
05:30This one.
05:31Okay.
05:32You got your ORV permits or just these old ones?
05:34This one's not my bike, so...
05:35Okay.
05:36Yeah, probably just these old ones.
05:37Is it his bike?
05:38Yeah.
05:39Okay.
05:40How are we going?
05:41Hi.
05:42Okay.
05:43Can't be on here.
05:44Oh, you can't be?
05:45Turn around.
05:46See those red signs that say no ORVs on them?
05:47Oh, I need to.
05:48It doesn't matter where you came on, on this power line you drove, you probably have seen
05:52one, right?
05:53Yeah.
05:54I'll be honest, I did not pay attention.
05:55Okay.
05:56Okay.
05:57You can't be on here.
05:58Oh, you can't be?
05:59Turn around.
06:00See those red signs that say no ORVs on them?
06:01Oh, I need to.
06:02It doesn't matter where you came on, on this power line you drove, you probably have seen
06:03one, right?
06:04Yeah.
06:05I'll be honest, I did not pay attention.
06:06Okay.
06:07You can't be on here, it's no ORVs, okay?
06:08Oh, okay.
06:09And no matter where you came on, on this power line you drove, you probably have seen one,
06:10right?
06:11Yeah.
06:12I'll be honest, I did not pay attention.
06:13Okay.
06:14You can't be on here, it's no ORVs, okay?
06:15Oh, okay.
06:16And no matter where you came on, on this power line, you would have passed one.
06:17It doesn't matter where you came on at.
06:18Yes, sir.
06:19No matter which way you're going.
06:20Do you have your ID on you at all?
06:21No, I don't.
06:22It's back in the back end.
06:23Okay.
06:24I just thought this was...
06:25No, it's not an ORV trail or nothing.
06:34Unless it's a part of an ORV trail, which it's not, okay?
06:37Okay.
06:38That's just a law, it doesn't even have to be posted.
06:40This one's just so bad, it gets trespassed so bad, it's actually posted close also, okay?
06:44Okay.
06:45I just said, you know.
06:46All right.
06:47So this is what I did, okay?
06:48You guys, you guys are old enough, you're out here making your own decisions.
06:51Yeah.
06:52You've got time to be an adult a little bit, okay?
06:53Yeah.
06:54With that being said, cut you guys a huge break time, okay?
06:57You're each getting tickets, all right?
06:58Okay.
06:59But I'll explain them and you'll realize it's a huge break, okay?
07:01Okay.
07:02Like I said, you can never operate on a power line, public utility, right of way, anything
07:06like that.
07:07That's ORV trespass, okay?
07:08You'll be charged with trespassing and you can be charged restitution every time per ticket
07:13to help fix these roads because the power lines companies have to fix these all the time
07:17because of ORV riders tearing them up, okay?
07:20Okay.
07:21I didn't charge you with ORV trespass, okay?
07:22Okay.
07:24So this is what I did.
07:25You obviously don't have an ORV permit, okay?
07:26Nope.
07:27I didn't even write you for that, okay?
07:28What I did was I wrote you an improper display of an ORV permit.
07:31Basically what that means is you have an ORV permit and it's even on your bike.
07:37It's just in the wrong spot.
07:38That is like as low of a charge as you could possibly get for this, okay?
07:41Okay.
07:42Does that sound fair?
07:43I'm giving you a warning for no ORV permit whatsoever and warning for the trespass, okay?
07:47Okay.
07:48This is your ticket, okay?
07:49I'm going to explain the court stuff after I explain yours, okay?
07:51Cool.
07:52Yours?
07:53Kind of the same thing except you have your permits, okay?
07:55Yeah.
07:56So I'm not writing you for that.
07:57Yeah.
07:58And so I'm giving you a warning on the trespass, okay?
07:59Yeah.
08:00But you're kind of the lead, you're the lead dog between these two, okay?
08:01Yeah.
08:02He kind of depends on you.
08:03You're the one that's around here, okay?
08:04Yeah.
08:05So what I wrote for you, it's a civil infraction also.
08:07Okay.
08:08It's operating we're prohibited.
08:09Okay.
08:10Basically means you're just, it's a blanket, you're operating your ORV somewhere you're
08:13not supposed to be.
08:14Okay.
08:15So it takes the whole trespassing thing right out of it, it takes the closed area right
08:18out of it, all of that, okay?
08:20Is that fair to you too?
08:21Yes.
08:22Okay.
08:23I know you guys are 17, but at the same time, they say no ORVs and I can promise you,
08:26you drove past probably a bunch of them.
08:27Yeah.
08:28In this case, both of these men received citations.
08:31The rider who got to see O. Listenfeld's first was cited for improper display of his ORV permit.
08:37He pled responsible to this civil infraction and paid a court-ordered fine of $80.
08:42His friend, the owner of both of the dirt bikes, was cited for operating where prohibited
08:47and paid a court-ordered fine of $100.
08:50As an ORV rider, it always is on you to know where you're at, okay?
08:53Yeah.
08:54The only section, just because I know you probably ride around here a bunch or you're going
08:57to in the future.
08:58I got a road city, man.
08:59Okay.
09:00So, there is the MCCT trail, the dirt bike only trail, okay?
09:05That goes along this power line for about 100 yards, okay?
09:08It comes in and you ride along it.
09:11It's marked for about 100 yards and then it cuts off the power line again.
09:14Okay.
09:15That's the only time there's a marked ORV trail on this power line in the whole entire county.
09:19It's a 100-yard section, okay?
09:20Okay.
09:21It's marked on both ends, no ORVs past that point, okay?
09:24So, to answer your question, I'm not sure exactly where you guys turned on at.
09:28Yeah.
09:29But, unless someone ripped down the sign today, you went past at least one.
09:33Okay.
09:34It doesn't matter where, because they were posted very strategically, so everyone knows,
09:37okay?
09:38But, at the end of the day, you don't even have to be posted.
09:39Yeah.
09:40Okay?
09:41Cool.
09:42Michigan Conservation Officer Brian Lassenen is working on a weekday in mid-October in Michigan's
10:01District 1.
10:05Although he anticipated talking to users of ORVs during his shift, he has seen very few
10:10of them.
10:11Earlier in the day, CO Lassenen did find some deer carcasses that he suspects may have
10:16been removed from a nearby highway by the road commission.
10:20Now it's later in his shift, and Dusk is rapidly approaching.
10:23He has arrived at a boat launch and sees two men returning to the launch.
10:28To Officer Lassenen, it appears that they've been hunting waterfowl.
10:32How's it going, gentlemen?
10:34You got your licenses?
10:36This is my backpack.
10:37Okay.
10:38You got your shells and all that?
10:40You guys been doing good this year and all?
10:49First time I've been out all year.
10:51Is it?
10:52How about you?
10:53Have you been ducking at all?
10:54Yeah.
10:55Been doing all right or no?
10:56Yeah.
10:57One at a time.
10:59I need driver's license too.
11:00Yeah, please.
11:01That'd be great.
11:02You got a few shells on you too?
11:03Let me take a look at.
11:04What shells were you using?
11:05Two three quarters steel.
11:06Okay.
11:07You a little nervous?
11:08No, I'm just cold.
11:09Okay.
11:10Any other shells on you?
11:11They're all the same.
11:12Okay.
11:13Okay.
11:14Okay.
11:15Okay.
11:16Okay.
11:17I don't know if you want it back on the ground or...
11:18It's fine.
11:19I don't know if you want it back on the ground or...
11:20It's fine.
11:21I think I could hurt it.
11:24It's a duck gun.
11:25It's a duck gun.
11:26I don't know if you want it back on the ground or...
11:29It's fine.
11:30I think I could hurt it.
11:31It's a duck gun.
11:36I don't know if you want it back on the ground, or?
11:45It's fine.
11:46I think I hurt it.
11:48It's about good.
11:52This is what you're using?
11:53Yes, sir.
11:54Okay.
11:55Do you mind if I check it?
11:56Go for it.
11:59Were you using the same-tight shells?
12:01You got three shells?
12:03Yeah.
12:04Who's your shells back?
12:05Two and three-quarter, I believe so.
12:07No, these are three and shells.
12:09Those are threes, yeah.
12:16We're checking their shot, make sure it's not toxic.
12:19You know, it's got to be steel shot or specialized shot, anything but lead.
12:23So we checked their shells.
12:25They all look good.
12:26Their guns have to be plugged.
12:27They can't hold more than three shells.
12:29So both shotguns were plugged.
12:32By the time we seen them, their canoe was off the water.
12:35So they did have two life jackets, but we never actually seen a canoe in the water.
12:39So we really couldn't enforce that if we did.
12:43They all had their licenses, their stamps, everything like that.
12:46So everything checked out, pretty routine duck hunting check.
12:51No violations.
12:52Everything was good.
12:53So they're going to pack up and go home.
12:55A short time later, Officer Lassenen notices another boat returning to the lodge.
13:00Coming in with a motor.
13:01That's good.
13:02So their gun's got to be unloaded if they're under power.
13:06They surely have nav lights on too.
13:09I don't really see any nav lights.
13:16Hey, how's it going?
13:39How's it going?
13:40Hey.
13:41Not too bad, how are you?
13:43How's it going?
13:48Nice night to be out there, hey?
13:57Yeah.
13:58Yeah, if nothing else, it's at least nice to be out, so.
14:05See any ducks?
14:10Huh?
14:11Nothing.
14:12Nothing?
14:13Nothing until like 15 minutes after shooting time.
14:15Yeah.
14:16Saw three.
14:18Slide over there, yeah, we've seen them too.
14:24Not much of them.
14:27No?
14:28Oh.
14:31Let's just do a quick marine, or check.
14:35You got your gun?
14:36Yeah.
14:37License, all that good stuff.
14:38There they are.
14:43Yeah.
14:51You have licenses and all that stuff?
14:54Yeah.
14:55You got a lip jacket on here?
14:57I forgot it today, to be honest.
15:01Michigan is a state that touches four of the five Great Lakes in the United States.
15:06With so much water along its borders, as well as other connecting waterways, Michigan has
15:11more lighthouses than any other state in the country.
15:14Michigan's DNR, along with other agencies, works hard to maintain these historic structures,
15:20to educate and enlighten visitors, and also to appeal to their sense of nostalgia.
15:25The Towers Point Lighthouse is somewhat unique in that it's an estate park.
15:29It overlooks Lake Huron, and Michigan's DNR recently held a grand reopening for the Towers Point Lighthouse after it was restored.
15:37This is an important event today.
15:42This is the anniversary of the lighting of the lamp for the first time.
15:46147 years ago on this date, the shipping lanes were open for the season, and the ice was gone from the lakes, and the big ships could come through.
15:57And this was a brand new lighthouse that just opened, and so on this date, tonight, they would have lit that light with a little kerosene lamp with a flame about this big.
16:08And the light would have shot across the bay for about 16 miles.
16:12If you think of Taos, if you're thinking of Taos in general, Michigan, the first thought that comes to mind is typically Towers Point Lighthouse.
16:17It's on every brochure in town. It's on every, you know, wall with pictures in most of the businesses in town.
16:24I've even seen it on, you know, doctor's offices down even in Ann Arbor, even farther away.
16:29You know, so Towers Point Lighthouse is just a really iconic location because of where it's at and how it's been taken care of.
16:34And I think, you know, the state park is, by protecting it in a state park, it allows the state to really create a huge investment back into the local community as well as the state park.
16:44The Taos Point Lighthouse has a volunteer group that helps with maintenance on this historic landmark as well as raising funds for its upkeep.
16:51We talk about the state park and the lighthouse everywhere we go to everyone we meet.
16:56And we are a fundraising arm.
16:59And when Micah and crew need something at the park, they come to us and ask us if there would be a reason that we could help them.
17:07And we do.
17:08For one guest on the day of this grand reopening, she has fond memories of staying in this lighthouse as a child.
17:15In the early 50s, our current gift shop served as a garage for the Coast Guard Jeep.
17:23In earlier days, the building had been a boathouse, a stable, a cook shack and a workshop.
17:31One of my favorite things to do with my father was to go for rides with him in that Jeep.
17:38Often, it was to check on property owned by the government.
17:42That property extended from the very end of the point to an area near what is now the entrance to the state park.
17:51Unfortunately, yeah, there has been decommissioned, but we still have the Fresnel lens up there.
17:55So the lighting pattern for TOWAS is one long white and two short reds.
18:00I think a lot of people come to the lighthouse to see that Fresnel lens, to see what that looks like,
18:05especially being that there's only so few of them in the world in general.
18:08And I think that's one of the main draws.
18:09So at least we still have that in the museum and super blessed to have that.
18:12But yeah, as far as the light, I don't think that's ever coming back, unfortunately.
18:16Public has been waiting to get back in the lighthouse.
18:18Some of them have been very patient.
18:20Some have not been as patient.
18:22We're not that patient sometimes, too.
18:25So for us, this is just another way to let people back into the lighthouse that they love.
18:30And we're happy to do it.
18:31And it's been a great day.
18:33We're really excited about everybody who's been here and all the good press we're getting.
18:37Michigan Conservation Officer Brian Lassenen is checking waterfowl hunters in mid-October.
18:52He's met a man who was hunting by himself from a boat, but did not have a life jacket with him in his vessel.
18:58No nav lights either?
19:01No, it's, it's, I was under the assumption that it's under 10 feet.
19:07Is that not correct?
19:12After dark, power-ized.
19:14Oh, yeah.
19:16So this is just your federal stamp.
19:18Do you have your Michigan Waterfall stamp?
19:20Waterfall?
19:21No.
19:22Oh.
19:23Um.
19:24Do you have driver's license with you?
19:25I do, yeah.
19:26I got a picture of it on my phone if that works, too.
19:30I can grab that for it.
19:31No, that's fine.
19:32I'll just go, just, just load your stuff up.
19:34Sure.
19:35Okay.
19:36I'll go to the truck.
19:37So no life jacket, no nav lights, anything like that.
19:39No.
19:40Okay.
19:41All right.
19:42Is it just the, just the white light that I need then?
19:45Well, you need the red and green.
19:47Oh.
19:48And a stern light.
19:49Okay.
19:50Then this one, anything, you know, what's this, 12 feet?
19:54It's like.
19:55Well, it's under 15, correct?
19:56Yeah.
19:57Yeah.
19:58So you would need at least a throwable.
19:59Oh, okay.
20:00For a life jacket.
20:01Yeah, that one, that one's on me.
20:03Okay.
20:04I forgot that one.
20:05I realized it once I got out.
20:07All right.
20:08Yeah, just, you can just load everything up.
20:10All right.
20:11I'll run everything and be back with you shortly, okay?
20:13That's good.
20:14So what he handed me was just his federal duck stamp.
20:19No Michigan water law license or anything like that.
20:22So we're going to check to see if he has it.
20:24So as of right now, he is going to be cited for the no PFD on a boat.
20:29It's one of the, one of the number one things that waterfowl guys, when they go out on a boat,
20:35they forget to grab as their life jackets.
20:37So this time of year with the water being cold, a life jacket will save your life.
20:42And so we'll see what his RSS comes back as.
20:52Your subject has a federal waterfowl and a waterfowl license.
20:59Okay, clear.
21:03Driver's license back.
21:04Okay, I did issue a citation for a no life jacket.
21:06Okay.
21:07That's a huge deal for me.
21:09That's one of the zero tolerance things I have.
21:11Sure.
21:12In this case, for not having a life jacket in his boat, this man pled guilty and paid a court ordered fine of $140.
21:20Here's that back.
21:21Remember, if you're going to be operating at night, you need a white light and navigation lights.
21:25Sure.
21:26Is that, I'll definitely do that.
21:29I guess I had no idea about that one.
21:31Yeah.
21:32Yeah.
21:33Okay.
21:34Any other questions?
21:35No.
21:36All right.
21:37You're all set to go, okay?
21:39All right.
21:40All right.
21:41Have a good night, okay?
21:43Same to you.
21:44You're welcome.
21:45Michigan is a state with thousands of people who are passionate about the outdoors.
21:49Different outdoorsmen and women enjoy doing a wide variety of things outside.
21:54Depending on the time of year and a person's interest, an extensive assortment of activities may be available at the same time.
22:01Over the course of the spring and summer, many outdoor enthusiasts eagerly await the reopening of the waterfowl hunting season.
22:09Michigan offers an early season for blue-winged and green-winged teal, as well as geese, that begins September 1st.
22:16In District 7, Lieutenant Gerald Thayer and Conservation Officer B.J. Goulet are monitoring waterfowl hunters on the first day of the ninth month.
22:29They look like they're packing up, actually.
22:32Probably know who we are.
22:33Yeah.
22:34Birds are right up here if you want to check them.
22:35Yep.
22:36Take a peek at them.
22:37There you go, sir.
22:41Perfect.
22:44Nice day out today.
22:45Got any shells on you, or are they in your bag?
22:47Do I have empty shells?
22:48Do you have any shells?
22:49Oh, yeah, I do.
22:50To check for steel?
22:51Yep.
22:52Perfect.
22:53Well, you don't want to just set that down on the ground?
23:06Not in this.
23:07Normally, you just throw it in the bow, and then you'd be totally fine.
23:11I'm all set with you, sir.
23:14Nothing to shoot at, eh?
23:16Nope.
23:17It looked like there was a few, you know, teal that were flying in with other groups of other
23:22birds, you know, but you still don't want to take those shots.
23:25Right.
23:26This one's unloaded.
23:27Okay.
23:28And then my three shells are right here if you're needing to take a look.
23:31Oh, you got one of those.
23:40We're good.
23:42Good.
23:43Well, it's good to see you guys out anyway.
23:45Yeah, wouldn't miss it.
23:46Yeah.
23:47Get a day off work for it, so.
23:48Yeah.
23:49Might as well.
23:50Absolutely.
23:51Been waiting for it all year, so, well, since the ending of the year.
23:55Yeah.
23:56Yeah.
24:06In addition to waterfowl hunting, another season that numerous hunters are eager to commence
24:12occurs two and a half months after the start of the early waterfowl season, when the firearm
24:17season opens for a white-tailed deer.
24:20For many, it's similar to Christmas morning, but the anticipation, excitement, and gatherings
24:25with close friends and relatives.
24:27In Michigan's District 9, Conservation Officer Joe Deppin is checking on hunters during this
24:35popular season for people to be outside.
24:37He has discovered an area that is baited, which is illegal in the entirety of Michigan's
24:42Lower Peninsula.
24:43C.O.
24:44Deppin is joined by two of his partners, Officers Brad Solori and Zach Cardinal.
24:48Conservation Officer.
24:49How you guys doing?
24:50Pop open the door for me real quick.
24:51Thanks, sir.
24:52Morning, come on.
24:53Morning, how you guys doing?
24:54I knew you guys were going to come this morning.
24:55Yeah?
24:56Yeah.
24:57Yeah, I knew this was coming.
24:58All right.
24:59You guys all already loaded up, ready to go?
25:00Yeah.
25:01Okay.
25:02All right.
25:03And I have my pistol here.
25:04Yeah, your CPL on you?
25:05No, I just go and take and bring it with me in case from here to there.
25:07Do you have a CPL license?
25:08No.
25:09I don't have, I open carry, so.
25:10Well, if it's underneath your clothes, it's not open.
25:11Okay.
25:12Yeah.
25:13Yeah.
25:14Okay.
25:15Yeah.
25:16Yeah.
25:17Yeah.
25:18Yeah.
25:19Yeah.
25:20Yeah.
25:21Yeah.
25:22Yeah.
25:23Yeah.
25:24Yeah.
25:25Yeah.
25:26Yeah.
25:27Yeah.
25:28Yeah.
25:29Yeah.
25:30Yeah.
25:31Yeah.
25:32Yeah.
25:33Yeah.
25:34Yeah.
25:35Yeah.
25:36Yeah.
25:37Yeah, it's sitting on the seat.
25:38It's sitting on the seat.
25:39All right.
25:40So you just took it out of your front pocket there?
25:41Yep.
25:42All right.
25:43Anything else in there?
25:44Nope.
25:45Okay.
25:46Any other weapons on you?
25:47No.
25:48Okay.
25:49So you guys are both loaded right now?
25:50Yep.
25:51Okay.
25:52What time's hunting hours start?
25:53What's that?
25:54Start?
25:55Start at daylight.
25:56Or sunrise actually in the next 20 minutes.
25:59Okay.
26:00What's up with the bait you got over here?
26:04Well, we go and take and we feed before season like two weeks before and that's it.
26:09That's it.
26:10It's illegal.
26:11Well, do you have anybody else on your property?
26:15This ain't my property.
26:16This ain't my property.
26:17It's my buddy's property.
26:18Your identification and your hunting license.
26:21Well, his license are up in the truck.
26:23So is mine.
26:24How old are you, buddy?
26:25Awesome.
26:26And my wallet's in the truck.
26:29So you don't have your hunting licenses on either?
26:31No.
26:32They're in the truck.
26:33They're in the truck.
26:34That's fine too.
26:35All right.
26:36So you're carrying a concealed pistol.
26:37You don't have a concealed and carried license.
26:39That's one issue.
26:40Not having licenses on you is another issue and then the bait is another issue and then
26:44loaded before legal hunting hours.
26:46So there's a...
26:47Oh, come on now.
26:48I've never heard of that one.
26:49You can go and take and load and everything else but you can't shoot until legal hours.
26:53No, you're wrong.
26:54No.
26:55You're wrong.
26:56Then you don't want...
26:57I think that everything needs to start changing because these are the rules.
26:59We're gonna start walking up towards your vehicle.
27:00Come on, let's go.
27:01Yep.
27:02This is bull****.
27:03You're not gonna come back in the shack.
27:04No, I'm not.
27:05All right.
27:06I'm closing the door.
27:07No, the door's gonna stay open because I gotta take you guys' firearms.
27:10Michigan's Department of Natural Resources encourages everyone to enjoy the outdoors
27:15in all the ways they prefer.
27:17With 4.6 million acres that the DNR manages, the opportunities are vast and wide.
27:23For a person with a disability, however, taking advantage of this tremendous resource
27:28can be a challenge.
27:30In an effort to better accommodate people with disabilities, the state has a strong focus
27:35on making Michigan's natural resources available for people of all abilities to enjoy.
27:40I am on the Disability Advisory Council.
27:44Anything in the state of Michigan, I kind of like to help, whether it's new park projects
27:49for ADA accessibility, for bathrooms, for today we're out in an accessible blind, kind
27:54of looking at different avenues and resources for people with disabilities, specifically confined
27:59to wheelchairs with limited mobility, to be able to access the outdoors again.
28:02This is actually a cooler one for me just because I'm a deer hunter.
28:05So this is kind of right up my alley.
28:06This is not an accessible bathroom project.
28:08This is an accessible deer hunting project, you know.
28:11So that was very exciting for me.
28:13I'm a combat disabled veteran.
28:15It was the 101st Airborne Division, 1st Brigade, Bastogne.
28:19And I deployed a couple times.
28:21So when I came back, I ran to the woods.
28:23So I heard of an opportunity.
28:25The state was looking for someone to try and lead a new front as far as getting retention
28:31and maybe even some reactivation of, you know, outdoorsmen and women.
28:36I'm a paraplegic.
28:37I was injured about 20 years ago in a motor vehicle accident.
28:40After my accident, I had no idea what I was going to do.
28:43I worked construction.
28:44I was very busy, very active in the outdoors.
28:47So I thought that facet of my entire life was going to be over.
28:50And it wasn't.
28:51But it took me a long time to get back to the outdoors.
28:54It took me a long time to get back out to doing things I did before.
28:57I've seen it impact people out of bad habits they've made for themselves.
29:02You know, put the booze down.
29:05You know, it's something to be accountable for in the mornings to come out
29:08and meet a group of, you know, like-minded people.
29:11But having a spot where you can come out and see that same look in someone else's eye
29:16and bounce things off, and it's all a learning process.
29:19And it's just helping one another out, doing the right thing by people.
29:24After he was injured, Billy Vickers had doubts about his ability
29:28and finding the opportunity to once again do the things he always enjoyed doing prior to his injury.
29:34The number one question people have after they're, you know,
29:37after they're disabled or a catastrophic accident is they just want resources.
29:42They have questions about a million different things.
29:44Nine times out of ten, they had their life set the way they wanted it,
29:47and now your life has changed.
29:48They have questions getting back to the most basic of things that they did before.
29:52And getting back to the outdoors, for a lot of us, that's a big question.
29:57Can I hunt again? Can I fish again?
29:59Finding people with the right resources has been just a godsend.
30:02More gravel, or you can have flip-up ramps that can actually store on the inside.
30:07When you open the door, just have it flipped down.
30:09As a military veteran who saw combat, Tom Jones knows what it's like to try to reintegrate to civilian life after serving his country.
30:18I fought honorably, and I was hit with the roadside bomb in 2006, and reintegration is tough.
30:24And I may not be good at a lot of other jobs, but this isn't a job.
30:28This is my mission.
30:29So I'll keep speaking up, and I encourage people to call their wildlife office and say,
30:35Hey, I heard about this opportunity.
30:37What do you got for me?
30:38And just make them call me.
30:40Being outdoors is kind of just a reset.
30:43Regardless of what you've been through, regardless of what you're going through,
30:45it's almost kind of a time.
30:47You get to come out here.
30:49Everything slows down.
30:50Everything's put on pause.
30:52Everybody has bills to pay.
30:53Everybody has priorities they have waiting at home.
30:55But you come out here, and it's just everything kind of gets put on hold for a little while.
31:08Michigan Conservation Officer B.J. Goulet and his Lieutenant, Gerald Thayer,
31:13are checking on waterfowl hunters in a public hunting area on the opening day to target teal and geese.
31:19The bird numbers, it was almost like somebody flipped the switch for opening day
31:23because I had been scouting for a couple weeks now, scouted fairly hard this week leading up to and including yesterday,
31:32and I did not see nearly the teal in the area that we saw today.
31:37And part of that could just be the hunting pressure that the birds are getting moved around.
31:41But there was a fair number of teal around today, which was encouraging.
31:47Because if you were to ask me yesterday, I honestly would have thought it was going to be kind of a dud.
31:51They started their patrol before daybreak, and as mid-morning approaches,
31:55they continue to speak to hunters regarding how they're faring in their pursuits.
32:00They also want to make sure that everyone is using non-toxic shot, as well as firearms that hold no more than three shells.
32:07What time did you guys get out here nice and early then?
32:10I think we hit the water at like 4 o'clock.
32:14Okay.
32:15Oh, a couple more. Are you shooting all the same thing?
32:18Yeah, yeah, these are all the same.
32:20You guys are clear on the different shoot times for teal?
32:24Yeah.
32:25Okay.
32:26Well, go ahead and explain.
32:29The shooting time doesn't start until sunrise instead of the half hour before for regular waterfowl.
32:34Okay.
32:35It's a different time.
32:36It's right there in the guide.
32:37Yeah.
32:38Yeah.
32:39You just got to make sure you're looking at the teal table instead of the regular waterfowl one.
32:42Today, it was here 6.39 was shooting time?
32:47No, 7.09.
32:487.09.
32:49Oh, we still didn't shoot until after that.
32:50Oh, yeah.
32:51It wasn't like 8.30 by the time we shot.
32:54Yeah, so goose shooting time was at 6.39 and then teal shooting time is until 7.09.
33:03Most people seem to be trying to do the right thing out there.
33:07It's a lot of repeat customers that I see year after year on opening day.
33:13I'll see a lot of the same people out there.
33:16So you kind of know what to expect from some of the folks that might be the ones trying to get away with something if they can
33:23and the ones that year after year seem to be honest and doing the right thing.
33:28Michigan Conservation Officers Joe Deppin, Brad Solori, and Zach Cardinal are working during the whitetail firearm season.
33:36They've encountered a man who was hunting without a license and had a concealed pistol in his pocket,
33:41but no license to carry a concealed weapon.
33:46There's his.
33:47Thank you, sir.
33:48You got your tags on you?
34:01I don't have them, period.
34:03Don't have them, period?
34:04We went to go get them, and I must have forgot at Meijer the other day.
34:07Okay.
34:08So that's what happens when you get old.
34:10I guess you get a squirrel and then sidetracked.
34:13All right, so you don't even buy licenses at all this year?
34:15No, not yet.
34:16No, not yet.
34:17Okay.
34:18All right.
34:19Has he taken hunter safety?
34:20Yeah.
34:21Okay.
34:22Here's his.
34:23See a little bit.
34:24Okay.
34:31Okay.
34:35All right.
34:36So like I said, we got a couple things going on today.
34:38The licensing, the bait, the firearm.
34:41Um, you know, these things that we have to deal with for the day, if you're not even having
34:44a license, you know, if you shoot a deer.
34:46Yeah.
34:47I know I've got to tag it.
34:48Yeah.
34:49That puts you in a whole world of trouble.
34:50Mm-hmm.
34:51So at least he has his licenses.
34:53Um, so you're, he's covered, but you can't even be out there with a loaded firearm hunting.
34:57Okay?
34:58So we got to go.
34:59It's fine.
35:00I'll take mine, put it unloaded, put it back in the truck.
35:01It's fine with me.
35:02All right.
35:03Well, we'll get to that.
35:04Still going to document it and we'll return it to you.
35:05Okay?
35:06The young guy, the kid, he has his hunter safety and his licenses.
35:10Uh, the older gentleman doesn't even have a hunting license.
35:13Really?
35:14Yeah.
35:15Um, he had that gun in his pocket.
35:17Um, he was concealed.
35:18He was concealed.
35:19So he's going to, he's going to have to answer for that one, but.
35:21Are they still loaded?
35:22Do you know?
35:23Yeah.
35:24They're still loaded.
35:25All right, let's see.
35:27What did he say about the, uh, hunting without a license?
35:40He said he went to the store and then he obviously forgot to buy his licenses.
35:44Okay.
35:45But they're both loaded well before hunting hours and he's got a little bit more to deal with than just licensing issues.
35:50He's got a concealed pistol to deal with.
35:53All right, I'll carry these two guns.
35:55Did you already photograph the bait?
35:57Uh, yeah, I got the bait.
35:58There's a pistol registered to you?
36:00Yeah.
36:01Okay.
36:02Um.
36:03All right.
36:05Other thing, when he's taking hunter safety, do you take hunter safety with him?
36:09Nope.
36:10Take him off?
36:11He's been hunting with me for 10 years.
36:13Why did I talk to you guys about hunter's orange?
36:16Please.
36:18I'm not trying to belittle you.
36:20I'm just saying we have a whole lot of issues going on.
36:23I understand all this orange crap, but you know what?
36:25When you're going from here to there, you're not in an open field.
36:28You know where everybody's supposed to be and you know what's going on.
36:31Yes.
36:32But there could be other people around here who are hunting.
36:34You know, if you're out cleaning a deer, gutting a deer.
36:36If anybody else is out here hunting, they are illegally hunting.
36:40All right.
36:41Well, it's still a requirement.
36:42Because if people do trespass on a field's property, you don't want anybody shooting in
36:45your direction, especially if you're trying to, you know, tag your deer, gut your deer.
36:48You want the orange to kind of stand out, all right?
36:50If we go and take and shoot when we have to walk out there and tag it, yes, we have orange
36:54we go out there.
36:55Okay.
37:04He doesn't need to have that cocky-ass look on his face.
37:08All right.
37:10Guaranteed out of that uniform, I would knock him out.
37:13All right.
37:14We're not going to get into this in a shouting and yelling match or grudge match.
37:17No, he don't need to have the cocky attitude with me.
37:19He doesn't have a cocky attitude.
37:20Oh, yeah, he does.
37:21All right.
37:22Big time.
37:23All right.
37:24Please lose it.
37:25All right.
37:26You have all blood.
37:27Have you heard any citations in the DNR previously?
37:32Nope.
37:33None?
37:34Okay.
37:35Like I told him, I go and run the line very fine.
37:38And I do what I'm supposed to do.
37:39A little bit of feed, I ain't going to deny to that.
37:43But that was over two weeks ago.
37:45The last time you guys put it out was two weeks ago?
37:47Yep.
37:48How much is left?
37:49I don't even know.
37:50Okay.
37:51When I took him and went out there, there was nothing there.
37:53So I went and took and put another bag and a half out there.
37:56It wasn't hunting season.
37:57I'm not hunting over it.
37:59Well, you have a loaded firearm hunting over the bay.
38:01You are legally, you're hunting.
38:02Well, you know what?
38:03If there was still stuff there, then there was still stuff there.
38:05Okay.
38:06Yes, I'm doing it illegal then.
38:07Okay.
38:08The rules on this stuff is so frickin' vague.
38:11And so much .
38:12Yes, it's unreal.
38:13All right.
38:14All right, so we got to document a couple of firearms.
38:18He's being argumentative, saying that Officer Cardinal is being cocky for two.
38:22So he's just upset that he was caught.
38:26So that individual ended up being a complaint about confrontation between two neighbors.
38:33Then one neighbor indicated the guy might have put out some bait.
38:38So we went in there this morning before shooting hours started.
38:41Found two individuals hunting, a man and his grandson.
38:46They were both loaded before illegal hunting hours.
38:48Neither were wearing hunter orange.
38:50The adult male had a concealed pistol in his pocket, which he disclosed but doesn't have a concealed carry license.
38:57For the violations that we have today, you got the concealed pistol and it's in your coat pocket.
39:02You don't have a concealed carry license.
39:04You have the no hunter's orange.
39:06You're hunting without a license.
39:07You're hunting over bait.
39:09And so also, you have to keep in mind, you're teaching your grandson all these things.
39:14You know?
39:15So what I'm going to do is I'm a generator report and I'm going to seek these charges to the prosecutor's office
39:19instead of writing you a citation, okay?
39:22Do you have any questions?
39:23Pistol.
39:24It's going to be coming with me for right now.
39:26That's what your property seizure's for.
39:28Driver's license is back.
39:29If you choose to hunt later on this season, all that bait's got to be cleaned up.
39:34Clean it up now and I'll be hunting out there in 20 minutes.
39:37So you guys might want to stick around just to make sure.
39:40Well, you got to go to the store and get your hunting licenses first.
39:42Well, Michael needs to stay here.
39:43His can.
39:44He can go out.
39:45Okay.
39:46Make sure he's wearing hunter orange.
39:47Make sure all the bait's cleaned up and then you guys can legally hunt, okay?
39:49Mm-hmm.
39:50Do you have any questions?
39:51Yeah.
39:52What's your direct number?
39:53Because you guys are going to be out here a lot.
39:54That mother just with me.
39:55Guess what?
39:56He getting it back.
39:57There's tons of I'm getting him on.
39:58Okay.
39:59I've been hunting longer than you've been alive.
40:01Okay.
40:02And I'll tell you this right now.
40:04This is the only time that I've been pinched by you guys.
40:10And what I'm getting pinched for is a bunch of bull .
40:13It's a retaliation on some .
40:16But I understand where you're coming from.
40:18Okay.
40:19That's fine and dandy.
40:20Yeah, there shouldn't have been feet out there, but hell, I put the f*** out a week,
40:23week and a half ago and I figured, okay, it's done.
40:26So I didn't bother you.
40:27I haven't even been out here now in the last week or so.
40:30So, yeah.
40:31All right.
40:32We're going to clear out here unless you have any other questions.
40:35Yeah.
40:36When am I going to have my pistol back?
40:37Well, it's going to be seized.
40:38It's going to be put into evidence and then it's going to go to a report of the prosecutor's
40:41office.
40:42Once that is said and done, it's going to be decided whether it gets condemned or returned
40:45to you.
40:46That's bull .
40:47I'm just telling you what the process is.
40:48I'm saying it's bull because right now, there is no law in this land that says that
40:53you could take my pistol for that kind of a violation.
40:56You committed a felony.
40:57How did I commit a felony?
40:58You have a concealed pistol on your person and you do not have a concealed pistol license.
41:02I don't need one.
41:03Yes, you do.
41:04I do not need an open carry license.
41:06You were not open carry, sir.
41:07I'm not going to debate this with you.
41:08I was sitting in my shack in the pocket.
41:10Yes, inside your pocket, in your coat is a concealed firearm, a concealed pistol.
41:16That is a felony.
41:17In this case, this man pled no contest for failing to wear hunter orange and to attempting
41:22to take a deer without a license.
41:24The charge for carrying a concealed pistol without a license was dismissed and he forfeited the
41:30pistol, which will be destroyed.
41:32He paid a court ordered fine of $550 and his hunting privileges were revoked for three years.
41:39It was created.
41:40I release the pistol also from an axe.
41:42I have no idea.
41:45You are the one who was just a man who was a king.
41:46I was the one who was a man who was a man who was a man who was a man who was a man who
41:49was a man who was a man who was a man who was a man who was a man and a man that was a man and
41:52he had to be beaten with the jaw man and he had an оружman.
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