DPR
NES Member
On the morning of Thursday, January 19, 2017, a Massachusetts Environmental Police officer responded to a complaint involving waterfowl hunters. Upon arrival to the scene, the officer observed four hunters aboard a vessel actively shooting at waterfowl while the vessel was underway.
With the assistance of the Marshfield Harbormaster, a Massachusetts Environmental Police Sergeant was subsequently transported to the hunters’ vessel to conduct a boarding. During the boarding, the Sergeant observed the hunters had no state or federal duck stamps and were not in possession of the proper amount of personal floatation devices. The hunters’ vessel was then escorted back to the boat ramp.
Upon arrival at the boat ramp, additional MEP officers then inspected the hunters, their harvest, and their equipment. The officers observed the following violations: insufficient personal floatation devices, no state duck stamp, no federal duck stamp, shooting waterfowl from a moving vessel, possession of waterfowl over the limit, and possession of unauthorized waterfowl (out of season).
With the assistance of the Scituate Police Department, the four hunters were placed under arrest.
Subsequent to the arrest, a vehicle inventory inspection revealed eight unsecured handguns and a large cache of improperly stored ammunition. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives is reviewing the firearms and suspects for any further state or federal violations.
Any guesses as to how the ammo was stored improperly? Don't know if they were charged with anything ammo related though. And there is no way that they had a large cache of ammo, I cant' fit my cache of ammo in a car or truck.
With the assistance of the Marshfield Harbormaster, a Massachusetts Environmental Police Sergeant was subsequently transported to the hunters’ vessel to conduct a boarding. During the boarding, the Sergeant observed the hunters had no state or federal duck stamps and were not in possession of the proper amount of personal floatation devices. The hunters’ vessel was then escorted back to the boat ramp.
Upon arrival at the boat ramp, additional MEP officers then inspected the hunters, their harvest, and their equipment. The officers observed the following violations: insufficient personal floatation devices, no state duck stamp, no federal duck stamp, shooting waterfowl from a moving vessel, possession of waterfowl over the limit, and possession of unauthorized waterfowl (out of season).
With the assistance of the Scituate Police Department, the four hunters were placed under arrest.
Subsequent to the arrest, a vehicle inventory inspection revealed eight unsecured handguns and a large cache of improperly stored ammunition. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives is reviewing the firearms and suspects for any further state or federal violations.
Any guesses as to how the ammo was stored improperly? Don't know if they were charged with anything ammo related though. And there is no way that they had a large cache of ammo, I cant' fit my cache of ammo in a car or truck.