In an elaborate poaching scheme that sounds more like a plot from a crime thriller than a wildlife violation, two men in upstate New York were caught posing as an attractive female wildlife photographer on social media. Not for romance but to gain intel on the locations of New York state trophy bucks in no-hunting zones.
The case, which has conservation officials shaking their heads, reveals a disturbing trend of criminals exploiting online communities for illegal hunting operations.
The “Catfish” Poaching Scheme
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) announced that two individuals, Jayson Zorda of Oneonta and Kevin Butler of Afton, pleaded guilty to misdemeanor charges after illegally hunting two large antlered deer in a restricted area in the town of Tonawanda. But their tactics went far beyond simple trespassing.
Click the link to read the whole article: Poachers “Catfished” Wildlife Photographers
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