3 Illinois residents face criminal charges for poaching deer, bobcat and turkey
JACKSON COUNTY, Ill. - Three Illinois residents are facing criminal charges for poaching deer, bobcat and turkey on private land.
The Illinois Conservation police received a complaint in Perry County about a potentially poached large white-tailed buck.
Officers began an investigation into the allegation and identified Sally Albers as the hunter who harvested the deer. She did not have a hunting license or habitat stamp as required to lawfully take the deer, officials said.
Additionally, a photograph was provided to police which indicated other potential violations, including unlawfully hunting on properties without the landowner's consent.
Through interviews, police also determined that Justin Bauersachs assisted Albers with unlawfully taking the deer.
After obtaining a search warrant in Perry County, police discovered additional violations and suspects during the investigation.
On Dec. 10, Bauersachs was arrested for criminal trespass to private property and multiple conservation violations in Jackson and Perry counties.
Additionally, Greg Cottom and Albers were issued citations for conservation violations.
The following are a list of citations issued for hunting offenses in Perry County:
- Bauersachs: two counts of unlawful hunting without the consent of a landowner, unlawful possession of a migratory game bird during closed season, unlawful possession of a protected species during a closed season, unlawful take of a turkey after legal shooting hours, two counts unlawful possession of wildlife unlawfully taken, unlawful possession of wild turkey, failure to tag wild turkey immediately after harvest, failure to report harvest of wild turkey, falsification of deer harvest report, contributing to the unlawful take of an eight-point buck and accessory to hunting without a valid hunting license.
- Albers: two counts of unlawful hunting without the consent of landowner, unlawful hunting without a hunting license and unlawful take or possession of deer.
In addition, Bauersachs faces two counts of criminal trespass to private property and criminal trespass on a motor vehicle to a field capable of growing crops.
Additional criminal charges are pending review by the Perry County state’s attorney.
In Jackson County, the following conservation citations were issued:
- Cottom: failure to register a bobcat harvest, unlawful possession of a bobcat pelt not tagged per federal regulations, unlawful possession of an unlawfully taken bobcat and unlawful take of a bobcat without a valid permit.
- Bauersachs: possession of unlawfully taken wildlife, two counts of hunting without the consent of landowner and unlawful hunting of a protected species more than a half-hour after sunset.
- Albers: two counts of hunting without consent of landowner.