Pennsylvania Game News - March 2010 - 6

appreciate your concern, but I’m investigating a violation, and if there’s anyone you should be upset with, it’s your husband and son.” She looked at me and offered no more remarks, just ominous glares. I told Jazbo I needed to see the gobbler and he went to his vehicle, opened the trunk and retrieved it. I asked him to tell me how he killed it. Jazbo started to concoct a story about how he and his father saw the gobbler strutting in a field and he jumped out of his father’s vehicle, ran 25 yards off of the roadway and shot the bird. When I asked him about offering the gobbler to Jason, he said that Jason made up the whole story. I told Jazbo and Corky I was seizing the turkey and would be issuing citations when I completed my investigation. Corky wanted to know what citations I would be issuing. I advised them that they had used a motor vehicle to locate game, shot from and across a roadway, and killed a turkey illegally. They both started to vehemently argue, saying that the witness was lying and they were innocent. I informed the pair that we were not holding court in their driveway, for them to save it for the judge who would hear their case. I thanked them for their cooperation as we left. Two days later both Corky and Jazbo called the region office and requested to speak to me. I returned their calls and they both apologized for their behavior and said they just got excited when they saw the turkey and couldn’t resist shooting it. They said they would plead guilty to killing the turkey and vowed never to do anything like that again. Corky said he knew better and wanted to tell me the truth in the driveway that day, but was too embarrassed. I subsequently filed a citation for each of them for killing a turkey illegally, and they were fined $127.50 apiece. They also lost their hunting privileges for one year. A few months later I was at the Game Commission headquarters in Harrisburg for an administrative hearing concerning the revocation of Corky’s hunting privileges. The hearing examiner listened to Corky’s explanation about why the Commission should not revoke his hunting privileges. During Corky’s testimony I had to look at my notes and citation to see if I was at the right hearing. Corky mentioned all the hunting clubs he belonged to and good deeds he had done for conservation. After 15 minutes of this he went on to talk about a medical condition, which was not that serious. The hearing examiner looked at me, held up his hand, and asked Corky if he could tell him about the turkey that had been killed. Corky said, “Yes, we killed the turkey, but it was a mistake and we’ve never done anything like this before.” Then, not missing a beat, Corky continued telling the hearing examiner about more of his conservation accomplishments. When Corky finished, the hearing examiner asked me if I had anything to say and I just shook my head in disbelief. I’m not entirely convinced this was the first time Jazbo and Corky broke the Game Law, but I do believe it’s the first time they were apprehended. Corky’s appeal to have his revocation rescinded was denied by the Game Commission. GAME NEWS

Pennsylvania Game News - March 2010

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Pennsylvania Game News - March 2010