WHATELY — A Whately resident was charged with several hunting infractions after Massachusetts Environmental Police were notified someone had shot and killed a deer from inside his house.
Environmental Police responded to the violation’s reported location at approximately 8:18 a.m. on Nov. 11 and found a bait site and the location where the animal was killed. The police made contact with the resident at home in his garage, finding an untagged deer hanging from the ceiling in plain sight, according to the state Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs.
The EOEEA and the Northwestern District Attorney’s Office would not identify the arrestee, citing his public records attorney’s interpretation of a state statute that restricts the release of criminal offender record information of anyone under 18. They would also not disclose the address where the incident occurred.
A Dec. 5 post on the Massachusetts Environmental Police’s Facebook page states the Whately resident was set to be charged in Greenfield District Court with hunting deer over bait, illegal killing of deer, illegal possession of deer, use of a rifle during archery season, possession of untagged deer, discharge of a rifle within 150 feet of a roadway and discharge of a rifle within 500 feet of a dwelling.
“The subject utilized a driveway sensor positioned over bait in the backyard to be alerted of the animal’s presence, whereupon he illegally killed a 10-point buck with a rifle,” the post reads.
Reach Domenic Poli at: dpoli@recorder.com or 413-772-0261, ext. 262.