Troopers spot 9 illegal trophy bucks while investigating domestic complaint

Kayla Cockrel
·2 min read

A Van Buren County man is being investigated for illegally hunting nine trophy bucks.

Justin Ernst, 33, of Decatur, could face paying up to $59,500 in reimbursement to the state. According to a release from Lt. Gerald Thayer of the Michigan DNR Law Enforcement Division, Ernst was charged with over a dozen violations.

“Not only did this felon steal from the natural resource, he also damaged agriculture crops, and has been doing so for some time. The financial penalty is the minimum he should serve," said Thayer.

On Oct. 17, police were investigating a domestic violence complaint when they discovered the animals in a barn. DNR conservation officers subsequently received a tip from troopers and while they were investigating seized eight illegal bucks – five 10-pointers and three with 8 points.

But this is not the first time Ernst has been charged with a crime involving illegal game. He also has one prior DNR conviction for illegally taking or possessing whitetail deer in 2018.

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According to the DNR investigation, the homeowner told officers that Ernst was under the influence of methamphetamine, and usually when he stayed out all night, the next morning there would be a new buck in the barn.

Two days after seizing the bucks in Ernsts' barn, a tipster called the conservation hotline to report that Ernst had been arrested and that there was another buck in the barn.

The 15 DNR charges pending against Ernst include:

  • Two counts of firearm possession by a felon.

  • Two felony firearms violations.

  • One count of hunting with a revoked hunting license.

  • One count of applying for, or obtaining, a hunting license when ineligible.

  • Nine counts of taking game illegally.

At the jail, Conservation Officer Travis Dragomer interviewed Ernst, who denied any connection to the poached bucks. He said he could not hunt because his hunting license had been revoked.

During a search of Ernst's vehicle, police found two shotguns and a crossbow, a bloody crossbow bolt, and a handheld spotlight located under the driver’s seat.

Ernst was arraigned on Nov. 9 in 7th District Court in Paw Paw and is free on bond. His next court appearance is scheduled for Dec. 20.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Troopers find 9 poached bucks while investigating domestic complaint