Enforcement

A 33-year-old Flint man tubing the Au Sable River through Roscommon was found in good condition after walking over 4.5 miles through the woods. Michigan DNR Conservation Officer Ben McAteer and South Branch Township Fire Chief Mike Umphrey located him at 11:15 p.m. after his family reported him missing. Campbell's Canoe, Kayak & Tubing Livery had rented the tubes for the outing.

A Mecosta County jury unanimously found Michigan DNR Conservation Officer Ryan Cox not guilty of assault charges stemming from a May 2023 incident at Merrill-Gorrel County Park. Cox used justified force while intervening in a violent attack while off-duty camping with family. Chief Brandon Kieft stated the DNR is working to return Cox to active duty.

The Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department will host Junior Warden Weekend at Kehoe Green Mountain Conservation Camp in Castleton on August 1-2 for teens ages 15-17. The program features K-9 demos, mock crime scene investigations, game processing, and camp activities, with Lieutenant Wes Butler and Hannah Lafont coordinating the experience. Registration costs $150 and includes all meals.

The Maine Warden Service located 70-year-old Michael Labreck of Limestone after he spent the night lost in woods near Trafton Lake when his boat experienced mechanical issues. Wardens Kayle Hamilton, Ed Christie, and others, assisted by Forest Rangers and K-9 Ash, found Labreck alive. He was treated for early-stage hypothermia by Caribou EMS.

Beretta USA announced that a major metropolitan Police Department in Tennessee has approved and begun fielding the A300 Ultima Patrol shotgun. The department requested a special variant featuring a reduced 16" barrel for improved maneuverability in confined spaces and accessibility from police cruisers.

Nebraska Game and Parks conservation officers will increase enforcement during Operation Dry Water, July 3-5, targeting boating under the influence. The national campaign aims to reduce alcohol- and drug-related boating incidents and fatalities during the Fourth of July holiday weekend.

Indiana Conservation Officers recovered the body of Erik C. Neithers, 54, of Indianapolis, Friday, June 26 at 3:39 p.m. near the area where he was reported missing after a canoe capsized in a retention pond in The Willows housing addition. Three family members were rescued.

Indiana Conservation Officer divers recovered the body of a missing 13-year-old from Lake Michigan near Michigan City Lighthouse Pier on June 23, 2026. The multi-agency search involved Michigan City Police Department, Michigan City Fire Department, and Long Beach Police Department, with three divers sustaining injuries during hazardous conditions.

Will Clark, Lucas Mitchell, and Laura Willis received sentencing for the unlawful killing of seven mature white-tailed deer bucks in North Idaho during November 2024. The investigation by Idaho Fish and Game documented 56 wildlife violations, with penalties including restitution, jail time, probation, and hunting license revocations.

Indiana Conservation Officers Logan Hodges and Luke Tincher completed advanced public safety diving instructor training through Dive Rescue International, strengthening the Indiana DNR's scuba team of approximately 40 officers. In 2025, the team completed over 600 dives including 35 body recoveries and 40 vehicle recoveries statewide.

The Maine Warden Service responded to two fatal off-road vehicle crashes over the weekend. Frank McBride, 75, died in a side-by-side ATV crash on Shore Lane in Lowell when his 2023 Can Am Maverick veered off the road. David Pooler, 43, died in a dirt bike crash on Palmer Pond Road in Mayfield; speed and lack of helmet were contributing factors.

Indiana Conservation Officers arrested Woodrow Snyder after citizen tips led to an investigation revealing he and accomplices illegally killed over 30 white-tailed deer during the 2025 fall and winter seasons. Snyder faces multiple felony and misdemeanor charges including obstruction of justice, illegal sale of wildlife, and jacklighting.

Maine Game Wardens arrested Devin Lafrance, 21, of Waterboro and charged him with aggravated assault, reckless ATV operation, and failing to stop and identify after he struck and dragged a landowner on Pequawket Lake Road in Limington on June 2. The arrest followed multiple public tips, video evidence, and trail camera footage that helped investigators identify the ATV and rider.

Indiana Conservation Officers are investigating the death of an adult male recovered from the St. Joseph River in South Bend on Wednesday evening. The South Bend Fire Department, South Bend Police, and Indiana Conservation Officers responded to the scene at 700 Riverside Drive. The cause of death has not yet been determined.

Tony Zimbelman, 23, was sentenced to suspended jail time, $3,000 in fines, and a two-year hunting privilege revocation for illegally shooting a trophy white-tailed buck with a rifle before archery season opened in September 2025. The Boone & Crockett-scored deer was discovered following a tip from a concerned citizen to Montana game wardens.

Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks will auction confiscated antlers, hides, horns, mounts and skulls from poaching incidents on June 27 at MetraPark in Billings. National Auction will conduct the live event, with proceeds supporting FWP's conservation and restoration programs.

The Pennsylvania Game Commission is hosting one-day Junior Game Warden Camps across the Commonwealth for youths ages 12 to 15. Campers will spend the day with Pennsylvania State Game Wardens learning about wildlife forensics, poacher detection, wildlife-capture techniques, and outdoor survival skills through hands-on activities and confidence-building exercises.

Indiana Conservation Officers, along with Indiana State Police and volunteer fire departments, rescued three people from floodwater in Ripley County after they attempted to drive through rising water. All occupants were safely removed and treated at the scene. Conservation Officers remind the public to never drive through floodwater.

Christopher Allman, 20, of North Vernon, drowned at Crosley Lake after a pickup truck he was backing down the boat ramp entered the water. His passenger escaped safely, but Allman went under and did not resurface. Indiana Conservation Officers recovered his body at 1:12 a.m.

Grayson Mote, 20, of Ellsworth, Maine, who went missing while paddleboarding on Graham Lake on May 5th, was located deceased this evening approximately 2/10 mile from shore. An intensive search involving Maine Warden Service, Ellsworth Police Department, Ellsworth Fire Department, Maine Marine Patrol, Maine State Police, and the Maine Forest Service had been underway.