PRESQUE ISLE COUNTY, Mich. (WPBN/WGTU) --
A father and son from Rogers City are being charged for poaching elk and other animals.
The arrest of Val Vogelheim, 56 and Josh Vogelheim, 26, follows an ongoing investigation according to conservation officers with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources.
The father and son turned themselves in to the Presque Isle County Prosecutor's Office, where they were arrested and arraigned on several charges.
According to investigators the poaching took place at multiple hunting camps across northern Michigan.
Val Vogelheim is charged with nine counts including:
Aiding and abetting
taking elk without a license
Possession of illegally taken game
Taking deer without a license
Loaning a deer license to another
Unlawful methods of taking turkey
Possession of protected raptors
Josh Vogelheim is charged with two counts:
Taking turkey without a license
Taking deer without a license
Conservation officers received an anonymous tip in September, 2019 regarding illegal activities at a camp located in southern Presque Isle County.
After a lengthy investigation, Conservation Officer Sidney Collins obtained a search warrant.
According to the DNR, during the investigation officers located several Michigan elk, white-tailed deer and wild turkey that were suspected to be illegally taken.
In addition, a snowy owl, a sharp-shinned hawk, a barred owl and other frozen game were found.
Officers also reported finding evidence pointing to the unlawful feeding of wildlife and a second camp that involved similar illegal activities.
In October, officers searched the second camp, also located in southern Presque Isle County, where they said they found additional evidence, suspects and criminal activity linking back several years.
A lot of people have been directly involved with these camps, Collins said.
DNA evidence confirmed that all of the game was taken in Michigan, according to the DNR.
Collins and Conservation Officer Paul Fox have conducted numerous investigations with other suspects located throughout the state and anticipate additional arrests.
"It takes time, often years, to investigate illegal activity that takes place at hunting camps, said Chief Gary Hagler, DNR Law Enforcement Division. Were pleased to see how quickly Officer Collins was able to put together the evidence and coordinate a thorough, investigative effort at multiple locations throughout the state.
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