May 24, 2006

Lincoln, Neb. – Three Nebraska men and one man from Colorado paid a total of $12,746 in fines and liquidated damages for illegally taking deer, antelope, ducks and a goose.

Nebraska Game and Parks Commission Law Enforcement Division District Supervisor Jim Zimmerman said he and Conservation Officer Scott Brandt investigated several instances of game law violations in Banner, Scottsbulff, Garden and Sioux counties which occurred in October of 2005 and continued throughout the fall.

Zimmerman said a search of a residence in Scottsbluff and several remote locations in Scotts Bluff, Garden and Sioux counties resulted in the arrests of Walter Fraedrich III, 27, of Scottsbluff; Adam Shammel, 19, of rural Hemingford; and Daniel Welsch, 22, of Scottsbluff. Information obtained during the investigation led to the arrest of James Morse, 27, of Thornton, Colo.

According to Zimmerman, the men were arrested on a variety of charges including taking deer during a closed season, taking antelope during a closed season, taking more than the legal limit of deer, spotlighting, hunting without a permit, hunting without permission, obtaining permits under false pretenses, being an accessory to a game violation, failure to check deer and hunting without a habitat stamp or federal duck stamp. “There were multiple counts of some of these violations that resulted in the total of 23 charges filed,” Zimmerman said.

Walter Fraedrich III paid $1,207 in fines and $4,575 in liquidated damages and had all of his hunting, fishing and trapping privileges revoked for three years; Adam Shammel paid $982 in fines and $3,750 in liquidated damages; Daniel Welsch paid $388 in fines and $225 in liquidated damages; and James Morse paid $119 in fines and $1,500 in liquidated damages.

The four paid a total of $2,696.00 in fines and court costs, and $10,050.00 in liquidated damages. The officers confiscated nine deer, four antelope, three ducks and one goose, according to Zimmerman.

If you witness or have knowledge of a game law violation, call the Nebraska Wildlife Crimestoppers toll-free hotline, 1-800-742-7627. The hotline will be answered by a Nebraska Game and Parks Commission staff member from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Friday. After hours and on weekends and holidays the hotline is answered by the Nebraska State Patrol, which is in radio contact with the conservation officers. Those volunteering information are not required to give their name, they don't have to appear in court, and they may be eligible for a cash reward.