The DEC claims a man used an unplugged gun to illegally kill several animals near multiple houses in the Hudson Valley.

In late May an official from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation was dispatched to Crystal Lake in Newburgh to assist the Newburgh Police Department with a complaint. Police were responding to reports of multiple shots fired.

Four men, with various weapons, were located near the area. Officials also located multiple dead Canada geese and a dead coyote.

After a brief investigation, one of the men admitted to shooting all of the geese but said the coyote had been killed by a car on a local road.

Authorities were able to confirm that the coyote was not shot, but the 7 dead geese were all shot.

According to the DEC, there were many houses within 500 feet from where the 7 geese had been shot. It was also discovered that the unnamed hunter was using a lead shot and an unplugged gun, without a hunting license or permits to hunter waterfowl.

The unnamed man was issued appearance tickets for discharging within 500 feet of a dwelling, illegally taking protected wildlife, taking geese out of season, hunting waterfowl with lead shot, hunting waterfowl with an unplugged gun, and hunting license violations.

The other three men were issued tickets as accessories to a violation of the fish and wildlife law, all returnable to the City of Newburgh Court.

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