Doe shot in poaching incident.

Doe shot in poaching incident.

#OceanaCountyCrime

ELBRIDGE TOWNSHIP – Two teens could face some hefty fines in connection to poaching a deer Wednesday night, Nov. 20, according to Oceana County Sheriff Craig Mast.

A sergeant from the Oceana County Sheriff’s Office was sent out to respond to shots fired shortly before 10 p.m. on North 116th Avenue after a resident had observed suspicious behavior and a vehicle circling the area, Mast said.

Michigan State Police and the Department of Natural Resources were also called to respond to the scene where a doe was found and a .270-caliber rifle. Footprints in the snow led police to the scene, Mast said.

Four people were inside a vehicle that was allegedly using a bright light to shine deer. Two teens — and 18-year-old Whitehall man and a 19-year-old Coopersville man — are being investigated by the DNR for the illegal poaching activity. The Whitehall teen is accused of shooting the deer, and the Coopersville teen is accused of shining the light. Two females in the vehicle are not being charged.

One of the teens was cited by the sheriff’s office for careless driving. The resident who contacted police tried to make contact with the suspects, and they sped off in their vehicle, ending up stuck in a water-filled ditch.

Both the doe and rifle were recovered by the DNR.

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