An investigation that spanned three counties resulted in the arrest of an Albany man on multiple charges related to poaching of whitetail deer.
The Illinois Department of Natural Resources confirmed 58-year-old Wesley Dauen was picked up on multiple charges of unlawfully taking deer and falsifying a hunting license. Court documents indicate 10 charges have been filed against Dauen.
DNR Police Capt. Laura Petreikis says officers confiscated six whitetail deer racks, a compound bow and about 292 pounds of venison meat.
To take more deer than the legal limit, Dauen had acquired a license from 55-year-old Douglas Roberts of New Windsor, who was issued one wildlife citation in the case.
Petreikis tells WGIL individuals are only allowed to take two antlered deer in a hunting season.
“Unfortunately it is something that is all too common,” she says. “It shouldn’t be, but it is, where a hunter will go out and they’ll either not have a permit or they’ll chose to forgo using theirs and they’ll use another individual’s permit to tag a deer so they can keep hunting.”
Petreikis adds the confiscated deer meat will be donated to Illinois Sportsmen Against Hunger.
The investigation covered Whiteside, Mercer and Knox counties. The actual illegal hunting occurred in Knox County.
Dauen has a Jan. 6 first appearance in court on the petty charges.
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