Two Louisiana Men Cited for Illegal Hunting Activities in LaSalle Parish

Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) Enforcement Division agents citied two Marksville men for alleged wildlife and criminal charges on Jan. 10 in LaSalle Parish.

Blaine McNeal, 45, and Keith Dauzat, 43, were both cited for taking deer during illegal hours with artificial light, taking deer from a moving vehicle, hunting from a public roadway, discharging a firearm from a public roadway, intentional concealment of illegally taken wildlife, open container and felony criminal damage to a federal levee system.

Agents were patrolling the diversion canal near the Dewey Wills Wildlife Management Area in LaSalle Parish when they observed a vehicle traveling down the canal at a slow speed.  Agents then heard several gunshots coming from the direction of the vehicle and observed the vehicle drive down the side of the canal to possibly retrieve what they shot.

The two men got their truck stuck at the bottom of the diversion canal levee while retrieving a deer.  McNeal and Dauzat had two deer in possession, which they hid in the bushes near the truck after getting stuck.

Agents located two does in the bushes near the stuck truck.  Both subjects were arrested and transported to the LaSalle Parish Sheriff’s Office.

Hunting deer during illegal hours and intentional concealment of illegally taken wildlife each bring a $900 to $950 fine and up to 120 days in jail for each offense.  Hunting from a moving vehicle carries a $250 to $500 fine and up to 90 days in jail.  Hunting from a public road brings a $150 to $300 fine and up to 30 days in jail.  Open container carries a fine up to $263 and up to six months in jail.  Discharging a firearm from a public road brings a $50 fine and up to 30 days in jail.

The penalties for felony criminal damage to a federal levee system will be issued by the Tensas Levee District Police Office.

Agents participating in the case are Sgt. Charlie Ferrington, Senior Agent Robbie Mayo, Senior Agent Joey Merrill and Tensas Levee Police Officer Brandon Wagoner.

Louisiana Dept. of Wildlife and Fisheries

The Louisiana Department of Wildlife & Fisheries – Enforcement Division(LDWF) is the fish & game regulatory agency of Louisiana. It has jurisdictionanywhere in the state, and in state territorial waters. The agency enforces both state and federal laws dealing with hunting, fishing, and boating safety. The agency also enforces criminal laws in rural areas including DWI enforcement both on highways and waterways. Most of the Department’s Wildlife Agents also carry Federal law enforcement commissions issued from the United States Department of the Interior - U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and United States Department of Commerce - U.S. National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS). These federal commissions allow these state officers to enforce federal migratory waterfowl laws and federal marine fisheries laws in state and federal waters off the coast of Louisiana. Besides their traditional role as a “game warden”, Louisiana Wildlife Enforcement Agents also have a number of other responsibilities, including conducting board of health inspections on some portions of the state’s commercial fishing industry. Agents are trained in and conduct numerous search and rescue operations, both in remote land areas and on the state’s waterways. Agents ensure that hunters, anglers, boaters, dealers, breeders, farmers, and transporters are in compliance with regulations governing equipment, quotas, licenses, and registrations. Agents also assist other State departments and law enforcement agencies in the coordination of educational and professional endeavors, as well as national and state emergency alerts by the Federal Office of Emergency Preparedness. In addition, agents perform search and rescue missions alone or in conjunction with other local, state, and federal agencies.