Illinois Resident Files Charges Against DNR for Alleged Trespassing During Sharpshooting Program
OutdoorHub Reporters 03.23.12
A Boone County landowner in Illinois filed charges against the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) for allegedly removing “no trespassing” signs from his property following the establishment of a sharpshooting area adjacent to his property, according to the Illinois DNR.
The man filing charges, Jim Blackmer, has a court date set for March 23rd. Blackmer claims that he has found evidence of deer shot within his property line, which he believes the sharpshooters are responsible for. Because he believed the sharpshooters were trespassing onto his property, he posted “no trespassing” signs.
The incident began when Blackmer found one of his “no trespassing” signs in a damaged state. He went to buy a stronger post to attach it to, but when he returned, the sign was gone, after which he called the Boone County police. Illinois State Police were also called and when they followed up by going to the office of the DNR’s Regional Wildlife Biologist Tom Beissel, they found a similar sign to the one posted on Blackmer’s property.
DNR Spokesman Chris McCloud said the incident is still under investigation and that no more information is available at this time.
Deer are being culled by sharpshooters in order to reduce the risk of spreading chronic wasting disease (CWD) throughout Illinois counties. Boone County is one of 10 northern Illinois counties at high risk for CWD.
Editor’s note: Look for updates to this story as it develops this week as we learn more from the court date this past Friday.
