Using songbirds for bait!

[buzzbaiter]

Some really sick f^cks out there...

CO McManus and Lt. Lacroix were patrolling the Assunpink WMA early one Sunday evening when they received a complaint from NJ State Police regarding a Hispanic male walking around with what appeared to be an AR-15 rifle. After a brief search of the area, the officers located a group of Hispanics (6 adults and 1 juvenile) fishing at the Assunpink Lake. One of the males in the group matched the description given by the witness. An empty box for a Crosman Air Rifle was observed in one of their vehicles. After questioning the individuals present, they eventually led the officers to a trail in the nearby woods where the weapon was hidden. During a search of the area around the fishermen, three freshly killed songbirds (1 blue jay and 2 phoebes) were found, one of which had been breasted out. When Lt. Lacroix reeled in their fishing lines, it was observed that they had been using the bird meat for bait. Three men admitted to using the air rifle and a homemade slingshot to shoot the birds. There was also a large amount of food and garbage spread all around, including a number of empty beer bottles and a charcoal grill. A total of 11 summonses were issued including: taking of non-game species, hunting on Sunday, fishing without licenses, littering on a State WMA and picnicking on a State WMA.

I've had a Phoebe nesting on my back and/front porch for over 35 years. They eat lots bugs and are always the harbinger of spring. These cretins are a^^holes for what they did.