The Oregon State Police plane observed two subjects driving at night on the last day of Western Oregon Deer season on Hancock Timber land that is only open for public access during the day. The plane watched the driver cast a light from the truck into a clear cut area, saw the truck stop and turn off its headlights, then observed two lights being cast into the clear cut from next to the vehicle.
The truck was contacted by a Trooper on the ground. The subjects, who were later identified as 59-year old Nelson M. Morales of Keizer and 49-year old Leng Cha Xiong were found to be in possession of a buck deer in which a tag had not been validated or attached to the carcass. Both subjects reportedly admitted to being on the Hancock property and spotlighting deer.
Both men were cited and released for Criminal Trespass while in possession of a Firearm and Casting a light on a game mammal while armed. The subject who shot the deer was also cited and released for Fail to immediately validate his deer tag, and warned for not attaching the tag to the animal. Two bolt action rifles, one shotgun, one 22 caliber pistol and two lights were seized as evidence.
photo by ODFW