Son Helps Dad Nab Hunter With Illegal Crossbow: DEC

MANORVILLE, NY — A peaceful Thanksgiving morning with his son took a different turn for the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation's environmental conservation police officer Mark Simmons.

After a relatively quiet morning patrolling for the opener of waterfowl season, ECO Simmons was reminded by his son, ECO Landon Simmons, about a bait pile in Manorville discovered earlier that month, the DEC said in a release.

"As it was a perfect Thanksgiving morning to hunt, the elder ECO headed to the baited stand location," the release said. "The stand was occupied and positioned close to piles of corn, grain, and mineral blocks."

ECO Simmons directed the hunter to un-nock his arrow and lower his bow, but, upon closer inspection, saw that it was a crossbow he was holding, the DEC said.

The hunter was issued tickets for hunting over bait and hunting deer with an illegal implement — and ECO Simmons thanked his son later that day for convincing him to check the stand, the DEC said.

Patch file photo of deer by Lisa Finn.