Turkey Trappers Caught Red-Handed In Hamptons: DEC

SOUTHAMPTON, NY — Turkey trappers were nabbed red-handed in Southampton recently, according to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.

Environmental Conservation Officers Ike Bobseine and Rob McCabe, during a foot patrol in early March, found what appeared to be a homemade trap in a wooded area populated by turkeys, the DEC said.

For weeks, the ECOs checked the area for signs of activity, and placed a cellular trail camera at the location to monitor any movement, the DEC said.

On April 16, only days after installing the camera, the ECOs remotely watched subjects place corn in the trap and pull a rope that closed the trap on the turkeys that entered, the DEC said.

ECOs McCabe, Bobseine, and Jeremy Eastwood closed in on the area from multiple directions, catching the suspects with three turkeys wrapped in burlap and with their heads literally “on the chopping block,” the DEC said.

Those involved were charged with eight violations each, including taking turkeys out of season, hunting without a license, hunting with the aid of bait, and using a trap to catch wild birds; they are slated to appear at Southampton Town Justice Court, with maximum fines totaling more than $7,500, the DEC said.

The turkeys were released alive.

"From Montauk Point to Mount Marcy, from Brooklyn to Buffalo, the ECOs patrolling our state are the first line of defense in protecting New York's environment and our natural resources, ensuring that they exist for future generations of New Yorkers," said DEC Commissioner Basil Seggos. "They work long and arduous hours, both deep in our remote wildernesses and in the tight confines of our urban landscapes. Although they don't receive much public fanfare, the work of our ECOs is critical to achieving DEC's mission to protect and enhance our environment."