On Saturday, November 29, 2014, Senior Trooper Bean was patrolling winter range country near Silver Lake, Oregon, when he heard a high powered gun shot in the distance. Senior Trooper Bean moved toward the shot and located a subject parked along a forest road. The subject, later identified as CHARLES BECK, 70, of Ketchikan Alaska told Senior Trooper Bean he had stopped to take a bathroom break. However, Sr. Trooper Bean noticed evidence to the contrary and asked the subject about it. After a short conversation, the subject admitted to having poached a large buck the previous day. Upon further investigation, Sr. Trooper Bean then located evidence indicating BECK was not alone. A short time later, Sr. Trooper Bean was able to convince two nearby subjects (a grandfather and his 15 year old grandson) to come out of the woods. These subjects admitted to having shot at a large buck but also stated that they had missed it. Follow-up investigation that evening in Bonanza revealed two large bucks had been killed during the previous two days. One buck had been killed near Silver Lake and the other one had been killed near Willow Valley Reservoir. The next day troopers went back to the original location near Thompson Valley Reservoir and found that another large buck deer had been shot and partially cut up. The meat, rifle, and 3 trophy deer heads were seized as evidence. Vern Sieminski, 53 years of age of Bonanza, Oregon was arrested for: 2 Counts of Taking Buck Deer Closed Season; 1 Count of Aiding in a Game Violation-Deer Closed Season. Charles Beck, 70 years of age of Ketchikan, Alaska was arrested for: 1 Count of Taking Buck Deer Closed Season; 2 Counts of Aiding in a Game Violation-Deer Closed Season. The investigation is ongoing and additional details will be forwarded to the Lake County and Klamath County District Attorney’s office. The OSP Fish and Wildlife Division wants to remind folks about the Oregon Hunters Association Turn-in-Poachers (TIP) program where callers who report wildlife crimes to police may be eligible for a reward if the information leads to the apprehension and conviction of wildlife offenders. Anyone with information about wildlife offenses is asked to call (800) 452-7888; and additional information may be found at http://www.oregon.gov/OSP/FW/Pages/fwtip.aspx
