Sportsman Found Not Guilty Of Deer Hunting In Voyageurs National Park

Oct. 1, 2010 - PRLog -- The U.S. Federal Court ruled this past week that a Minnesota hunter is not guilty of hunting deer in Voyageurs National Park last November.
   Michael Hogan was cleared of all charges by U.S. Federal Magistrate Judge Mary Kay Klein.
   Hogan owns land near the Park and has hunted on his property and adjacent lands for nearly 50 years.
   On November 8, 2009, he was in a deer stand watching for deer.  He spotted a deer and shot it on what he maintained was private property.
   The wounded deer ran, stumbled and died inside Voyageurs Park.
   A Voyageurs Park ranger arrived on the scene shortly after that and claimed Hogan shot the deer in the Park.  He seized the deer and Hogan’s rifle and issued a citation for illegal hunting.
   In a trial held last spring, the park ranger testified why he believed Hogan was hunting in the Park.  The government also called a technician from the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) to testify about its analysis of Hogan’s gun and the bullet that the government claimed killed the deer.
   Under cross examination, the BCA agent admitted that the BCA tests were inconclusive about the bullet and Hogan’s rifle.
   Hogan testified that he did not shoot the deer in the park.  The defense called veteran hunter Bruce Carlson who analyzed the pictures and other evidence and concluded that the evidence on the landscape supported Mr. Hogan’s assertion that the deer was shot outside the Park.
   Magistrate Judge Mary Kay Klein agreed and concluded that the government had not proven its case against Mr. Hogan beyond a reasonable doubt.
   “I was pleased that the court found me not guilty,” said Hogan.  “I try to follow all the rules and sportsman’s ethics which is why I fought the government’s case.”
   Bill Peterson, Bloomington attorney who represented Mr. Hogan in the case, said “It was a long and hard fought battle.  It was gratifying that the court concluded that Mr. Hogan had not violated game law.”

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Bill Peterson is an attorney with 40 years of experience in DNR issues. He has represented many sportsmen, hunting and fishing clubs, resorts, municipalities and conservation organizations involving wildlife and water law issues. Clients have included the Minnesota Waterfowl Association, Pheasants Forever, The Nature Conservancy and many sportsman's clubs. Visit http://www.mnwildlifelaw.com