Hunters in Michigan thought they had an easy score when they came upon a sage grouse standing alongside the gravel road on which they were traveling in the Upper Peninsula.
They thought wrong.
After shooting the sage grouse while inside the truck, the passenger got out of the vehicle hooting and hollering in celebration until he saw three conservation officers from the Department of Natural Resources walking toward him, as reported by MLive.com.
Turns out, the hunter shot a grouse decoy put out by the DNR officers as they patrolled Forsyth Township in Marquette County.
The two hunters were cited for possessing a loaded firearm inside a motor vehicle, not wearing hunter orange clothing and having open intoxicants.
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A loaded firearm in a motor vehicle in Michigan is a misdemeanor offense carrying a fine of $50 to $500, court costs and state fees, and possibly a maximum of 90 days in jail and the loss of hunting privileges, according to Hilf & Hilf law offices. Failing to wear hunter orange is also a misdemeanor and carries the same penalties.
Found with open intoxicants in a motor vehicle in Michigan is a misdemeanor penalized by up to 90 days in jail and a fine up to $100, community service and having to undergo substance abuse screening, according to The Kronzek Firm.
The officers witnessed the unidentified hunters drive past the decoy location, stop and back up. The report stated that the two occupants were seen fumbling around before a shotgun barrel could be seen in the passenger side mirror. Then the gun was fired.
That prompted the hunters to celebrate before officers Josh Boudreaux, John Kamps and Ariel Young emerged from their hiding spot.
The shotgun was confiscated and the hunters were given their citations.
Photo of live sage grouse from Wikipedia Commons. Generic photo of hunter by Jeff J. Mitchell/Getty Images.
