Florence man pleads guilty to illegal deer hunting in Northampton wildlife sanctuary
NORTHAMPTON, Mass. (WWLP) – A Florence man has pleaded guilty to multiple wildlife violations following the illegal killing of a deer within Arcadia Wildlife Sanctuary late last year.
Amherst community face ICE arrests despite sanctuary status
According to the Massachusetts Environmental Police, on the night of Nov. 30, 2024, an Environmental Police officer observed suspicious activity involving the use of artificial light to locate deer—an illegal tactic known as 'spotlighting'—within the boundaries of the protected sanctuary in Northampton.
A subsequent traffic stop and investigation revealed a deceased white-tailed deer that had been unlawfully taken with a crossbow.
The suspect, a 38-year-old Florence resident, admitted to the violations and recently entered a guilty plea in court. He was found guilty of several charges, including hunting during closed season (nighttime), unlawful killing of deer, hunting in a wildlife sanctuary, use of an automatic weapon (crossbow), and hunting with artificial light.
As part of a plea agreement, the man was ordered to pay $850 in fines and $500 in restitution. He also received a one-year suspension of his hunting license, was placed on probation for one year, and forfeited the crossbow used in the offense.
The Massachusetts Environmental Police emphasized the importance of protecting the state's wildlife and natural resources. The agency encourages the public to report suspicious or illegal environmental activity by calling 1-800-632-8075.
WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on WWLP.com.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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