Because Respect My Authoritah!John Stoll Jr. was leaving his house near a lake at Gifford Pinchot State Park in York County on Saturday when a friend told him that several deer had fallen through the ice. They were stuck in frigid water.By the time Stoll got there, a few of the deer had made it across the lake, near a bridge.The 54-year-old helped lead at least three deer back onto the bank.The deer were reportedly stuck in the water for hours, according to the Pennsylvania Game Commission.Stoll said there was another deer on the other side of the lake.The buck was being pulled onto the bank by rescuers and the fire department when Stoll arrived. It was trembling and cold. Stoll said he couldn't stand to see the deer suffering and offered to take the buck home."Nobody said I couldn't take it," Stoll said.He got help loading the buck into his work truck and hightailed it back to the garage at his home to try and keep the buck warm.In a thread of Facebook videos, Stoll and his stepson are seen aiding the buck by trying to keep it warm with blankets and gently petting it to calm its nerves.Many people on Facebook were rooting for the buck's recovery and asked to be updated on its status.The buck seemed to be getting better, but it took a turn for the worse and died in the early hours of Sunday morning. Stoll buried it."We were so devastated that he didn't make it," Stoll said.That wasn't all of the bad news Stoll would have to face, though. On Monday afternoon, a Game Commission warden told him that he would be fined for taking and keeping the deer in his garage.
Stoll plans to fight the fine, which he expects to get in the mail.Mr. Stoll should ask for a Jury trial, as it's likely you won't be able to find a jury that will convict him. If this doesn't work, he should invite the news media. Normally they're entirely untrustworthy, but this sort of thing is catnip to them. He should tell them to bring the cameras, as the Game Warden and the District Attorney will be available to answer questions.
I've used the post tag Statist Pricks because, well, you know.
You can get the same treatment for rescuing sea turtles or bald eagles.
ReplyDeleteYou can legally kill turtles by accidentally hitting them with your boat. You can legally kill eagles by using wind turbines (because they're good for the Earth so they tell me.)
But rescue a freezing sea turtle and warm it up? Doomed.
Rescue a bald eagle chick or adult that's injured, without a license from the Fed Gov? Double doomed.
Same with finding an eagle feather while hiking and picking it up and taking it home. FedGov will SWAT your house to 'recover' the feather. Stupid stupid doomed.
I've seen people get penalized less for poaching and spotlighting deer at night than people actively trying to help injured animals.
Sigh.
That law exists for reasons, and he broke it. I would, too.
ReplyDeleteIf I were the warden, I'd feel I have to respect the law - and issue the ticket.
Nothing says I can't help pay it, though. Or help raise that money. And maybe explain the reasons for the law.
Letter of the law vs the spirit of the law.
ReplyDeleteThis concept was hammered into us about twenty-five years ago going through PC 832 in a POST class in California
Good judgement and common sense should be a requirement to wear a badge and carry a gun.
I once heard a politician's reply to a question about power.
He stated that the most powerful political position in government is that of the District Attorney because they decide whom shall be prosecuted and who shan't.
The street cop has even more power because he has to consider the spirit of the law vs the letter of the law and who to arrest and who to counsel.