The Maine Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife says a poaching Investigation has led to 31 Summonses & 4 Deer Seized.

They say one suspect was arrested twice and has been linked to all four deer killings on accusations that they were illegally shot at night over bait, and on a Sunday.

The suspect is also accused of stealing and selling hunting equipment, such as treestands and game cameras, under a false name.  The hunting equipment was determined to have been stolen from the Unity, Palmyra, and Corinna areas.

Maine Forest Rangers say the investigation led to four other suspects being issued summonses for various violations, although most of the illegal activity was linked to the original suspect, who has not been named.

During his first arrest, Forest Rangers say the original suspect resisted arrest and barricaded himself in a room, but was quickly arrested on his active arrest warrants.

During the search, wardens located a deer hanging in the garage and determined that it was shot at night, killed over bait, and taken on a Sunday. Wardens recovered numerous stolen treestands and game cameras and seized the illegally shot deer and numerous firearms and crossbows.

(Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife)

After a month-long investigation, wardens determined the original suspect had poached three additional deer, with two being shot at night and killed over bait.

They say one of the deer was littered in a local stream in trash bags and plastic totes.

(Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife)

The original suspect was arrested a second time and booked into the Somerset County Jail on twenty-three charges

During the investigation, wardens say four other suspects were issued eight summonses, including Theft by Unauthorized taking or Transfer, Night Hunting, Exceeding the Bag Limit on Deer and Placing Bait to Entice Deer.

The original suspect failed to appear in court on his civil offenses and received $2,300 in fines with his criminal charges still pending.