Legitimate deer hunting may be declining, but poaching is still widespread in Michigan:

https://www.mlive.com/news/kalamazoo...-michigan.html

Former reality TV star accused of poaching at least 11 deer in Southwest Michigan
By Marie Weidmayer | January 31, 2023

KALAMAZOO, MI – A Kalamazoo man and former reality TV star accused of poaching allegedly told investigators that he was addicted to venison.

Scott Kevin Meisterheim, 55, was arraigned Jan. 17, on 10 misdemeanor charges in Kalamazoo County District Court. The Michigan Department of Natural Resources investigated the case and requested charges.

He pleaded not guilty to two counts each of hunting white-tailed deer with no license, using the deer hunting licenses of another and taking an overlimit of antlered white-tailed deer. He also pleaded not guilty to one count of taking a white-tailed deer outside of lawful hunting hours and three counts of transporting/possessing untagged, antlered white-tailed deer.

Charges of illegal baiting, failing to immediately validate or attach kill tags and using another person’s hunting license have also been requested.

Meisterheim gained national fame playing the role of villain on three seasons of Discovery Channel’s “Bering Sea Gold,” from 2012 to 2014. The show focused on dredging the bottom of the Bering Sea for gold off the coast of Nome, Alaska.

Unrelated to the hunting charges, a jury previously convicted Meisterheim of one misdemeanor count of aggravated domestic assault on Aug. 11, 2022, in Kalamazoo County Circuit Court. The jury acquitted him of one felony count of first-degree criminal sexual conduct causing injury and three counts of third-degree criminal sexual conduct.

While Meisterheim was in the Kalamazoo County Jail awaiting trial, DNR Conservation Officer Jason Nason interviewed him. Meisterheim allegedly told Nason that he, “is not the most ethical hunter, tagging other people’s deer, but I don’t care – I am addicted to the venison.”

Nason investigated tips and interviewed witnesses about Meisterheim’s alleged actions from October to December 2021.

At least 11 deer were taken by Meistergeim between Oct. 1 and Dec. 24, the DNR said in a news release. He said he was out of tags during the first week of archery season, the release said.

“Sure, I love to kill deer,” Meisterheim allegedly told Nason. “If I could kill more I would, to be honest with you.”

Meisterheim allegedly said injured deer would stumble to and die near where he was hunting, the release said. He’s accused of hunting on properties without permission in Kalamazoo and Van Buren counties.

He would hunt without a license and use illegal bait, the release said. For the deer Meisterheim did tag, he would allegedly use other people’s deer tags to cover illegally hunted deer.

“This is an excellent investigation of a poacher who shows no respect for the resource or the ethics of fair chase,” DNR Law Enforcement Division Chief Dave Shaw said in the release. “Violations of this type deprive law-abiding people of their opportunity to have access to and enjoy a public trust natural resource, in this case white-tailed deer.”....