Massachusetts State Police and Environmental Cops bagged a pair of alleged wildlife criminals in the act last weekend. The two suspects, brothers from Worthington and Colrain, were busted on a smorgasbord of hunting violations, including the illegal shooting of a deer and a fox, as reported by the Massachusetts State Police.
Responding to a call on December 2 about a deer that was shot dead in front of a Colrain property, Trooper Garrett Hall spotted and pulled over a gray Toyota Tacoma—the suspected poacher-ride—near the scene of the crime. With the help of off-duty Trooper John Ollari, the cops nabbed IRA B. DOULL, 46, and SETH O. DOULL, 51, finding several unsecured firearms and a dead gray fox, shot and bludgeoned, in their vehicle, according to the police report.
A dead buck was also found lying on the road, riddled with 22-caliber slugs. According to a statement by the Massachusetts State Police, the investigation quickly turned up a veritable arsenal: a loaded rifle, two more rifles, a loaded handgun, two shotguns, four muzzleloaders, and four night-vision scopes.
Charges against the Doull brothers are numerous, including hunting from a vehicle, an obviously dangerous endeavor both for hunters and any passerby who happens to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. Furthermore, they're accused of hunting at night, hunting out of season, and various firearm violations. After being booked in Shelburne Falls and posting bail, the duo were released and appeared in court this week. If convicted, they could lose their right to bear arms and their hunting privileges in almost all states.
The regional police have had reports of similar incidents involving a gray Tacoma over the past two years but, until now, have not pinned anyone for the crimes. The authorities are digging into whether the Doull brothers have a history of poaching beyond their recent capture. Meanwhile, all firearms and ill-gotten wildlife were confiscated by the Environmental Police. Booking photos and evidence shots were released in conjunction with the arrest announcement.
