A Northern Michigan resident with a history of hunting violations is facing charges again, as Cecil Day, a 59-year-old from Johannesburg, was reportedly taken into custody for alleged deer poaching while under the influence of alcohol. Fox 2 Detroit detailed that Day was arrested after conservation officers received an anonymous tip suggesting he shot at a deer from a vehicle on private land.
Day, already known to the law for past run-ins, was arraigned last Tuesday on multiple charges including illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition as well as operating with a blood alcohol content over .08%, notably he was not wearing the required hunter’s orange, which is a legal requirement during the hunting season in Michigan. And after the arrest officers unveiled two more deer shot and left in the same vicinity, which included a large nine-point trophy buck, this according to reports from Audacy.
With a record marked by violations, Day's convictions between 2018 and 2020 list a felon in possession of a firearm, taking deer from a motor vehicle, trespassing and other breaches of hunting regulations, two Michigan Department of Natural Resources sources report, he remains in the Otsego County Jail ahead of his preliminary hearing as of the latest updates, with additional charges related to deer poaching possibly forthcoming.
The Michigan DNR has emphasized the importance of following hunting regulations, stressing the need for hunters to respect both other people and the natural resources they interact with, while also prioritizing safety. The firearm deer season is set to close on Saturday, as per WOODTV.
