Caught Hunting Turkey Over Bait in a Conservation Area

Added: 2026-05-12

[00:00:04]If you like fish and wildlife content, be sure to subscribe so you don't miss out on future videos. The day before turkey season opened, a Missouri conservation agent received a call from a concerned citizen about corn being scattered in the hungry mother conservation area. After documenting the spot, they returned the next day hoping to catch the responsible party.

[00:00:30]Hey, Morton.

[00:00:32]Go and put your gun on safe.

[00:00:39]How >> you going?

[00:00:40]>> Oh, not too bad. How about yourself?

[00:00:41]Good.

[00:00:42]>> All right. You try to get your permits and all that good stuff on you.

[00:00:52]>> You know why I'm here?

[00:00:54]>> No.

[00:00:59]doesn't have anything to do with all the corn out here in front of you.

[00:01:02]>> I don't see no corn. No, sir.

[00:01:04]>> I want you to step up and we'll look at it. I'm assuming it was your camera that was on this tree here.

[00:01:09]>> No, I don't see any camera.

[00:01:15]>> Tell me when you set your decoys up this morning, you didn't walk right through it.

[00:01:18]>> Was freaking pitch black. I mean, I could have seen it, but no, it wasn't nothing to do with me. Wasn't anything to do with you?

[00:01:25]Okay.

[00:01:27]>> No, it's my uh I was down here. Got here this weekend.

[00:01:31]>> You got here this weekend?

[00:01:33]>> Yeah, I came up here.

[00:01:34]>> All right. First, >> you got any calls or anything in your bag here?

[00:01:42]>> How old y'all heard my uh I'm right here.

[00:01:47]Where at?

[00:01:48]>> I got my calls.

[00:01:49]>> Got your calls. Okay.

[00:01:55]this this camera that was sitting on the tree.

[00:01:57]>> I saw the camera this morning, I'll be honest. And I didn't want somebody to think and >> Okay.

[00:02:02]>> So, I took a film.

[00:02:04]>> Okay.

[00:02:05]>> And I was going to put it back, but >> So, you saw the camera that wasn't yours walk right through the bait, but you weren't hunting over bait.

[00:02:16]>> I guess I was >> I mean, let's let's be honest, dude.

[00:02:18]>> It wasn't me. I never put that corn out there. Well, who did then?

[00:02:23]>> Going to tell you.

[00:02:23]>> Okay, let's pack up. We We'll just go back to the the I assume this is your black car up here.

[00:02:27]>> Yeah, that's mine.

[00:02:28]>> Okay.

[00:02:30]>> Do you need my turkey?

[00:02:31]>> Yeah. Why don't you go ahead and unload shotgun? We'll we'll all you get everything packed up. We'll go to the truck.

[00:02:42]>> Don't lose your shells.

[00:02:48]Wait for you. Stop here.

[00:03:16]You said you got your turkey permits on you.

[00:03:19]>> Yes, it's on my phone.

[00:03:20]>> Yeah, I'll look at that while you're packing up. Make sure everything looks good there.

[00:03:32]Righty.

[00:03:52]was Brady or Bradley?

[00:03:55]>> Brady.

[00:03:55]>> Brady.

[00:03:57]>> B R A D Y.

[00:03:58]>> Yes, sir.

[00:04:01]All right. Yep. Let's So, this is your black car up here?

[00:04:04]>> Yeah. Okay. Yep.

[00:04:19]I just follow you.

[00:04:24]How far is high ridge from here?

[00:04:27]>> About two and a half.

[00:04:28]>> Oh my. So, how'd you find this little hole in the wall?

[00:04:32]>> So, we got a lease. We lo Murphy Lakes.

[00:04:35]Murphy Lakes. That sounds familiar.

[00:04:37]>> It's down the road on the left.

[00:04:39]>> Yeah, I know what you're talking. That's That's pretty big. Pretty big spot, ain't it?

[00:04:42]>> It's like 350 acres, but it plays out weird.

[00:04:46]>> Yeah, I I think I've drove by there. It does It does kind of lay weird.

[00:04:50]>> Yeah, it's like a big hand. I don't know.

[00:04:53]>> So, why are you hunting over here instead of there? Just trying to get a bird.

[00:04:56]>> Birds over here.

[00:04:57]>> I hear you down here the past few weekends.

[00:05:01]>> I hear you. And then uh there's more birds over here. We got here last night. Heard a couple rooftop stuff over there.

[00:05:08]>> Yep.

[00:05:13]>> Saw a white car here last night. Not saying the same thing or anything, but that's why I got here like 5 in the morning.

[00:05:18]>> Nope. I understand.

[00:05:20]>> Then not here.

[00:05:23]>> Yeah. You got to get out early on public.

[00:05:25]>> Yeah.

[00:05:29]So, how long have y'all had a lease over here at Murphy's?

[00:05:33]>> Um, it's been be the second turkey season there last deer season.

[00:05:39]>> Y'all doing good over there deer season?

[00:05:41]>> Oh, yeah. I got a nice one. Good.

[00:05:43]>> My first big buck of my life, my bow.

[00:05:47]>> Good.

[00:05:48]It's always a lot more fun to kill them with your bow. It's just >> something a little more you got to put in a little more time and effort.

[00:05:53]>> Experience anything like that. I was freaking stoked.

[00:05:57]Man, they get so close it's it's hard to maintain.

[00:06:00]>> Yeah, I shot him to like freaking like seven yards.

[00:06:04]>> That is getting pretty close. I I like it.

[00:06:07]>> Big bucks on a hot dough. The dough ran right underneath my tree stand.

[00:06:11]>> Yeah.

[00:06:11]>> Couldn't get the first big buck to stop.

[00:06:15]>> The second one too.

[00:06:17]>> Good. All right. Couple thing. I'm going to have you go and put just put your gun in the car for me. um have you pop the trunk real quick and then um hand me the game camera. You said that's not yours, right?

[00:06:31]>> Yes, sir.

[00:06:32]>> So, when we search it, we're not going to find pictures of you on it.

[00:06:35]>> I mean, maybe from me walking this morning and grabbing it, but no.

[00:06:38]>> Okay.

[00:06:41]Um I don't have my keys on me. My stepdad's out here hunting. I left in his car.

[00:06:47]>> Okay.

[00:06:50]Well, I mean, do y'all It's your car, right?

[00:06:53]>> Yes, sir. It's my car.

[00:06:54]>> Okay. Do you have your driver's license on you?

[00:06:56]>> Yeah.

[00:06:57]>> Oh, nope. I didn't move my wallet. My wallet's stuck back at home.

[00:07:01]>> Okay. I'm sorry.

[00:07:04]I have a picture of my license. That helps.

[00:07:08]That would help. Yep.

[00:07:13]Okay.

[00:07:17]Okay.

[00:07:19]So, do I really need to do this? Do I need to run through? Cuz there was another camera there at one point. It was a cell camera. So, whose cell camera was that?

[00:07:25]>> I have no idea. I never saw that one.

[00:07:27]>> Okay.

[00:07:29]Cuz I was down here yesterday and you know that camera was sitting over that and your decoys are sitting in the middle of that spread. So, who put the bait out? It >> was not me.

[00:07:36]>> Okay. Who put it out then?

[00:07:37]>> I have no idea, sir.

[00:07:39]>> Okay. Was it stepdad?

[00:07:41]>> I have no idea.

[00:07:42]>> Okay.

[00:07:49]open.

[00:07:55]Okay, I'll just take a picture that way.

[00:07:57]I don't have to keep having you reopen it.

[00:08:03]Okay, be right back.

[00:08:06]Oh, yep. Give me that game camera.

[00:08:11]We were hunting this spot yesterday or not hunting it. We were down in that spot yesterday looking around.

[00:08:15]>> Okay. And you chose that spot that the corn was there yesterday.

[00:08:19]>> We never saw the corn yesterday. I mean, might have ran into it.

[00:08:23]>> Okay.

[00:08:26]Honesty will go a long way, brother.

[00:08:28]>> Oh, was there? Okay. I saw the corn yesterday. Did not throw it out.

[00:08:32]>> Okay.

[00:08:33]You didn't throw it out yesterday.

[00:08:35]>> We never threw it out. That was not our point. Like I said, there's multiple cars parked here yesterday.

[00:08:40]>> Okay.

[00:08:41]>> We went in there. We're looking around.

[00:08:43]He showed me where to hunt >> the ridge on my stepdad.

[00:08:46]>> Your stepdad. So he said he showed you that spot or he said go down there.

[00:08:51]>> He wrote me a little map on that thing.

[00:08:53]Just said go down there if you're on the end of the ridge. And he said I'd go on the hill where you're looking down. You can see over to the next valley.

[00:09:03]>> So does stepdad throw the corn out for you then?

[00:09:07]Why don't you have him come on out of the woods? Got to come have him come out if we're going to play this game.

[00:09:15]I get we're a long way from home. We're trying to kill turkeys.

[00:09:21]>> So, who I mean, whose game camera is it?

[00:09:23]Cuz even if there's a game camera there and people don't just take gamers, >> they turn them around or they turn them off.

[00:09:30]>> Put it back. I turned it off and I was going to throw it back. Okay.

[00:09:44]I I guess who who is step dad? What's his name?

[00:09:47]>> Mike.

[00:09:48]>> Mike.

[00:09:56]Where was he hunting at?

[00:10:00]>> He's down this road.

[00:10:01]>> Back down this way.

[00:10:02]>> Yeah.

[00:10:04]>> Going through. Well, again, the service down here is not great. So, I only saw two come out, but I'm going to plug Check your gun real quick.

[00:10:25]Do these telescoping sky sights do pretty good for >> I think they're pretty light.

[00:10:30]>> I've seen them. I've always thought about putting one on. Little diamond in there. tooth. Yeah, I've I've contemplated putting one of those on mine, but I just never pulled the trigger on it. But >> I think they're freaking out. We got one about >> probably about 5 years now.

[00:10:47]Put that turkeyy's head around that diamond. Squeeze the trigger. They're dead.

[00:10:50]>> It's gone. Perfect.

[00:10:55]>> So, I saw you drew yourself a map. Did you draw a map where he was at?

[00:10:59]>> No, that's just me.

[00:11:00]>> Okay.

[00:11:06]So, when you saw the bait yesterday, what I mean, you didn't think to go elsewhere.

[00:11:09]>> I saw the bait yesterday.

[00:11:10]>> Well, you just told me y'all saw it yesterday. You said you saw it when you were walking out there scouting.

[00:11:15]>> I mean, we saw it. Yeah, I guess. But I wasn't really positive where it was.

[00:11:20]>> All right. Yeah, I mean, I saw it.

[00:11:22]>> I And it wasn't us that threw it out.

[00:11:24]>> Yeah, >> but I figured I would have freaking thought about it more.

[00:11:29]>> Yeah. should have known probably wasn't the right thing, but I knew we didn't throw.

[00:11:32]>> So, I mean, you saw the bait. I mean, I assume you saw the camera cuz it's right there on top of it. So, I mean, kind of walk me through. I mean, why why you know bait is illegal, right?

[00:11:41]>> Yeah.

[00:11:41]>> So, why if you see it, why not go the opposite end of the just to avoid that?

[00:11:46]>> I mean, I knew we didn't throw it out there and Oh, it was stupid.

[00:11:52]>> Okay.

[00:11:54]So, how long have you been scouting?

[00:11:56]>> We're down here. He was down here Friday.

[00:12:00]>> Friday.

[00:12:00]>> I was down here a couple weekends ago >> missing out.

[00:12:06]>> Okay.

[00:12:06]>> We were doing a lot of deer scouting.

[00:12:08]So, we were walking basically this whole hungry.

[00:12:10]>> Okay. Well, >> again, not your camera, not your card.

[00:12:16]Right. All right. Well, I'm going to take a peek at it and like I said, we're going to go from there.

[00:12:23]These freaking computers don't have a thing for USD, do they?

[00:12:29]>> I think it would be here.

[00:12:32]>> Fantastic.

[00:12:46]>> Are you Michael?

[00:12:47]>> Yes, sir.

[00:12:48]>> Okay. So, you kind of inform me what's going on?

[00:12:50]>> Yes, sir.

[00:12:51]>> Okay. Okay. So, what's going on?

[00:12:53]>> I threw the corn out and it's been a couple of weeks ago. I found it in other places.

[00:12:58]>> I found cameras in other places.

[00:13:00]>> They're not all mine.

[00:13:01]>> I did throw this out.

[00:13:03]>> Okay. Is this your Is this these your camera then? So, I can give it back to you.

[00:13:06]>> Yes. That That is mine and I am guilty of this. I'm not going to pull no [ __ ] with you here.

[00:13:12]>> I I appreciate the honesty and and >> I know it was wrong >> and I didn't do it just yesterday. I mean, I did it weeks ago.

[00:13:20]>> So, I yesterday or a couple weeks ago at this point. Kind of moved.

[00:13:23]>> I I I did it.

[00:13:25]>> Okay. Do Do you have your permit on you?

[00:13:27]>> I have my phone that's got everything on. And as far as Brady goes, I just told him, "Go to the end of the ridge."

[00:13:34]>> Yeah. Okay.

[00:13:35]>> That was the honest truth on that. I threw it out.

[00:13:38]>> Okay.

[00:13:44]>> This is your card and camera though, right?

[00:13:46]>> Yes, sir.

[00:13:46]>> Okay. So, that that that's >> I'm not going to lie to you.

[00:13:50]>> Well, I appreciate it. I'm going to come clean. I know I did it.

[00:13:54]>> I took the risk.

[00:13:56]>> I understand. And again, >> I had one We got one day to turkey hunt this whole season. One day.

[00:14:01]>> I understand.

[00:14:08]Okay. Let's see here.

[00:14:11]This >> I do have a tag, sir.

[00:14:14]>> Okay.

[00:14:16]Sometimes I hear it. it >> be.

[00:14:18]>> Yeah, it's just swipe.

[00:14:20]>> [ __ ] checked in.

[00:14:21]>> Swipe down. See if it'll load. Sometimes again, it just takes a minute.

[00:14:25]>> There it is.

[00:14:26]>> Okay.

[00:14:28]Okay, perfect. All right, let me get this where I can scan. And then do you have a driver's license on? You might.

[00:14:36]>> Actually, I do not have it on me.

[00:14:38]>> Okay, let's see. Is will all the information on here be correct? Yes, all the information road. Okay. Yes, sir.

[00:14:45]>> Okay.

[00:14:49]So, here's how it Brady, you knew what we're doing, okay? Be honest in the future. Here's what we're going to do.

[00:14:56]You take it for putting corn out. You're getting a ticket for hunting over corn.

[00:14:59]I'm going to give you a card back, your camera back. I'm not going to seize it.

[00:15:01]I'm not going to write you a ticket for the camera. Okay? I appreciate the honesty and that's that's where we're coming from with this. Um, you all know where he said if if there's more corn and cards at, I need to know about it, but obviously go hunt wherever else this morning, don't go hunt down on this ridge. I'm going to have to talk to somebody to get it all cleaned up so it doesn't put >> there there is there is other stuff here cuz I've checked them. They're not mine.

[00:15:22]>> No. Yeah, I get it.

[00:15:23]>> And I I seen one and I'm like >> And then I seen that this guy like cuz I know I also know you're not supposed to drive in here. Okay.

[00:15:31]>> And I seen this guy here and I'm like >> [ __ ] I guess >> somebody drove back there >> or >> No, there's there's private property at the end of this one.

[00:15:41]>> I I'm not trying to get this guy. I don't know this guy. I've never seen this guy, but I know that the cable's down >> on the other side of the truck.

[00:15:48]>> Yeah. All you got to do is bump it and it slides. Somebody undid your bolt.

[00:15:52]>> I didn't drive in there.

[00:15:53]>> I hear you. No, >> but I'm like, you know what?

[00:15:56]>> Yeah.

[00:15:56]>> I would have if I was if I'd have taken the notion and I'm not I'm not going to bl I'm going to be honest with you.

[00:16:03]That's my corn. Yep.

[00:16:04]>> I knew it was there.

[00:16:05]>> Okay.

[00:16:06]>> And that was my camera.

[00:16:08]>> Yep. Well, let me >> You don't have to worry about us hunting back out this morning. just kind of uh kind of take the the thrill out of it, I guess.

[00:16:15]>> I'm going to give you this back cuz I don't want it. I don't want to have to put it here.

[00:16:19]>> I appreciate that.

[00:16:19]>> Yeah. Well, like I said, I appreciate honesty. Like I said, I can work with that. Give me just a second. Okay, guys.

[00:16:25]Um and then Brady, all your information on your permit's correct where you live.

[00:16:32]Well, I guess I took a picture of your license, didn't I?

[00:16:34]>> Uh it should be.

[00:16:36]>> So, so this is where Somerville, that's where you were living. Yep. Okay. Give me just a second, guys, and we'll get you kicked loose. Okay.

[00:16:43]>> Thank you, sir.

[00:16:44]>> You guys have a lot of problems with like trespassing and stuff around here.

[00:16:48]And the reason I'm asking >> is uh I've been scouting the area since Okay. the beginning of the probably the middle of March.

[00:16:56]>> Yep.

[00:16:57]>> I drove around to the backside just to kind of see where people might park or >> whatever. And there's a landowner that borders it on that end. Yeah. it. He funny thing, he's only got it posted in like one stretch of the road and it's owned by the same guy based on my app.

[00:17:15]Yeah, he's got handwritten notes that says, "No more warnings. If you're in here, I don't know who you are. You are now a a target." And I'm thinking, >> I hope I don't end up crossing the line over.

[00:17:27]>> Well, well, yeah, I'll go check. Yeah, we I mean, right now, we don't have an Howard County agent, so that's why we're we're down here. We're checking this.

[00:17:33]I'm the I'm I'm Randolph and yeah, we we have agents patrol as much as we can when we have vacant guys, but all of our areas they get used and abused pretty heavy. We we do our best to try to keep a So when we're done, I'll leave you card. If you find other stuff, you know, I appreciate any cooperation, but um like I said, let me get this taken care of.

[00:17:50]>> They're they're in there cuz I've seen them. I haven't seen any lately, but I have that's what gave me the idea.

[00:17:55]>> Well, >> I mean, I knew it was wrong. I'm not making excuses and I'll I'll be happy to pay the ticket and I won't ever do it again cuz >> nothing better than having your son say, "Hey, I'm out here with the game wardens. Get out of here."

[00:18:07]>> Yeah. Okay.

[00:18:07]>> And like I said, we this will be a one time thing. And >> I appreciate that.

[00:18:14]>> I'm sorry I'm not ignoring your questions. I'm not from here. I'm a trainee.

[00:18:18]I was wondering cuz you're not wearing a gun and I was I mean I haven't had a whole lot of interaction with game work in my life but the ones that I have are all packing.

[00:18:27]>> Yeah. No, you're good. I'm just not from around here. So I'm actually from out in Jeffco myself.

[00:18:33]>> A couple things. Mike, do you remember what you said you placed a while ago. Do you remember when that was?

[00:18:38]Did Did we have you added anything to it in the last couple days? No, I would say like a week ago it'd be safe to say a week on a weekend.

[00:18:50]>> Okay. So, maybe >> pick a Saturday. Last weekend.

[00:18:52]>> Maybe last Saturday. Yeah.

[00:18:54]>> Okay, perfect. I just got to put a date on here.

[00:18:55]>> I can't remember exactly.

[00:18:57]>> You're fine. La last Saturday. I just I just need a date.

[00:19:01]>> Yeah, that that would be just fine.

[00:19:03]Okay.

[00:19:06]>> So, can I ask you a question about like throwing out corn? not to hunt over it, just to kind of get a sensus of what the deer >> are going to look like as long as it's cuz I I keep reading different things about different CWD areas and we deer hunt up the road on another farm. I don't even turkey hunt there and I do throw corn out just to try to see what the deer are. I don't hunt over it. The farmer won't allow that.

[00:19:33]>> Well, yeah.

[00:19:33]>> But >> yeah, >> is that okay? I mean, with the CWD and there's different zones now. So, if a county is in the CWD restricted zone, I don't think I have a a deer pamphlet in here. I'd give it to you.

[00:19:47]>> I can I can look it up.

[00:19:49]>> So, Howard, I thought they changed >> Howard Howard was in the mandatory sampling. I don't know if they are in the CWD. What? I don't know if it's a CWD county.

[00:19:59]>> So, if it's a CWD county, like it's one of the it's got CWD restrictions on it.

[00:20:03]Then you cannot put bait out at any point in time. at any point in time. No, no bait or no no corn, no mineral, no, you know, any type of attractant.

[00:20:11]>> If you're just doing mandatory sampling, like if it's not a an actual CWD county year round, >> I think that's what it was.

[00:20:17]>> It has to be removed 10 days prior prior to any hunting activity. So, if you're planning hunting September 15th, needs to be out of there by September 5th if you know. So, >> okay.

[00:20:27]>> Yeah. If you're going to if you're only hunting opening day rifle season, it's got to be out of there where it puts nobody in violation.

[00:20:32]>> 10 days.

[00:20:33]>> 10 days prior to hunting over.

[00:20:34]>> Gotcha. All right.

[00:20:35]>> Um, >> I just need to check and make certain that Howard County is in a complete CWD zone. If I'm not mistaken, I believe last season was a mandatory sampling on the 15th and the 16th.

[00:20:48]>> It should have been opening weekend.

[00:20:49]Yeah.

[00:20:50]>> Yeah. Okay.

[00:20:51]>> How tall are you, Mike?

[00:20:52]>> 61.

[00:20:53]>> Yeah. And >> whether it's there, whether it's >> And it's illegal straight across the board on our conservation areas. I mean, no, >> I knew that. Like I said, I knew I was breaking the law.

[00:21:02]>> Okay. And again, I appreciate honesty.

[00:21:04]That's not why we're not writing the ticket for the area violation. We're not writing the ticket for the cane camera.

[00:21:09]Again, I appreciate honesty and I'm willing to work with people when they're honest with me. Okay.

[00:21:12]>> I appreciate that.

[00:21:13]>> So So again, it's just one ticket a piece. Um Mike, this yours yours. I've given you all your stuff back, right?

[00:21:20]Yes.

[00:21:21]>> So I'll explain it. So you are issued court dates 629 of 25 in in Howard County and FET. And this is in Howard County. You can take care of it ahead of time if you choose to do so. The blue piece of paper I gave you on the back there will tell you how to do that. How to go online, how to get in contact with the court and all that. Okay. Um the number at the top top of this ticket, this is how you'll look it up when you go online to look at it.

[00:21:44]>> This one?

[00:21:44]>> Yep. This this top one right up here.

[00:21:46]>> Yep. So, if you can't find it by that, search by your first and last name.

[00:21:50]>> It's pretty pretty simple. Once you get on there, um >> if you go look for it tomorrow, it won't be there. It give me 7 to 10 business days by the time I submit everything.

[00:22:00]How >> um kind and same thing if with like with a speeding ticket if you don't go to court if you don't take care of ahead of time they'll kick a warrant out if you you know more or less if you don't take care of your ticket. Okay.

[00:22:10]>> We'll take care of >> Yeah. Do you all have any questions for me? Like I said I know you hunt down here quite a bit. I don't know when we'll get another Howard County agent.

[00:22:16]If you ever have questions if you ever need anything, holler. Like I said, I'm always happy to come down and like take care of stuff, you know.

[00:22:22]>> All right.

[00:22:22]>> So, okay, guys. All right.

[00:22:24]>> We appreciate your uh cutting us some slack.

[00:22:26]>> Well, like I I understand. I don't want to be the guy who's ruining a turkey hunt first thing in the morning, but we got to keep everybody playing.

[00:22:31]>> No, I get it. Like I knowingly did.

[00:22:33]>> Okay, >> that's what I said. I'm like, well, I guess I'm going to be right getting a ticket. So, >> all righty, guys. Well, um, like I said, just don't go hunt down this road. We'll see about getting it taken care of. So, it it >> Yep. We'll go there. And can we go to that ridge if we And Okay. So, we won't we won't go there at all.

[00:22:48]>> Very good. I gave game camera back and all that good stuff.

[00:22:50]>> Yep. Thank you.

[00:22:51]>> All right, guys. Have a better weekend.

[00:22:52]Okay.

[00:22:55]In the end, Brady was charged with taking or attempting to take turkey with the aid of bait. Mike was charged with placing bait to cause others to be in violation. They both plead guilty, and they were both ordered to pay $347 in cost and fines, which they promptly paid. If you like this video and want to see more like it, subscribe to Arrest Cam. As always, thanks for watching.