December 25th, 2016 by WCBC Radio

Deer poaching dominated recent cases handled by the Maryland Natural Resources Police.

A joint investigation with the Maryland State Police Gun Enforcement Unit resulted in the arrest of an Allegany County man on poaching charges, with weapons charges pending. Another man was charged with seven violations in the same case.

Calvin Jacob Kniseley, 22, and Zachary Eugene Siebert, 20, both of Oldtown, received citations for two counts each of hunting deer at night, hunting on private land without written permission and hunting within a safety zone. Each man received a single citation for failing to make a reasonable effort to recover a dead or wounded deer.

The two-week investigation found that Kniseley and Siebert shot at deer on the night of Dec. 5 behind a private home. Kniseley shot at the first deer while Siebert held a light. When they could not find the deer, they shot at a second deer. An officer found a dead buck in the area of the shooting.

The officer’s investigation revealed that Kniseley was prohibited from having any firearms after an assault conviction. The information was given to State Police, who searched Kniseley’s home and recovered five guns.

Both defendants are scheduled to appear Feb. 21 in Allegany County District Court on the Natural Resources charges. If found guilty of all seven charges, each man could be fined $3,250. State Police will charge Kniseley in the weapons case.

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An Allegany County man was charged Dec. 10 with poaching and with possessing a firearm after being prohibited by a judge from doing so.

The harvest record of Keith Alan Broadwater, 38, of Luke, showed he killed a five-point buck in Washington County in November and an eight-point buck in Allegany County in December, both with a muzzleloader. Records show he had not purchased a Bonus Antlered Stamp.

During the investigation, officers found that he was prohibited from possessing firearms and muzzleloaders as the result of a drug conviction in Allegany County. Broadwater’s 0.50-calber muzzleloader was seized.

A Feb. 21 hearing date has been set in Allegany County District Court. If found guilty of exceeding the bag limit, Broadwater could be fined up to $500. A judge will determine the sentence on the firearms charge.