Jim in PA's Link
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MANHUNT PLACES HUNTING SEASONS ON HOLD Game Commission executive order temporarily halts hunting and trapping in seven townships.
The Pennsylvania Game Commission has temporarily closed all hunting and trapping seasons within seven townships in northeastern Pennsylvania, where the search continues for a fugitive wanted in the shooting death of a state police trooper. Game Commission Executive Director R. Matthew Hough today issued an executive order to close temporarily the hunting and trapping seasons within Price, Barrett and Paradise townships in Monroe County; and Blooming Grove, Porter, Lehman and Greene townships in Pike County. The townships all are within Wildlife Management Unit 3D. The closure affects all private and public lands, including the portions of State Game Lands 180, 183 and 221 located within those townships. Those portions of game lands are closed to all public access while the executive order is in effect. Hunting and trapping seasons will remain closed in the identified townships until the executive order is lifted, which will be announced by the Game Commission in a statewide news release that will be posted on the agency’s website at the time it is issued. The closure was initiated after the Pennsylvania State Police advised on Tuesday that troopers who are part of the search for fugitive Eric Frein had uncovered explosive devices that apparently were left behind in wooded areas by the fugitive, and would pose an obvious danger to anyone who would encounter them. Hough said the discovery of the devices, and the danger associated with the search effort in general, would pose too great a risk to hunters, trappers and members of the general public. “While we realize this temporary closure might disappoint some of the hunters and trappers it affects, we’re certain, too, they understand the gravity of the situation, as well as the danger in allowing the seasons to continue as scheduled, given this new information,” Hough said. “Plenty of good hunting and trapping opportunities remain outside of the temporarily closed area, and we need hunters to readily adjust their plans to help bring resolution to this case and see that justice is served.” Frein is wanted in the Sept. 12 ambush-shooting death of Pennsylvania State Police Cpl. Bryon Dickson II outside the state police barracks in Blooming Grove, Pike County. Trooper Alex Douglass was wounded in the attack. The search for Frein has continued since, and police recently discovered explosive devices – at least one of which was attached to a trip wire – in the area they were searching. The Pennsylvania Game and Wildlife Code authorizes the Game Commission to close any hunting or trapping season, or otherwise take necessary action, to assure the purposes of the code, including assuring the health and safety of the persons who hunt or take game and wildlife. The Game Commission earlier this week issued an advisory to those who might be planning to hunt in the area of the search, and indicated that the seasons would continue as scheduled, but the recent findings by state police changed the circumstances. Game Commissioner James J. Delaney Jr. , who represents Pike, Monroe and other northeastern Pennsylvania counties as part of the eight-member board that sets policy for the Game Commission, said the temporary closure is supported in full by the commissioners and is necessary given the totality of circumstances. By closing the hunting seasons in the area of the search, the Game Commission hopes to remove any risk to human safety, and ensure there will be no interference in the effort to apprehend Frein. “The suspect has demonstrated a disregard for human life,” Delaney said, “The safety of the law-enforcement officers who are part of the search, as well as that of the sporting public, must take precedence here.”
That's kind of like the old saying goes about bringing a knife to a gun fight. Every agency Fed and state is out there. Pa, NJ and NY State police,FBI,ATF, County Sheriffs and the other day Customs and Border patrol were there. The one estimate was 400 Personnel at any given time but I think it is higher. I don't think the hunting would be very good.
Every other day the PA State Police issue a press release saying that they are "closing in..... and it won't be long now."
Maybe law enforcement should escort some good hunters/trappers who actually know how to read sign into the area to help out the city boy LEOs. They seem to be out of their element and outclassed in the woods.
Pete
Sounds like a recipe for getting an armed hunter shot by law enforcement.
Let the pros do their jobs, sorry it's taking so long.
big difference tracking a deer or a guy shooting at you
they will get him...its a game of cat and mouse I am sure they do not want anymore lives lost.
Feel bad for everyone but not worth risking life for a deer
Probably wearing scent lock, with an ozonics machine hanging around his neck. Sorry, couldn't resist. But seriously, being a PA resident also, I'm sorry about the loss of hunting time, but hopefully he can be caught soon. Hope no one else gets hurt.
This idiot must be pretty smart, I can't believe he has made it this long. We r referring to him at work as the " diaper sniper".
Hopefully they are smart enough to get some highly trained, highly "SKILLED"...people in there.
The sad but true reality is just because someone wears a uniform does not make them "highly skilled" or effective against a guy like this.
The longer this thing goes, the greater the chance that he'll slip through the cracks, or someone else will get hurt.
I don't want to sound disrespectful in any way. But this is no time for regular joe's with a badge. Get some highly skilled people in there, shut down the stupid media, play with this guys head, make no mistakes, and put him down.
ha!,,, good one!!!!!
Don K's Link
There is no way any law enforcement agency is going to just bring in Joe Schmoe hunter to assist. It's called liability. While I don't question at all that many hunters can and would be better in the woods and better at tracking that many cops, when the rubber hits the road the liability rests in the hands of the agency in charge. If an innocent person is killed because of a stray bullet, guess who is on the hook?
This clown may very well have a bunker system built, and if so this could take a while.
The assumptions that just because this is a government operation that it is woefully ineffective and inefficient is naive at best.
