5 charged in deer poaching investigation

The Illinois Department of Natural Resources Office of Law Enforcement has filed charges in Cook and Sangamon counties against five men from Illinois and Michigan after a five-month deer poaching investigation.

Illinois DNR Conservation police said the investigation centered on five hunters who were taking several trophy-quality whitetail deer.

With the assistance of Michigan DNR Conservation officers, Indiana DNR Conservation officers and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the hunters were charged with committing numerous Wildlife Code violations involving 31 whitetail deer.

The largest buck, taken in Cook County, was a large non-typical deer scoring 213 5/8 inches and valued at $25,000.

One of the five charged is 35-year-old Louis C. Bergsma of Galena.

Fishing update:Area fishing is feeling the snap of colder weather and water.Fox Chain: There is some walleye action here with smaller fish being taken from Pistakee and Petite lakes. Some anglers are trolling while others are fishing live bait after sunset.Fox River: A few smallmouth being taken from shoreline spots in South Elgin.Forest preserves: Bluegill action keeping fishermen interested at Skokie Lagoon while crappie activity at Busse#146;s main dam continues to bring anglers back for more.Mike Jackson can be reached by email at angler88@comcast.net. His radio program is live-streamed on the Internet and can be heard 6-7 a.m. Sundays on WSBC (AM-1240), as well as the live-stream broadcast on mikejacksonoutdoors.com.