Pocono News Section

County Treasurer Denies Game Commission Charges

County Treasurer Denies Game Commission Charges - Monday, December 21, 2009 at 5:25PM EST

Reported by: Eyewitness News
Monday, Dec 21, 2009 @ 05:25pm EST
WILKES-BARRE, LUZERNE COUNTY -- Luzerne County Treasurer Mike Morreale is firing back about accusation he used bait to hunt deer last month.

Eyewitness News talked with Morreale at a Pension Board meeting Monday. State game officials say he and several other hunters were using food to bait deer in Forest Township.

Game officers say on December 5th they got an anonymous tip about it. They found Morreale and others in that area.

Morreale says he did no such thing. "I think we were set up, between you and I, how could somebody call in? According to the papers, somebody called in that somebody was baiting deer up here. Who? I never seen the bait yet, what kind of bait they used. I haven't seen any part of it yet," he claimed.

Morreale says he will fight the charges. If convicted he faces a fine of up to $300. Morreale's office processes antlerless deer license applications.