By TERRY CORCORAN
THE JOURNAL NEWS
(Original publication: September 22, 2004)

KENT — It wasn't Bill Murray and it wasn't a gopher. Still, an employee of the Sedgewood Golf Club faces criminal charges because, police said, he used a shotgun to blast away skunks that were damaging the course.

Around 9 p.m. Monday, someone called police after noticing a golf cart with a light being operated on the course. The caller also reported hearing three shotgun blasts from the course, which is in an exclusive community of about 80 homes off Peekskill Hollow Road near the Boyd Corners Reservoir.

Sgt. Carlton Champagne and Officer Sean Benson said they found the employee — Christopher Lehan, 36, of Stormville — in a golf cart with a flashlight and a loaded 20-gauge Mossberg pump-action shotgun.

The officers said Lehan used the shotgun to shoot three skunks. In the 1980 movie "Caddyshack," Murray plays a deranged golf club greenskeeper, Carl Spackler, who is obsessed with killing a gopher that is tearing up the course.

"The skunks damage the course, and he said he had shot a couple," Lt. Alex DiVernieri said. "He didn't realize he needed a (hunting) license."

The officers conferred with state Department of Environmental Conservation police, who advised them to arrest the man. Police charged him with hunting without a license and hunting out of season, both violations, and possessing a loaded firearm in a motor vehicle, a misdemeanor. He is due tomorrow in Town Court.

Lehan could not be reached for comment yesterday, and a message left for the golf course manager was not returned.

While hunting for skunks is not permitted under state law, skunk trapping is allowed, according to the DEC Web site. Trapping season runs from Oct. 25 through Feb. 15, and there is no limit.

Reach Terry Corcoran at [email protected] or 845-228-2275.Reach Terry Corcoran at [email protected] or 845-228-2275.

www.thejournalnews.com/newsroom/092204/a0122skunkhunt.html

This guy laid his own stinky.  He should have used a .22  rifle.

i thought this thread was gonna be about Green18

sorry Tim

The officers conferred with state Department of Environmental Conservation police, who advised them to arrest the man. Police charged him with hunting without a license and hunting out of season, both violations, and possessing a loaded firearm in a motor vehicle, a misdemeanor. He is due tomorrow in Town Court.

WTH? When is the "hunting season" for skunks? What's the bag limit? Do you need a tag, or a stamp, like deer and duck?

The loaded gun in a motor vehicle maybe a little tougher to explain. Of course, the defintion of "in", and "motor vehicle" may be keys here.

Quoted: i thought this thread was gonna be about Green18 sorry Tim

and possessing a loaded firearm in a motor vehicle, a misdemeanor.

A golf cart??? Since when is a golf cart on private property a motor vehicle?
/L.jr.
Balzac72 we miss you!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Quoted: and possessing a loaded firearm in a motor vehicle, a misdemeanor. A golf cart??? Since when is a golf cart on private property a motor vehicle?

All hunting regulations apply to private property and a golf cart is considered a "motor vehicle".  BTW, so is a motorized wheelchair!

Quoted: The officers conferred with state Department of Environmental Conservation police, who advised them to arrest the man. Police charged him with hunting without a license and hunting out of season, both violations, and possessing a loaded firearm in a motor vehicle, a misdemeanor. He is due tomorrow in Town Court. WTH? When is the "hunting season" for skunks? What's the bag limit? Do you need a tag, or a stamp, like deer and duck? The loaded gun in a motor vehicle maybe a little tougher to explain. Of course, the defintion of "in", and "motor vehicle" may be keys here.

A motor vehicle in NY is defined as “Motor vehicle—means every vehicle or device operated by any power other than muscle power including but not limited to automobiles, trucks, motorcycles, tractors, trailers, motorboats, snowmobiles and all-terrain vehicles whether operated on or off public highways.”

It is illegal to posess a loaded long gun at any time in or upon a MV in NY.  You can legally hunt from a MV if you have a handicapped hunting permit though.

There is no open hunting season for skunks in NY but you can trap them during trapping season.  There is no limit.  You can also trap and destroy nuisance wildlife if they are destroying your property or are posing some type of hazard to pets or humans.  All the guy had to do was contact his local ENCON officer and he would have been advised how to get rid of the skunks in a legal manner.

Well, rat-spit!  We need to lock up this hardened criminal ASAP.  Do it for the kids.  He's way out of control!  We need to stop worrying about gangs, drugs, murderers, rapists, and such.  Concentrate on grounds keeper, that's where the real crime is.

Sorry for the sarcsm, but jeez!

Quoted: i thought this thread was gonna be about Green18 sorry Tim

We only shoot rats with a pellet gun and legallyhunt the geese and deer when in season...............and not from a moving cart.........................................................................

waitea darn tootin minute here ... are you tellin me .. if im on my OWN property .. sitting in my truck .. with a loaded gun .. say in my driveway .. thats illegal ? .. how so .. say im on my 100 acres of land .. sitting in my truck with a loaded gun ..  .. about to get out and shoot at a burm .. for target practice and fun ... thats illegal ? .. how so .. i cant believe this ..

Thats why living in NY is so fucking fun.

When I lived in Utah, skunks, possums, raccoons, and jackrabbits were all considered non-game animals and you could blast as many as you wanted.

Now, somebody please explain to me why NY wants to manage skunks.  I think it has more to do with managing guns than it does skunks.

Worker who shot at skunks fined $100

By LIZ SADLER
THE JOURNAL NEWS
(Original publication: September 25, 2004)

An employee of the Sedgewood Golf Club who allegedly used a shotgun to kill skunks that were damaging the course was fined $100, but he was not convicted of any crime stemming from the incident, Kent police said yesterday.

Christopher Lehan of Stormville, 36, was charged Monday by state Department of Environmental Conservation police with possessing a loaded firearm in a vehicle, a misdemeanor, but was not charged with two violations previously reported by police. On Thursday, he appeared in Town Court, where authorities agreed on the fine and the matter was closed.

Around 9 p.m. Monday, someone called police after seeing a golf cart on the course. The caller also reported hearing three shotgun blasts from the course, which is in an exclusive community of about 80 homes off Peekskill Hollow Road near the Boyd Corners Reservoir.

Police said they found the employee in a golf cart with a flashlight and a loaded 20-gauge Mossberg pump-action shotgun, which he allegedly used to shoot three skunks.

While hunting for skunks is not permitted under state law, skunk trapping is allowed.

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: i thought this thread was gonna be about Green18 sorry Tim +1! +2!

+3  

I also was waiting to see Green 18's name. Then again I should know he has more common sense than to use a Shot Gun on a skunk. Also he wouldn't get caught.