Wisconsin’s chief forester turns self in, pays $263 fine for shooting hen turkey out of season

Wis. chief forester fined $263 for shooting turkey

MADISON, Wis. — The chief forester in Wisconsin has turned himself in and paid a $263 fine for shooting a hen turkey out of season.

Paul DeLong says he made a mistake this spring when he mistook a tuft of feathers on the bird for a beard. He thought it was a male bird that could be shot legally.

DeLong heads the Department of Natural Resources’ Forestry Division, which manages Wisconsin’s forests.

DNR Chief Warden Randy Stark says DeLong turned himself in. Stark says a member of the public likely wouldn’t have been cited, but he decided to cite DeLong because he was a DNR employee and DeLong asked to be treated like any other agency worker. The DNR says he won’t be reprimanded, though.

DeLong says he wanted to take responsibility for his error.