Scott Meisterheim (Photo: DNR)
KALAMAZOO, Mich. (FOX 2) - A Michigan man facing charges for hunting violations said he "is not the most ethical hunter, tagging other people’s deer, but I don’t care – I am addicted to the venison."
The Department of Natural Resources sought charges against Kevin Meisterheim, 55, of Kalamazoo, after receiving tips about him to the Report All Poaching hotline in February 2022. According to the DNR, witnesses saw him illegally hunting between October and December 2021.
Conservation Officer James Nason investigated and collected evidence showing that Meisterheim took at least 11 deer from Oct. 1-Dec. 24, 2021, including three deer Oct. 1, and that he believed he was "tagged out" the first week of archery season. Meisterheim also allegedly let two deer spoil within three days. The animals were rejected by the processor due to their condition.
Nason interviewed Meisterheim at the Kalamazoo County Jail, where Meisterheim was lodged at the time for domestic abuse. He is now serving an 18-month probation sentence for that crime.
"Sure, I love to kill deer," Meisterheim said. "If I could kill more I would, to be honest with you."
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Meisterheim was hunting without a hunting license, during all hours of the day, the DNR said. He was using illegal bait, and also obtained other people’s deer tags to cover his illegal deer, when he actually tagged them. He is also accused of hunting on several properties in Kalamazoo and Van Buren counties, which he did not have permission to use.
He has been charged with:
- Taking white-tailed deer outside of lawful hunting hours (one count).
- Hunting white-tailed deer with no license (two counts).
- Uses the deer hunting licenses of another (two counts).
- Taking an overlimit of antlered white-tailed deer (two counts).
- Transporting/possessing untagged antlered white-tailed deer (three counts).
The DNR also requested additional charges for illegal bait, failing to immediately validate/attach kill tags and using another’s (hunting) license.
Meisterheim was in court for a pretrial hearing last week, and he returns to court in February.