9-point buck killed in cemetery
A North Fayette Township man and a Canonsburg woman were charged Thursday with game law violations for allegedly shooting a large buck in Washington Cemetery in North Franklin Township last month.
Richard A. Bartoletti, 48, of 7419 Noblestown Road, Oakdale, and Elaine Strnisha, 49, of 221 S. Jefferson Ave., were charged by Pennsylvania Game Commission Wildlife Officer Daniel Sitler. Bartoletti is accused of shooting a nine-point buck with a crossbow from his vehicle in the cemetery Oct. 11.
Wildlife officers received information that Bartoletti was going to try to shoot a deer in the cemetery off Park Avenue and also were given a description of the vehicle he would be driving. Officers set up surveillance on several occasions.
Bartoletti reportedly planned to shoot a deer Oct. 9 and had the crossbow out the window when a vehicle drove up. Wildlife officers said they then learned Bartoletti was planning to return to the cemetery about 5:30 p.m. Oct. 11.
Officers saw his truck enter the cemetery. Forty minutes later, officers said they found a deer down and blocked off exits at the cemetery. Bartoletti’s pickup truck was stopped. Officers said an Excalibur crossbow was found in the bed of the truck, and the dead deer was found with an arrow wound about 20 yards away. A witness told officers she had seen the same truck in the cemetery the night before and had watched the deer die. She also stopped her vehicle in front of Bartoletti’s truck.
A man who had been with Bartoletti in the truck reportedly told officers Bartoletti had been throwing bread at deer. He said Bartoletti told him to get the crossbow, then shot the buck. They drove off, but returned and were stopped.
Two days before he allegedly shot the buck, Bartoletti reportedly told Strnisha he was taking her to get her a hunting license. Officers said he told her that he was going to have her claim the buck after he shot it. Sitler said Strnisha was not permitted to have a license because she had not gone through hunter education training. She told Sitler that she did not know the seriousness of the situation.
The game commission considers the nine-point as a trophy-class deer and is seeking replacement costs of $5,000 in addition to fines incurred.
Among the eight violations Bartoletti faces are illegally shooting game from a vehicle, shooting a weapon in a cemetery, unlawful killing of big game, having a loaded weapon in a vehicle, using food to entice game and possessing a tag that belong to another person.
Strnisha is accused of illegally purchasing a hunting license for Bartoletti to use. He had been prohibited from getting a license after he pleaded guilty to four game violations earlier this year. Sitler said Bartoletti was caught in January at a spot in Robinson Township poaching deer. He shot a small buck using a spotlight at night, Sitler said.
The charges will be sent by summons from the office of District Judge Robert Redlinger.