Two plead to bear baiting
By Staff Reports
Published in News on June 4, 2013 1:46 PM
Two Wayne County men pleaded no contest Friday in Jones County District Court to hunting bears with bait.
James Bryan Herring, 65, of 601 Walnut Creek Drive, and Donnie Joe Skelton, 51, of 205 Morgan Trace Lane were two of four men charged last November after state Wildlife Enforcement agents caught them hunting for bear over processed food that they had put out to lure the animals.
Herring received a 45-day sentence that was suspended. He was ordered to pay a $2,500 fine and court costs and was ordered to have no contact with any witnesses in the case or with any of the wildlife officers involved. His hunting license was not affected.
Skelton received a 30-day sentence that was suspended. He was ordered to pay a $2,000 fine and court costs and to also have no contact with anyone involved in the case. He also was allowed to keep his hunting license.
The incident occurred on private land in Jones County just south of the Lenoir County line.