Park Rangers Apprehend Hunters Inside Denali National Park and Preserve Early on Monday, Sept. 18, three park rangers flew by helicopter to the site of an illegal hunting camp located two miles inside the northeast corner of Denali National Park and Preserve and apprehended two hunters, Delmar Neeley, 54, from Anderson, Alaska and Robert Maxfield, 22, from Nenana, Alaska. Rangers seized a 43-inch bull moose, weapons, and other evidence.
On Sunday, Sept. 17, the National Park Service developed information that a hunting camp was present in the new park additions where hunting is prohibited. The park pilot conducted an overflight of the area, located the camp and observed a moose kill site. Aerial observations also suggested that the hunters had used all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) to illegally access the area.
The National Park Service will pursue Lacey Act and other charges against the two hunters with the United States Attorney’s Office in the U.S. District Court. During the investigation, activation of the hunters’ personal GPS receiver at the kill site showed that they were well inside the park.
The 1980 park additions to Denali National Park and Preserve are open to hunting only by federally qualified subsistence users. The 1980 preserve additions on the southwestern and northwestern edges of the park are open to sport hunting. Park rangers will continue to patrol the park for illegal activity during the remainder of the hunting season.
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Source: U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service
