Deer poacher now charged with perjury

The events of Nov. 15, 2008, are still having a profound effect on Nicholas Thayer.

The 29-year-old Ellsworth native admitted to killing a deer with a gun that day. He was charged with hunting a deer during closed season and failing to attach ear tag to the carcass.

He pleaded guilty to the deer hunting charge and his hunting rights were suspended for three years.

Last week, Thayer was charged in Pierce County Circuit Court with perjury before a court in relation to his testimony in the jury trial of Daniel Place, his accomplice that day. Place was acquitted of the ear tag charge.

Perjury is a class H felony carrying a maximum penalty of $10,000 fine and/or six years prison. His first court appearance on the charge is scheduled for 10 a.m. Jan. 25.

According to the criminal complaint:

Thayer testified May 6 during Place’s trial that he had no contact with Place before 4 p.m. that day.

In Place’s written statement to Warden Brad Peterson on the night of the incident, Place said he received a call from Thayer at 8:30 a.m., met Thayer at his house between 9:30 and 10 a.m. and then drove to County Road A and 420th Street area where the deer was shot.

Place said that during their time together Thayer told him he shot the deer with a gun. Place explained that Thayer was going to stick an arrow in the buck to cover the bullet hole.

During testimony, Thayer said he never had a conversation with Place about the details of the wound or about shooting the deer with a gun instead of a bow.

The complaint says “Place’s statement appears to be a factual statement of events and he would have no motive to lie to the warden when he implicated himself in being party to the crime.”

Sheriff’s investigators attempted to interview Place in June. The complaint states that once he found out the nature of the interview, he declinded to talk to law enforcement before talking to his attorney. In July, investigators again tried to interview Thayer. A date and time were arranged, but Thayer canceled.

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