New York Environmental Officer Honored as Wildlife Officer of the Year for Deer Poaching Investigation

ROCHESTER, NY (January 23, 2026) — A New York State environmental conservation officer has been named Wildlife Officer of the Year by the National Wild Turkey Federation for her work leading to the conviction of a serial deer poacher.

Environmental Conservation Officer (ECO) Fay Fuerch, representing the New York Department of Environmental Conservation’s Region 8, received the 2025 National Wild Turkey Federation Wildlife Officer of the Year award from the New York State Chapter. She was also awarded the New York Wildlife Officer of the Year Award.

Fuerch conducted an 18-month investigation that began in September 2023 after she was called to investigate a complaint of a headless deer in a field that had been shot at night with a small caliber firearm.

The investigation resulted in the arrest of the defendant on February 27, 2025, on four counts of illegally taking wildlife, two counts of taking big game after legal hours, one count of taking deer out of season, one count of taking deer over the limit, and nine counts of criminal mischief.

On July 14, 2025, the defendant pleaded guilty and paid $6,000 in fines and $750 in court surcharges. The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation suspended his hunting license for the next five years.

Fuerch’s “thorough and successful” investigation “served as inspiration to many of her colleagues and the hunting community,” according to the announcement.

In winning the state award, Officer Fuerch will represent New York State at the national ceremony and award banquet in Nashville, Tennessee.

The National Wild Turkey Federation, which has invested over half a billion dollars in wildlife conservation since 1973, has positively impacted more than 25 million acres of critical wildlife habitat. Since 2022, the NWTF has invested over $2.3 million in critical wild turkey research that, when leveraged with partner contributions, has resulted in more than $22 million to guide the management of the wild turkey and to ensure sustainable populations.

The organization works across boundaries on a landscape scale to deliver healthy forests and wildlife habitats, clean and abundant water, resilient communities and robust recreational opportunities.

This article was drafted with the aid of Grok, an AI tool by xAI, under the direction and editing of Robert Cox to ensure accuracy and adherence to journalistic standards.