AUGUSTA – Six men from the same family have pleaded guilty to deer poaching or related charges stemming from a nearly two-year investigation by the Maine Warden Service.

The men, ranging in age from 21 to 65, were convicted of an array of crimes, including night hunting, baiting deer and exceeding the limit on deer, among other things.

Three of the men were sentenced to serve jail time; the other three were ordered to pay fines and one was sentenced to perform community service.

Several also will be subject to revocation of licenses and permits by the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife.

“Poaching is a serious crime and we will prosecute,” Col. Joel Wilkinson, chief warden of the Maine Warden Service, said Friday in a report. “It robs valuable wildlife resources from the people of the state of Maine. They are the real victims in this and all poaching incidents.”

The investigation began in late 2006 after the service received numerous complaints from the public, hunters and law enforcement about poaching activities they had witnessed involving one of the men.

“The public’s help is vital to ensuring that criminals are caught and prosecuted,” Warden Service spokeswoman Deborah Turcotte wrote Friday in an e-mail. “In this case, the public’s calls to the Maine Warden Service led to summonses and eventual convictions. We thank those individuals who alerted us to this terrible situation.”

Oxford County Assistant District Attorney Joseph O’Connor worked with wardens to prosecute the men. All but one pleaded guilty in the past few months. The sixth pled on Monday.

Because the investigation revealed patterns of illegal hunting activity and behavior by other people related to or associated with the six, the detective work is continuing, Warden Service Capt. Dan Scott said.

“Poaching will not be tolerated, period. The start of deer hunting season provides an opportunity to remind everyone that those who try to steal wildlife at any time are breaking the law,” Turcotte said.

The 25-day firearms season for deer starts Saturday for Maine residents and Monday for nonresidents.

People aware of poaching operations or activity are encouraged to call Operation Game Thief at 800-253-7887 or visit www.maineogt.org.

People aware of poaching operations or activity are encouraged to call Operation Game Thief at 800-253-7887 or visit www.maineogt.org.

Six sentenced for hunting crimes:

Kyle A. Morgan, 21, of South Paris was fined $3,000 and sentenced to 30 days in jail for three counts of night hunting and three counts of stealing traps.

Matthew W. Cole, 24, of Greenwood was fined $3,000 and sentenced to 14 days in jail for three counts of exceeding the limit on deer.

Thomas L. Walker, 56, of Bethel was fined $2,000 and sentenced to 14 days in jail for hunting or possessing deer in a closed season and exceeding the limit on deer.

Matthew T. Walker, 24, of Bethel was fined $1,000 for falsely registering a deer.

Raymond J. Walker, 65, of Norway was fined $300 for falsely registering a deer.

James M. Campbell, 21, of West Paris was fined $300 and ordered to perform community service for a count each of baiting deer and trapping without a license.