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Greenacres Man Arrested After Unleashed Dogs Used in Illegal Hog Hunt

by | Mar 11, 2026 | Boca News | 0 comments

A 21-year-old Greenacres man is facing multiple charges after wildlife officers said they found him using unleashed dogs to hunt hogs in a protected area.

Florida Fish and Wildlife officers responded Monday night to reports of two men hunting with dogs inside the Dupuis Wildlife and Environmental Area, where such activity is restricted. When an officer arrived at the Cypress Boardwalk Trail, she found Richard James Belcher with another man and three dogs.

Investigators said the dogs were wearing GPS and corrective collars but were not on leashes or otherwise physically restrained. Belcher allegedly admitted that neither he nor his companion had leashes for the animals and acknowledged that hog hunting was not in season. He also reportedly knew that dogs are prohibited for that kind of hunting in the area.

The investigation found additional problems. One of the dogs did not have a collar or tag displaying the owner’s name and address, a requirement under state rules for dogs used in wildlife tracking or trailing.

Authorities also noted Belcher had previous conservation-related violations in the same wildlife area.

He was booked into the Palm Beach County jail on several second-degree misdemeanor charges, including hunting during a closed season, violating South Florida Water Management regulations, and failing to properly tag a hunting dog.

The case began with unleashed dogs but quickly expanded into a broader list of alleged wildlife and hunting violations.

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Harlan Kilstein has been a Boca Resident since 1997. He know the ins and out of Boca




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