GAYLORD — Two people were arrested for possessing illegal firearms and drugs after a Michigan Department of Natural Resources conservation officer conducted a traffic stop in a remote area of the Pigeon River Country State Forest in Otsego County near Vanderbilt.

DNR Conservation Officer Sgt. Mike Mshar initially observed the vehicle driving on the wrong side of the road on March 11 in a remote part of the forest.

"I came across a vehicle with the windows pulled down. The vehicle pulled on to the two track I was on and became kind of stuck after trying to back up," Mshar said.

Mshar approached the vehicle and saw that the passenger had an uncased .308 rifle near their right leg with a rifle round on the door handle. Additionally, the driver — who had binoculars around their neck — had a loaded .22 caliber rifle behind the seat.

That led him to search the rental vehicle the suspects were operating. He and other conservations officers who arrived on the scene found two additional firearms, used rifle casings, alcohol, several containers of crystal methamphetamine, marijuana and evidence of drug use.

DNR officers confiscated three rifles and one shotgun, along with ammunition and drugs.

The suspects who were arrested were both men from downstate and will face felony charges in Otsego County, said Mshar. The investigation is continuing.

SubscribeCheck out our latest offers and read the local news that matters to you

Mshar said it is not unusual to come across folks with guns in a vehicle in the Pigeon River County State Forest since it is an area used for hunting.

"We often encounter people with firearms in those areas because they shoot animals. As far as crystal meth, we don't find that every day up there," Mshar said.

He noted that Michigan DNR conservation officers are fully commissioned law enforcement officers "with all police powers in the state of Michigan. Our officers are not limited to just fish and game laws. We can write speeding tickets and make arrests for drugs."

— Contact Paul Welitzkin at pwelitzkin@gaylordheraldtimes.com.

This article originally appeared on The Petoskey News-Review: DNR confiscates weapons, drugs in Pigeon River Country State Forest