Mississippi Man Cited for Drowning Deer in Mississippi River

Abbeville, LA -(Ammoland.com)- A Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) Enforcement Division agent cited a Mississippi man for allegedly drowning a deer in the Mississippi River in Concordia Parish on Dec. 11.

LDWF Sgt. Trey Mason cited David E. Hayes, 40, of Natchez, Miss., for not possessing non-resident basic hunting and big game hunting licenses, failing to comply with deer tagging requirements, hunting from a moving vessel and taking deer from a vessel while the deer was swimming.

Sgt. Mason was contacted by a witness who just observed a subject driving a boat in the Mississippi River on the Louisiana side approach a deer swimming in the river. The witness then saw the operator of the vessel wrap a rope around the deer’s antlers and drown the deer.

Sgt. Mason arrived in the area and observed the vessel in the area matching the description gave from the top of a nearby levee. From the levee, Sgt. Mason was able to look down into the vessel and identify an 8-point buck lying in front of the vessel.

Sgt. Mason then made contact with the subject and identified him as Hayes and observed that he was in possession of a dead wet deer with no apparent wounds. After a brief interview, Hayes admitted to drowning the buck in the river on the Louisiana side.

Hunting from a moving vessel carries a $250 to $500 fine and up to 90 days in jail. Taking deer from a vessel while the deer is swimming, failing to comply with deer tagging requirements and hunting without a non-resident basic hunting and big game hunting licenses each brings a $100 to $350 fine and up to 60 days in jail for each offense. A civil restitution charge of $2,033 for the replacement value of the deer may also be imposed.

For more information, contact Adam Einck at 225-765-2465 or aeinck@wlf.la.gov.

Source: AmmoLand.com