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.
About The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF)
The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries is charged with managing and protecting Louisiana’s abundant natural resources. For more information, visit us at www.wlf.louisiana.gov on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ldwffb or follow us on Twitter @LDWF.