Pennsylvania Father-Son Trio Poached “Dozens” of Trophy Bucks, Prosecutors Say

Carl Nelson III, 70, Carroll Nelson IV, 44, and Mark Nelson, 40, have been hit with 71 charges for allegedly killing whitetail deer at night and out of season and for taking more than their maximum one buck per year.

The “poaching ring” operated mainly in Chester and Delaware counties in the southeastern part of the state. Law enforcement was first made aware of suspicious activity in 2022 when a concerned citizen sent in a tip about several large bucks being taken over a span of several years.

When investigators began looking into the trio, they found enough evidence to arrest all three on various charges and seize 50 mounts and antler sets, most of which were "trophy class," according to the Commission.

Carl Nelson III is facing 35 charges, including a first-degree misdemeanor punishable by up to five years in prison and a $10,000 fine. His older son, Carroll Nelson IV, is facing 11 charges, including a first-degree misdemeanor punishable by up to five years in prison and a $10,000 fine. Mark Nelson, the younger son, is facing 25 charges, including a third-degree felony punishable by up to seven years in prison and a $15,000 fine.

All three defendants are facing significant fines, court costs and restitution. They are also facing extensive hunting license revocation if convicted.

Several agencies, including state game wardens and Chester County detectives, assisted in what the commission describes as a “lengthy” investigation.

That investigation is ongoing, and so officials have released only limited information at this time. However, according to court records obtained by MeatEater, the three accused poachers are facing charges beyond wildlife crimes.

Along with one felony count of taking big game beyond bag and season limits, 10 summary counts of taking/possessing game or wildlife, and six summary counts of violating rules related to seasons, sizes, and possession limits, Mark Nelson is also facing one misdemeanor count of tampering with physical evidence and two more misdemeanor counts related to drug possession (among various other charges).

Carroll Nelson is also facing two misdemeanor counts of tampering with physical evidence along with three summary counts of failing to attach big game tags, one summary count of assisting a person not entitled to obtain a license, and three charges for unlawfully taking big game animals.

What’s more, the middle Nelson is also being charged with unlawfully killing a protected bird, which may explain the owl mount seen in one of the photos provided by the Pennsylvania Game Commission.

For his part, this isn’t the first time Carl Nelson, the father, has run afoul of wildlife officials. According to court records, Carl Nelson pleaded guilty last year to four wildlife crimes: killing an overlimit of game, submitting a fraudulent game report, failing to report a kill within 10 days, and illegally lending a big game tag.

Now, that previous history could make it more difficult for the eldest Nelson to beat his current set of charges, which include a whopping 31 summary counts of illegally taking game or wildlife.

All three men were charged on September 27th, 2024, and are awaiting a preliminary hearing.