South Dakota Man Fined After Roping Whitetail Bucks and Tying Them to His Truck

Officials say the investigation was possible thanks in part to residents reporting suspicious activity.

“South Dakota Game, Fish, and Parks is committed to preserving our wildlife and ensuring that laws are upheld to protect our natural resources,” the agency said in a press release. “We appreciate the community's support in reporting violations and assisting in wildlife conservation efforts.”

The investigation began all the way back in 2020 when Wildlife Conservation Officers received several reports of dead deer in Potter County in the central portion of the state. These reports were especially suspicious because the deer were found in late summer, long before the legal hunting season was set to begin.

A subsequent three-year investigation revealed that the poacher, who was not named in the press release, had been hunting and capturing deer throughout the year.

“Over the course of the investigation, it was found that at least 12 deer were killed throughout all times of year, without proper licensing and no regard to laws in Potter County,” the agency said.

Searches of the poacher’s phone, as well as interviews with other suspects in the case, uncovered videos and pictures depicting the poacher posing with a “trophy whitetail buck” at night and out of season.

This fella was also doing more than hunting, apparently. One of the other suspects showed investigators a video of the poacher roping two live whitetail bucks, tying them to the hitch on his truck, and attempting to fit them with ear tags.

It is unclear why he was trying to capture live deer. It is illegal to trap deer in South Dakota (as it is in all other states), but landowners can operate captive deer facilities with a permit from the South Dakota Animal Industry Board.

MeatEater requested comment from South Dakota Game, Fish, and Parks (GFP) but did not receive a response by publication time.

Wildlife Conservation Officers also found 55 deadheads in various states of decomposition when they searched the poacher’s home. Deadheads are illegal to possess for any reason unless authorized by GFP officials.

The three-year investigation and prosecution concluded in December of last year. The poacher accepted a plea agreement in which he pleaded guilty to 12 Class 1 misdemeanors for hunting or taking big game during nighttime, closed season, or without license. All Class 1 misdemeanors carry a maximum penalty of one year in jail and a $2,000 fine.

He caught the maximum fine for each count for a total of $24,000 in civil fines. He will also have to pay $6,000 in criminal fines along with $1,158 in court costs.

He was sentenced to four years in jail, though all but 30 days of that sentence were suspended. The conditions of that suspended sentence are unclear, but if he meets them, he will only spend a month behind bars.

In addition, his hunting privileges were revoked for eight years, and he had to forfeit all firearms involved in the crimes.

There is often disagreement about the appropriate punishment for wildlife crimes. While legal hunters are often dismayed at the leniency granted by judges, there are a variety of reasons a poacher might receive harsher or lighter sentences. For more on this topic, check out this article, “Why Don’t Poachers Ever Get What They Deserve?”

Images via South Dakota Turn in Poachers (TIPs) Facebook Page.

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