“They recognized the antlers from a buck previously photographed alive in Yosemite Lakes Park, a residential golf course community in Coarsegold,” explained a CDFW spokesperson.
However, the deer had been tagged with an A19 Archery/X10 tag, which indicated the deer would’ve had to have been shot in Inyo County near Mount Whitney, over 100 miles away. Meanwhile, the wardens were able to turn up online photos showing the deer still in Yosemite Lakes Park just days before it was tagged.
The discrepancy allowed CDFW wardens to execute a search warrant on the suspected poacher’s house. There, they found photos showing the deer alive behind the poacher’s house on the same day that it had been killed.
This September, the individual, whose identity has not been released, was sentenced for his wrongdoings. He pleaded guilty to “violating California Fish and Game Code sections 1054(a) involving the falsification of documents submitted to CDFW and 2000(a) involving the unlawful taking of a mammal.”
The person received a three-year hunting ban, a year of probation, court fees, and 80 hours of community service. He must also forfeit the rack and re-complete hunter education. The incident is not the only recent high-profile case involving falsified hunting documents; earlier this fall, Wyoming busted an outfitting operation that involved the systematic use of fraudulent residency statements.
“Poaching undermines wildlife conservation and fair chase hunting,” wrote a CDFW spokesperson. “Holding violators accountable protects California’s wildlife for everyone.”
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