A Tennessee man was recently sentenced to jail and banned for life from hunting in the state after illegally killing 15 deer over the span of more than three years and threatening a landowner with a gun while poaching on his property, according to wildlife officials. The man pleaded guilty to several charges related to poaching, including using a spotlight to kill deer, hunting from a motor vehicle, and hunting big game during a closed season in Hawkins County.
In one incident, the man and another person used a spotlight to kill a doe and a seven-point buck from a vehicle during the closed deer hunting season. When confronted by a landowner, the man pointed a gun at him and made threats. The duo was eventually stopped by a sheriff’s deputy and found with hunting rifles and a spotlight. The illegal practice of using a spotlight to hunt deer involves shining a light at the animals to freeze them in place, making it easier to shoot them.
The man was ordered to serve six months of a four-year sentence for aggravated assault and hunting big game during a closed season charges. He was also fined, required to pay restitution, and had hunting privileges revoked for life. In addition to the recent charges, the man had a previous poaching conviction in 2021. Wildlife officials expressed disappointment in the man’s actions, noting that many of the illegally killed deer were never recovered.
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