October 29, 2015
From WTSP.com
Joe Franz has been charged with four counts of “hunting over bait,” a violation of an Iowa law that prohibits hunters from using grain, vegetables, fruit or salt blocks to attract wildlife. If convicted, Franz could face a $195 fine on each charge.
The charges cover violations on four days in October 2014. Franz finally killed the deer on an Oct. 12, 2014, afternoon hunt during Iowa’s early muzzleloader season.
“I’m outraged by the charges brought against me,” he said. “There’s always jealousy. There’s always accusations, innuendo, and I am completely innocent of these charges.”
Franz’s killing of the deer came after years of his buying and selling land in pursuit of the perfect farm to produce a big whitetail buck.