December 16, 2014
From MyArkLAMiss.com
A Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) Enforcement Division agent cited a Mississippi man for allegedly drowning a deer in the Mississippi River in Concordia Parish on Dec. 11.
David E. Hayes, 40, was cited for not possessing non-resident basic hunting and big game hunting licenses, failing to comply with deer tagging requirements, hunting from a moving vessel and taking deer from a vessel while the deer was swimming.
Sgt. Mason was contacted by a witness who just observed a subject driving a boat in the Mississippi River on the Louisiana side approach a deer swimming in the river. The witness then saw the operator of the vessel wrap a rope around the deer’s antlers and drown the deer.
Hayes admitted to drowning the buck in the river.
Hunting from a moving vessel carries a $250 to $500 fine and up to 90 days in jail. Taking deer from a vessel while the deer is swimming, failing to comply with deer tagging requirements and hunting without a non-resident basic hunting and big game hunting licenses each brings a $100 to $350 fine and up to 60 days in jail for each offense. A civil restitution charge of $2,033 for the replacement value of the deer may also be imposed.