Three men in Central Louisiana are facing serious charges for flouting the law during deer hunting season. Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries enforcement agents have cited Rickey Bordelon, Kurtis Lavigne, and William Pennington for various hunting violations, including harvesting deer beyond the legal limits as well as failing to comply with tagging regulations, as stated in a release from Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries.
The patrol encounter that led to the charges occurred on January 18, during a scheduled primitive weapons lottery deer hunt on Lake Ophelia National Wildlife Refuge in Avoyelles Parish. Bordelon was initially found to be in legal possession of an antlered deer, however, a license and compliance check on his associates, Lavigne and Pennington, unearthed a deeper pattern of illegal activity. According to the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries, the group illegally harvested a total of 12 deer across Winn, Rapides, and Avoyelles parishes during the 2024-25 season.
These violations come with substantial penalties. For taking an illegal deer during the open season, there's a potential fine of $500 to $750 and a 15 to 30-day jail sentence. Being over the seasonal and daily limit can lead to a $250 to $500 fine and up to 90 days in jail per offense and failure to properly tag the deer might draw up to a $350 fine per incident. The agents involved in the investigation and citations include Sgt. James Bruce, Sgt. Doug Anderson, Corporal Kenny Robertson, and Agent Callie Pitre, as stated by the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries.
On top of the fines, the men are facing considerable civil restitution for the replacement value of the illegally taken deer. The release from the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries indicates that Bordelon owes $3,249, whereas Lavigne is liable for a steeper sum of $9,748, and Pennington is on the hook for $6,498, as per the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries. These financial strikes aim to underscore the serious nature of illegally harvesting wildlife and deterring future transgressions, helping to maintain the balance of local ecosystems and the sanctity of regulated hunting practices.
