A Leesville man has been cited for several deer hunting violations in Vernon Parish, the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries reported. William Decker, age 34, faced charges for hunting deer during illegal hours and with an illegal weapon. This incident follows a complaint made to the Vernon Parish Sheriff’s Office on Monday about a firearm being discharged in the early morning hours.
An initial investigation by the sheriff's office led to the discovery of Decker with a freshly harvested deer and a rifle at approximately 5:40 a.m. In a statement obtained by the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, it was noted that LDWF agents took over the case from there. Upon questioning, Decker admitted to agents that he had taken down the deer before legal shooting time using a .22 caliber rim-fire rifle.
The seized deer did not go to waste, as it was later donated to a local charity. Deer hunting outside of designated legal hours can lead to fines between $900 and $950, and even include possible jail time of up to 120 days for the offense. Hunting with an illegal weapon could add a fine of up to $350 to Decker's potential penalties.
In addition to fines, civil restitution is another consequence Decker will face, amounting to $1,624 for the replacement value of the illegally taken deer. The LDWF report indicates that Corporal Dustin Nash, Sgt. James Smith, and Lt. Andrew Mitchell played active roles in processing this violation.
