Three people were arrested in Angeles National Forest after wildlife officers say they caught the group using illegal spotlighting techniques to hunt down and kill deer, then tried to hide the evidence in trash bags. The arrests followed tips from concerned residents and scheduled night patrols that led officers to find loaded firearms, blood on clothing, and two freshly killed female deer.
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife announced the arrests, according to KTLA, which reported that the investigation began after concerned members of the public provided tips about possible poaching in the forest last month. That prompted CDFW officers to schedule night patrols in the area, betting that whoever was responsible would return under cover of darkness.
The bet paid off. Per CDFW, officers on patrol spotted two vehicles off-roading through the forest while shining spotlights into the trees — a method the department describes as both illegal and highly dangerous. Both vehicles were pulled over, and three suspects were detained on the spot.
Blood, Firearms, and Deer Hidden in Trash Bags
What officers found next left little room for doubt, according to the same account. CDFW officers noticed blood on the suspects' clothing and hands, then discovered loaded firearms and spotlights within easy reach inside the vehicles. A search turned up two freshly killed female deer — one carcass completely skinned, the other quartered — with the animals' heads removed and their remains hidden inside trash bags.
The suspects allegedly admitted to illegally killing the deer and attempting to cover up the evidence, the station's report states. Officers ultimately seized guns, the deer carcasses, and other evidence gathered at the scene.
Multiple Violations, Multiple Charges
The suspects now face multiple charges tied to a list of documented violations, according to the same report. Those include unlawful take of female deer, taking deer without proper licenses or tags, possession of loaded firearms in a vehicle, possession of untagged meat, spotlighting, and use of an illegal method of take. All three were arrested and then released on the agreement that they will appear in court.
The case echoes other poaching crackdowns that have made headlines this year. In Ohio, two central Ohio men, William I. Bethel and Justin A. Booth, known on YouTube as Creek Kings Outdoors, pleaded guilty in May 2026 to poaching charges that included hunting deer without a permit and hunting without permission, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources. That case, unrelated to the Angeles National Forest arrests, underscores how wildlife agencies across the country have been leaning on tips and documentation to build poaching cases.
CDFW Leans on Public Tips
The department said public reports make a difference, and it is again asking anyone who suspects wildlife crime to speak up. Residents can report suspected poaching or other wildlife violations by calling the CalTIP line at (888) 334-2258.
