My weekend Sun column describes how a Maryland Natural Resources Police officer determined that a large antlered deer had been taken out of season — killed in Frederick County with a gunshot during the archery season. In some ways, it’s a case of Guilty But Mostly Stupid because the poacher bragged about his kill, posing for a photo that appeared in news and social media. Key to the uncovering of his Big Lie: At least two phone calls to the NRP dispatcher — one suggesting that the kill had been illegal, and a second giving Officer Charles Faith the information he needed to establish probable cause for charges against the 25-year-old poacher. What motivated those people to make their calls to authorities? Honor among hunters who suspected an illegal kill? Jealousy? Whatever it was, it ended in the poacher owing the state of Maryland $6,000 and 80 hours of community service.
Personal note: I never hunted. Not interested in killing mammals, and rarely kill a fish. I thought the story was worth telling because I had recently heard a federal judge wonder in open court whether any of the sentences he’d issued in criminal cases had any deterrent effect. It seems to me that, unless the media reports the penalties for offenses, that old message does not get out: If you can’t do the time (or afford the dime) don’t do the crime.
Additional Facts: Under Maryland Natural Resources Article §10-1101.1, a person convicted of poaching deer on any land in the State is required to pay restitution to the State Wildlife Management and Protection Fund. The standardized Boone and Crockett Club scoring methodology, used to evaluate the size of antlers, determines the amount of restitution. The antlers recovered during the course of this investigation were evaluated and received a gross total score of 169 1/8. A person convicted of poaching an antlered white-tailed deer that obtains a score of more than 150 gross inches “shall pay restitution of not less than $5,000 but not exceeding $10,000, in an amount deemed reasonable by the court; and perform 80 hours of community service.” See Natural Resources §10-1101.1(b)(2).
Attorney General Anthony Brown recognized the work of the Maryland Natural Resources Police, in particular Officer Faith, and the Attorney General’s Environmental and Natural Resources Crimes Unit Chief Counsel D’Arcy Talley and Assistant Attorneys General Suzannah Sturgell and Kory H. Lemmert, who prosecuted this case.
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Dan Rodricks 
I agree with the stupidity moniker. In my hunting family there is a lot of respect for the DNR. Whether fishing or hunting, they make sure they have the right license on them and follow the rules at all times. And, they religously follow the dates of which season it is.
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I just read your article. I’ve never understood why peop
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Your message cut off, ma’am.
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Coincidently, my niece and nephew live in Perry Hall and welcome all sorts of wildlife to their large wooded back yard. She is a photographer and has many wonderful “shots” of deer, fox, birds, etc. During “Bow Season” someone had wounded a huge buck with antlers that found its way to their yard and died. She and her husband cried at the death of such a beautiful animal. He is buried in their wooded back yard.
I certainly recognize the need of having “deer season” to downsize the herd. We see herds of 9-10 browsing near our house near Honeygo Village. New development is pushing them around.
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As disgusting a lot as trophy hunters are they may have their equal. I don’t recall where this happened but a pile of deer, six or seven, were found dumped along a road. All of them unzipped up the spine with their backstraps cut out. That’s it, that is all that was taken.
The non-profit, Whitetails Unlimited, indicates that about 35% of edible meat is a realistic harvest from a deer. 50% under the best conditions.
So much is wasted. It is appalling. If a hunter is going to take that life the same person should take the animal home, skin it, hang it, and process the carcass all the way down to bone broth. Less than that is simply shoot to kill.
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