iStockphoto / WendellandCarolyn
An Arkansas hunter was cited by the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) after they received a tip that the man had illegally harvested a 15-point buck, taken it across state lines, and entered it into a Big Buck hunting contest in Louisiana’s Morehouse Parish.
According to a press release from the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, it is believed the 27-year-old man from Crossett, Arkansas (just over the border) illegally harvested the 15-point buck on September 8th. The press release says the 15pt buck was harvested “during illegal hours on Sept. 8.”
Somehow, the man kept the buck intact and entered it into the Simmons Sporting Goods Big Buck Contest in Bastrop, Louisiana, a 29-minute drive from Crossett, Arkansas, but across the state border:
Google Maps
Flash forward a few weeks and the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission cited him for illegal hunting activity, according to the press release. And here’s where things get tricky for him… Not only is it believed the 15-point buck was harvested illegally for the hunting contest, this now alleges hunting contest fraud.
According to the press release (and FTW), hunting contest fraud “brings up to a $3,000 fine and one year in jail. Violating interstate commerce regulations carries a $900 to $950 fine and up to 120 days in jail.”
For the life of me, I cannot recall an incident we covered here on BroBible where someone is accused of trying to rig a hunting contest. We have seen instances in recent years of anglers cheating in fishing contests.
Most notably, the saga that began back in October 2022 that culminated in two men losing their $100,000 bass fishing boat and their fishing licenses for several years along with being sentenced to some jail time and having to pay fines.
It will be interesting to see how this all plays out in the coming months as their is the added layer of the alleged crimes occurring across state borders.