Deer were illegally taken in February of this year, LDWF says
Judge Elizabeth Jones of the 20th Judicial District Court in East and West Feliciana parishes ordered two poachers to pay a total of $38,776 for deer hunting violations that occurred last February, according to a press release from the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries.
Devin Wascome, 26, of Slaughter, and Joseph Buhler, 21, of Zachary were ordered to pay fines, fees and court costs, and their hunting privileges were revoked for five years, the release states.
Wascome was ordered to pay $17,231 in East Feliciana Parish and $4,791 in West Feliciana Parish. He also was forced to forfeit his .17 caliber rifle. Buhler was ordered to pay $12,560 in East Feliciana Parish and $4,194 in West Feliciana Parish. The men must also pay a total of $6,498 in civil restitution for the replacement value of the illegally taken deer, according to the release.
Enforcement agents with the LDWF cited the two men on Feb. 10, 2016 for illegal deer hunting violations in East Feliciana, West Feliciana, East Baton Rouge and Livingston parishes.
After receiving complaints, an investigation revealed that Wascome and Buhler illegally harvested a deer on Feb. 1 in East Feliciana Parish, on Feb. 7 in West Feliciana Parish, and on Feb. 8 in East Feliciana Parish. Wascome also admitted to illegally shooting a doe on Feb. 4 at night while on foot, the release states.
The two men hunted at night from public roads, and were cited for taking deer during a closed season and illegal hours, hunting from a moving vehicle, possession of illegally taken deer, taking deer from a public road, intentional concealment of illegally taken wildlife, failing to comply with deer tagging requirements, and discharging a firearm from a public road, among other violations, the release states.
Wascome and Buhler have not yet appeared in court in East Baton Rouge and Livingston parishes to face the illegal hunting charges there.
