Social media pages aid investigation in Morehouse Parish
Enforcement agents with the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries cited a Collinston man and woman for alleged deer hunting violations in the Mer Rouge area of Morehouse Parish, according to a news release.
Zachary Nolan, 28, was ticketed for hunting without nonresident basic and big game hunting licenses, failing to comply with deer tagging requirements, taking deer during illegal hours with artificial light, taking over the daily limit of deer and taking over the seasonal limit of deer. Agents also cited Stacy Yates, 32, for hunting without resident basic and big game hunting licenses, and failing to comply with deer tagging requirements, the release states.
Agents received information that Nolan had killed two deer without tagging them, and eventually discovered he did not posses proper hunting licenses and was not a bona fide Louisiana resident, according to the release. Nolan’s social media page showed several deer he harvested, as well as numerous pictures and videos of him hunting, the release states.
After obtaining a search warrant for his residence, agents discovered four racks of deer antlers taken in the last two weeks, as well as a Marlin .30-30 rifle. During questioning, the release states Nolan confessed to killing a fifth illegally taken buck, and also admitted to harvesting two bucks on Dec. 2, including one during illegal hours. The two bucks in one day put him over the legal daily limit, and the five bucks in one season put him two over the seasonal antlered limit, according to the release.
Yates confessed to deer hunting without possession of proper licenses or tags, the release states.
Nolan could also face civil restitution for the illegally taken deer totaling $8,531.
Hunting deer during illegal hours carries a $900 to $950 fine and up to 120 days in jail. Taking over the season limit of antlered deer and daily limit of antlered deer each brings a $250 to $500 fine and up to 90 days in jail for each offense, according to the release.
Failing to comply with deer tagging regulations and failing to possess nonresident basic and big game hunting licenses each carries a $100 to $350 fine and up to 60 days in jail for each offense. Failing to possess basic and big game licenses each brings up to a $50 fine and 15 days in jail for each offense, the release states.
