Seven cited for various deer violations in two separate incidents
Enforcement agents with the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries cited seven men last week for alleged night-hunting violations in Cameron and Calcasieu parishes.
In the first incident, on Dec. 5, agents cited Dustin Boudreaux, 25, from Lake Charles and Chance Richard, 27, Dane Dahlen, 23, and Marcus Crochet, 31, all from Creole, for hunting from a moving vehicle, hunting deer from a public road and taking deer during illegal hours in Cameron Parish.
That night around midnight, LDWF enforcement agents got a call from the Cameron Parish Sheriff’s Office around midnight about a truck stopped on Chenier Perdue Road with a freshly harvested deer in plain view in the bed of the truck, according to a news release.
LDWF agents determined the deer had been shot moments before the traffic stop, and they seized two 12-gauge shotguns, a .22 caliber rifle and one doe, the release states.
In the second incident, on Dec. 8 in Calcasieu Parish, agents cited Cody Gaspard, 30, and Louis Tommasi, 18, both of Lake Charles, and Corey Northrop, 26, of Iowa, for intentionally concealing illegally taken wildlife, hunting deer from a public road, taking deer during illegal hours and hunting from a moving vehicle.
Enforcement agents got a call at about 2 a.m. in that case from the Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office, which had been contacted by an eyewitness who allegedly observed the three men hunting and shooting the deer. The witness followed the truck until the vehicle was stopped by authorities, the release states.
Agents with LDWF discovered two deer were killed in the incident: one was left on the side of the road in the marsh and the other deer was thrown from the vehicle as they were being followed by the eyewitness, the release states.
Taking deer during illegal hours and concealing illegally-taken wildlife each brings a $900 to $950 fine and up to 120 days in jail for each offense. Hunting from a moving vehicle carries a $250 to $500 fine and up to 90 days in jail. Hunting deer from a public road brings a $100 to $350 fine and up to 60 days in jail. The men may also face civil restitution for the illegally taken deer, valued at $1,624.61 per deer.
