Deer brag nets pair hefty fine
By Nick Hiltunen
Published in News on December 8, 2009 1:46 PM
Two teenagers have been charged with "night deer hunting," a misdemeanor, after their kill was seized from a local taxidermist's office, a wildlife enforcement officer said.
Wildlife Enforcement Officer Joshua Hudson said Jorden Robert Owens, of Goldsboro, and Victor Ian Calder Jr. both face the charge, a Class 2 misdemeanor.
The deer was large, and although measurements are not official, the buck the teens killed might approach a county record, Hudson said.
The deer's antlers measured about 213/4 inches on the inside, and 233/4 when measured from the outside, the enforcement officer said.
"I'm pretty sure it's going to be a Wayne County record, as far as how big it was," Hudson said.
Although investigation is still ongoing, a spotlight was seized from the teens, indicating they might have blinded the deer with a light before firing, the enforcement officer said.
"I think the right person just happened to see them spotlighting," Hudson said. "Unfortunately, those horns make somebody do crazy things they wouldn't normally do."
The teenagers had dropped off the deer's carcass at a taxidermist, but Hudson did not want to name the taxidermist because he was not involved.
"Other than the fact that he was just doing his taxidermy work, he had no way of knowing that it was illegal," Hudson said.
Because the investigation was ongoing, Hudson did not release the location where the deer was shot.
Using a spotlight, if you have a gun or rifle in your possession is illegal, even during Wayne County's "gun deer season," from Oct. 17 to Jan. 1.
Some hunters use spotlights without a weapon in their possession to survey a hunting area, which is legal if done before 11 p.m.
After 11 p.m., any spotlighting is illegal, and people using a spotlight after that hour could face a Class 3 misdemeanor, according to state law.