Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries enforcement agents charged a Collinston man and woman with alleged hunting violations on Dec. 13 in Morehouse Parish.
Agents cited Zachary Nolan, 28, 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.
Agents responded to information that Nolan had killed two deer without tagging them in the Mer Rouge area. Agents discovered that Nolan did not possess the proper hunting licenses and was not a bona fide Louisiana resident. Agents then viewed Nolan’s social media page and discovered several harvested deer by Nolan and numerous pictures and videos of him hunting.
After obtaining a search warrant for Nolan’s residence, agents searched the property and discovered four racks of deer antlers that were taken within the last two weeks. Agents seized the antlers and a Marlin 30-30 rifle.
During questioning Nolan also confessed to killing a fifth illegally taken buck. He also admitted to harvesting two bucks on Dec. 2 including one of them during illegal hours. The two bucks in one day put him one over the legal daily antlered limit and the five bucks in one season put him two over the seasonal antlered limit.
Yates confessed to deer hunting without possession of the proper hunting licenses or tags.
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.
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.
Nolan could also face civil restitution for the illegally taken deer totaling $8,531.