Forgot that permit at least 3 times because he didn't have it, the it was written. The trophy deer he was pictured with was killed on an illegal hunt before this last time, sounded as he kind of justified it because he donated the meat. As stated before I in no way condone this man's behavior, but no wild animal is worth $57,000. Lose all hunting rights for life and a very hefty fine.

No, the state record buck would have been worth WAY more than $57,000. That deer taken legally could have been worth some big bucks in endorsements and sponsorships.

Made today's DMN Sports section. Celebrity for the wrong reason....

The anti-HFers on here will tell you how many 100s and 100s of miles a buck will travel during the season. That being said, that buck could have come from a HF anywhere.

I shot a 188 6/8" buck on the Buckle L ranch just south of Childress. Low fence ranch back in 2004 no high fence ranch around any where ..........Suspicious???

It was shot in Denton county. The area has produced quite a few big bucks over 180. There is not a HF anywhere around.

This guy shot what would have been the second biggest buck ever in the state of texas, he needs to be made an example of. He won't be shooting a deer in texas (at least legally) for at least a few years, and more if the state has its way, I'm sure they will keep that buck in question from a few years ago in their back pocket as a second case later if they need, supposedly its a monster too.

couple of high fences I saw added on 922 (Cooke County)west of Ray Roberts......more likely trying to keep deer out !!!! Have seen a couple more sprinkled here and there but really haven't paid attention much as to where. With the price of land skyrocketing up here and deer like that making the news I bet we start seeing a lot more of it, folks from DFW with plenty of money. Already seeing land being sold to middle eastern investors on tollway extension routes, and areas near it.....

Glad he got busted. Wasn't his first rodeo with illegal hunting.

There are some huge deer in Cooke and Grayson county and some have come down from Oklahoma.

The fact that y'all can't believe big deer can exist outside of high fences might be the greatest argument against them.

Got off easy, how can we keep giving the opportunity to buy their hunting privileges back. I guess since he was a poacher anyway why not take his money cause one way or the other he'll get the animal

Just read the Affidavit from the game warden. It details where and when everything happened. He hunting just east of the greenbelt trailhead on east side of river on someone's residential property that totals 15 acres with no real hunting area based on satellite I looked at. He set his stand and feeder on neighbors property that is much bigger and has cover and lives in Switzerland which he was told he could not hunt there. Second fatal shot was at night with his bow. Moon was out. He did throw the carcass out at the taxidermist claiming meat was bad from first shot. He erased pics from SD cards showing deer came in after dark when shot. He also shot a giant from the neighbors property 2 years ago. He admitted to everything once pressed. The neighbor even put notes on his stand to remove it but he ignored it and even put a new stand up when his broke. That is one entitled dude.

for the doubters and defenders

Well, that sure answers a lot of questions. Shot after dark and on a neighbors property, both of which he knew when he was doing it. Also sounds to me like the deer from 2 years prior was shot from the same stand on the neighbors property, which makes it poached as well. Plus the incident in 2004 sets a pretty solid pattern of behavior. For sure it wasn't just a simple "Ooops I made a mistake." Pretty cut and dried in my book. For sure that GW report was not "speculation".

Guess we will see if the mods over on TBH let the current thread over there run. My bet is it gets whacked too. The members over there actually need some closure since he was a member in good standing, yet he has confessed to poaching two record class deer. At some point admin has to let the chips fall where they may.

link?

It's the thread labeled 271" or 278". No additional entertainment exists in it. The dudes defenders are gone or at least shut up now.

Looks like they are letting it stay for now, if so good for them, maybe Michael pulled some to the the problem moderators credentials

Crazy there are people defending this guys action. As one guy said it’s just poaching as if it’s not a big deal at all lol. Was this guy a forum member on here?

Sorry Sapper, I ain't gonna link to over there. Too many hurt feelers. Probably shouldn't even have said what I did, even though what I did say was conservative IMO. The truth is out though, which is all I really cared about hearing anyways.

Lots of folks want to say it isn't anyone's business, but I disagree. If it had been a legal shoot, it would have gotten all kinds of publicity (and possibly a financial windfall), whether he wanted it or not. That is what happens when a potential new state record is shot. But it wasn't a legal shoot, and the same rules still apply. When you drop the string on a buck like that, you are going to get attention, one way or the other. Lots of it. The decisions a hunter makes determine which kind of attention it is going to be.

Well I stand corrected, thread is gone

Not surprising!

I knew it would get pulled. Folks get off work, the whiskey starts flowing, and they can't (or won't) control what they say. Opinions flare, personal rivalries get mixed in. Next thing you know it is a dumpster fire. I didn't watch it go down in flames last night but I imagine it did so in typical fashion. It usually follows the same pattern.

It's a predictable pattern on that board, lol...