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Frederick County resident Michael Hines pleaded guilty this week to hunting mammals during closed season, and will pay a hefty fine and restitution following the investigation into an incident reported in November last year.
On Nov. 11, 2023, Natural Resources Police launched an investigation into "the illegal harvest of a trophy white tailed deer" after being tipped off that Hines had illegally killed the buck with a gun - but during bow season.
According to prosecutors, "hunting or harvesting by any other manner during bow season is prohibited by state law ... and is considered poaching."
Investigators say that Hines killed the buck on Nov. 10, 2023 with a rifle, took photos of himself with the buck and posted them on social media in the "Maryland Bowhunters" page.
"Maryland hunters understand the rules about when, and where, and how they can hunt," Attorney General Anthony Brown stated. "When someone breaks those rules, they're cheating and harming Maryland's conservation efforts."
Hines later removed the deer's head and neck from the body, disposed of the carcass in a thicket, and took the remains to a local taxidermist.
The carcass, which was recovered by NRP officers during the investigation, revealed two circular gunshot wounds, indicated it had been shot with a firearm, not a crossbow.
They also later tracked down the head and antlers of the buck.
"Illegal poaching takes Marylanders' rightful natural resources away from law-abiding hunters and will not be tolerated under any circumstance," NRP Superintendent Orlando Lilly added. "We are proud of our officers for identifying those who disregard our laws."
A judge ordered that Hines pay $5,000 in restitution to the State Wildlife Management and Protection Fund, serve 80 hours of community service, and a fine of $1,000 for illegally harvesting a trophy deer.
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