In what were traditionally simple acts of breaking the law, poaching, as of late, seems to have been getting a lot more complex. As it turns out, those looking to break hunting laws will go to great lengths to get a shot at a good looking deer.
In a recent story out of Virginia, a man was just recently charged for pursuing an urban buck, killing it, and then posting it to social media as if he had taken it in a nearby county. The buck was so recognizable, that he was instantly implicated and charged with the illegal killing.
Well, it didn’t take long for another tale to surface that might even be more ridiculous than the aforementioned one. In a story coming out of New York last month, a pair of men have lost their hunting privileges for five years after pleading guilty to misdemeanor charges for illegal hunting.
In what is turning out to be an elaborate poaching scheme Jayson Zorda, of Oneonta, and Kevin Butler, of Afton went to great lengths to locate trophy deer and then shoot them in broad daylight.
Posing as a female photographer on Facebook, Zorba was able to trick other photographers, who had taken pictures of massive local deer, into revealing specific locations of the animals. Then, heading out into those areas hiding their bows in their backpacks and arrows inside hollowed-out walking sticks, they’d kill the animals and take their grip and grin photos.
The areas in which the deer were photographed and later shot were residential areas closed off to hunting. The pair was originally busted by a hunter who saw the two men creep up into the woods behind his apartment and shoot one of the two deer they were charged with killing.
Upon alerting the authorities, the two men fled on foot and were eventually nabbed. A search warrant was later executed which confirmed the suspicions of the two killings and has since opened up a broader investigation into what is reported as a large poaching ring.
New York’s Department of Environmental Conservation is keeping their cards close to their chest for the moment, but is saying that there is a lot more to this story than meets the eye. With hopes of cracking down on what appears to be a larger problem than just two fake photographers, the department is not releasing any additional information that might jeopardize the overall investigation.
In addition to the five-year suspension, Zorba and Butler were also hit with $1,075 in fines and fees. A penalty that has come under scrutiny by many who see these acts of brazen poaching becoming all too popular.
Perhaps there is more to be uncovered about the pair and more charges will be forthcoming, but in this humble writer’s opinion, the two have barely received but a tap on the wrist.
