170+ Buck Poached in Pennsylvania

I hate it when big bucks like this are poached. Just imagine was a trophy this would have been for a legitimate hunter. What a shame!

The following press release was issued Dec. 8 by the Pennsylvania Game Commission:

DAUPHIN COUNTY POACHING CASE INVOLVES RECORD-BOOK BUCK

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HARRISBURG — A Lancaster County resident was cited for poaching a record-book class buck, according to charges filed by Pennsylvania Game Commission in the court of District Justice William Wenner, in Harrisburg, on Dec. 7.

Wildlife Conservation Officers Mike Doherty of Dauphin County, and John Veylupek, of Lancaster County, filed the charges against Scott M. Garner, 33, of Bainbridge, Lancaster County, who was charged for exceeding the bag limit for antlered deer in a license year by killing a second buck.  Under long-standing bag limits, Pennsylvania hunters are limited to one antlered deer per license year.

On Dec. 1, Garner killed a 14-point buck in Londonderry Township, Dauphin County, during the two-week firearms deer season after having killed a five-point buck in archery season on Oct. 31.  He re-used and altered his buck tag, originally used on the buck taken on Oct. 31, to tag the second buck illegally harvested on Dec. 1.

For killing the 14-point buck, Garner faces penalties of up to 90 days in jail and an enhanced fine of $6,500 since the size of the deer's antlers are considered trophy class under Game Commission regulations. He also faces up to three years revocation of his hunting and trapping privileges in Pennsylvania.

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Had the 14-point buck been lawfully taken by a hunter, with a Boone & Crockett green-score of 172.5 inches, it would have placed it in the top 25 for typical deer taken with a firearm in Pennsylvania's All-Time Big Game Records.