Leesville Man Caught Hunting at Night with Crossbow

Leesville Man Caught Hunting at Night with Crossbow

From News Report

Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries enforcement agents arrested a Leesville man for alleged deer hunting violations on Dec. 21, 2017.


Agents arrested Heriberto Garcia, Jr., 49, for taking deer during illegal hours with artificial light, failing to comply with deer tagging requirements and failing to comply with harvest report requirements.


Agents received a complaint on Dec. 20 about Garcia Jr. possibly hunting at night.  According to the complaint, Garcia would frequently park his truck at his hunting lease gate near Simpson and walk to his deer stand where he would stay several hours after dark.


Agents set up surveillance around 8 p.m. on Dec. 20 and observed that Garcia did not return to his vehicle until nearly 7 a.m. the following morning.  Agents made contact with Garcia and after questioning he admitted to shooting a buck sometime around midnight.  After shooting the deer, he stayed in his stand until daylight to give the impression that he legally harvested the deer in the morning.


He also admitted to shooting a doe during legal shooting hours on Dec. 9 and records show he failed to tag or validate this deer.


Agents then reviewed Garcia’s game camera, which had a video of Garcia shooting at another deer with his crossbow on Dec. 16 at 4:09 a.m.


Agents seized Garcia’s crossbow, bolts and eight point buck.  Garcia was booked into the Vernon Parish Jail.




Taking deer during illegal Hours with artificial light brings a $900 to $950 fine and up to 120 days in jail.  Failing to comply with deer tagging and harvest report requirements each carries a $100 to $350 fine and up to 60 days in jail.



Garcia may also face civil restitution totaling $2,033 for the replacement value of the illegally taken buck.

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