NEVADA – Three men have been convicted of unlawful hunting practices involving a mule deer after utilizing a drone to drive the animal off private property before fatally shooting it.

An investigation conducted by the Nevada Department of Wildlife revealed that 23-year-old Bailey Thompson from Las Vegas, along with 51-year-old James Ebert and his 22-year-old son, Justin Ebert, both residents of Caliente, spotted a prized buck on private land within Hunt Unit 242.

Understanding that they couldn’t legally take down the deer on private property, the trio resorted to deploying a drone to chase the animal off the restricted premises.

Once the mule deer had been driven onto public land, Thompson proceeded to shoot and kill the animal. However, it was discovered that Thompson possessed a mule deer buck tag, but it did not apply to the specific unit where the buck was slain.

Thompson has been found guilty of three gross misdemeanours, which include the unlawful killing of a big game animal, unlawful possession of a big game animal, and conspiracy. Both James and Justin Ebert, the father and son involved, were each convicted of two gross misdemeanours, encompassing unlawful possession of a big game animal and conspiracy.

Game Warden Captain Jake Kreamer expressed his bewilderment at the individuals’ actions, stating, “I’m not quite sure what these men were thinking. They went to the trouble of illegally using a drone to chase this animal off private land only to shoot it in the wrong unit. All their efforts only compounded their trouble.”

The convicted individuals will be required to pay a $15,000 fine collectively. Additionally, they have had their hunting, fishing, and trapping privileges revoked for a five-year period, and any bonus points earned for big game hunting in Nevada have been forfeited.

Kreamer conveyed his frustration, saying, “It’s extremely frustrating. These men saw a buck they wanted and decided the rules didn’t pertain to them. They knew they were in the wrong unit. They knew using the drone to push the animal was illegal. They just thought they wouldn’t get caught and now they’re stuck with some pretty steep fines and penalties.”

Credits: KOLOTV

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