man arrested for multiple deer hunting violations

By KTBS Staff

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    ARCADIA, Louisiana (KTBS) — Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries enforcement agents arrested a man for alleged deer hunting violations in Lincoln and Bienville parishes.

Agents arrested Rhett Sims, 61, of Arcadia, for obstruction of justice, hunting while under hunting license revocation, hunting without basic hunting and deer hunting licenses, hunting deer without deer tags in possession, and taking over the seasonal limit of antlered deer.

Agents received information about a harvested 11-point deer on private property in Bienville Parish near Arcadia on Dec. 1. During the investigation, agents learned that Sims harvested the deer from an adjoining piece of property and left it lying in the field because he did not have permission to enter the property and did not possess a hunting license or deer tags, LDWF said in a news release.

Sims then had another person attempt to retrieve and tag the deer for him, but the landowner stopped the person. Agents arrested Sims and booked him into the Bienville Parish Jail on Jan. 1.

While Sims was in jail, agents discovered that he harvested an eight-point deer on Nov. 12, a five-point deer on Nov. 17 and another 11-point deer on Nov. 29 all in Lincoln and Bienville parishes while under license revocation and without deer tags. Sims harvested four antlered deer in an area where the seasonal limit for antlered deer is three per licensed hunter.

Agents seized four sets of deer antlers in connection to these violations.

Obstruction of justice carries up to a $10,000 fine and five years in jail. Hunting while under hunting license revocation and harvesting over the seasonal limit of antlered deer brings a $250 to $500 fine and up to 90 days in jail for each offense. Hunting deer without a basic hunting license, deer hunting license and deer tags carries up to a $350 fine.

Sims will also face civil restitution totaling $7,316 for the replacement value of the illegally taken deer.

Agents involved in the case are Lt. Ryan Brasher, Sgt. Patrick Staggs, Sgt. Charles Dison, Sgt. William Holomon, Sgt. Michael Meserole, Corporal John Blalock, Corporal Evan Hoek and Senior Agent Trace Francis.

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