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Circleville Man Pleads Guilty to Illegally Checking Whitetail Buck Taken on Shooting Preserve

COLUMBUS, OHIO - Rob McCarley of Circleville pleaded guilty to providing false information to a check station for checking in a hunting preserve buck as a wild deer during the 2008 archery deer hunting season, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Wildlife.

McCarley reported to a deer check station that he killed the buck, which green scored 220, on Monday, December 8 with a longbow on private property in Franklin County. State wildlife officers were later informed that the deer was taken legally, but on a pay to hunt preserve in northeast Ohio and that McCarley paid $12,500 for the deer and shot it with a rifle.

McCarley had previously killed seven deer that would qualify for the Buckeye Big Buck Club, two of which were over 185 inches. The Division of Wildlife discovered that one of these deer, a 191 class deer, was also killed on a shooting preserve in 2006 and then falsely checked as a fair chase, wild deer killed with a bow in Franklin County. He admitted to this violation and as part of the plea agreement the Division of Wildlife will not pursue charges on any other deer or make recommendations to other agencies to pursue charges provided- McCarley gives a full disclosure statement on all deer killed on a shooting preserve and falsely checked as a fair case, wild deer- and permanent metal tags, if available, from falsified deer are returned to the Division of Wildlife (note: McCarley's attorney advised the Division of Wildlife representatives that after being interviewed by officers, McCarley burned all of his deer mounts).

Judge Gary Dumm in the Circleville Municipal Court honored the plea agreement between the prosecution and McCarley's attorney. McCarley was given the following maximum sentence for a fourth degree misdemeanor: $250.00 fine plus court costs, 30 days jail - suspended, two years probation with no related wildlife violation, three years hunting license revocation, and an apology letter to sportsmen.

Anyone observing wildlife violations may report illegal activity by calling the Turn In a Poacher hotline toll free at 1-800-POACHER.

Media Contact:
Ron Rogers, Law Enforcement Supervisor, Ohio Division of Wildlife (614) 644-3925