On December 5, 2024, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) received complaints regarding the potential poaching of a well-known whitetail buck nicknamed “King Louie” in Johnstown, NY, by a local hunter. Photos of the impressive deer, known for its unique antlers, circulated through social media and text chains, eliciting concerns in the community.
Environmental Conservation Officers Justanna Bohling and Kyle Bevis launched an investigation, canvassed the area, and worked closely with Fulton County ECO Shane Manns and the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office in search of evidence.
The Officers interviewed a witness who they said reported seeing and touching the buck on the hunter’s truck, which led to the defendant eventually admitting to unlawfully shooting the deer from the roadway on land he didn’t have permission to be on.
ECOs confiscated the buck and issued several tickets, including a misdemeanor for illegally taking big game, returnable to the court in the Town of Mohawk, Montgomery County.
On January 8, 2025, the defendant pleaded guilty to all charges, resulting in a $3,000 fine, five-year hunting license revocation, and mandatory completion of a New York State Hunter Safety Course.
The buck’s antlers were scored at 174 1/8” gross, which puts it among the highest scoring bucks in New York State, possibly a record. The buck is ineligible for the record books however, due to its being killed illegally.
Read more stories about the crime of poaching in New York.
Photo of New York State ECOs (from left) Shane Manns, Justanna Bohling and Kyle Bevis with poached buck King Louie (provided by DEC).
These POS poachers should have their hunting licenses revoked PERMANENTLY and should get far more costly fines. And ankle monitors because they WILL hunt illegally.
And make this stuff a felony. Slaps on the wrist and appearance tickets do nothing, and it’ll never stop until the penalties are a lot harsher. These jerks don’t care until it hurts them.
This is true. They clearly don’t care about hurting anyone else.
Wouldn’t it be nice it King Louie could be listed in the record books, but with an asterisks (*) noting it was an illegal kill and where a hunter’s name is listed it would say ” $3,000 fine, 5 yr license revocation” with no name.
that’s a great idea
I agree with you.
Why isn’t this guy in jail? How is it ok for him to shoot a deer from the road on land belonging to someone else and get away with a slap on the wrist? As noted above, it should be revocation of hunting license for life, and ankle monitor to prevent him from hunting anyway, but it should be jail time before that. I don’t understand why people like this always get away with everything.