Officers from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) were patrolling the Angeles National Forest when they spotted two vehicles driving off-road. The drivers were using a spotlight, a prohibited method of hunting.
Upon stopping the vehicles, officers discovered three individuals with blood on their hands and clothes. Further inspection revealed two freshly killed does, firearms, and spotlights. One doe was fully skinned, the other quartered, and both were headless in trash bags.
The suspects admitted to the illegal killings and attempts to hide the evidence. They were arrested but later released on written promises to appear in court. CDFW confiscated the deer, firearms, and other evidence.
The violations included unlawful take of female deer, hunting without licenses or tags, possession of untagged meat, having loaded firearms in vehicles, and using spotlights. The timeline of the arrests remains unclear, and CDFW did not immediately comment.
A Facebook post by CDFW mentions multiple reports from August last year of illegal deer hunting and spotlighting in Los Angeles County’s forest areas. Public tips led to targeted night patrols, culminating in these arrests.
Alan Barcelona, president of the California Statewide Law Enforcement Association, emphasized the importance of public assistance. He acknowledged the risks officers face during night investigations involving armed individuals in difficult terrain.
In 2020, public tips helped prosecute a Yuba County man who illegally killed and dumped seven does. DNA tests confirmed his deception about the number of deer he shot.
In California, hunters must possess a license and deer tag. Several hunting zones, including areas in the Central Valley and Eastern Sierra, recently opened for rifle hunting.
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