Kentucky Fish & Wildlife (KFW) officers with assistance from local and state law enforcement busted a major poaching operation in Grayson County.
On Sunday, November 5, Kentucky Fish & Wildlife officers responded to a trespassing complaint on Goldie Deweese Road (off Hooper Barton Rd.). The witness heard two gunshots “and observed a subject wearing camouflage while carrying a firearm,” according to KFW Sgt. Thomas Blackwell.
Upon arriving in the area, officers, at the end of Goldie Deweese Road, saw two whitetail deer carcasses on the front porch of a cabin. One antlered male deer carcass had been skinned and partially de-boned. The head and antlers were still attached.
“Also found near the carcasses on the porch was a wood stock, .22 caliber rifle,” Blackwell said. “The two trucks on the property had blood pooled on the rear left side of the vehicle and surrounding area around the residence was littered with bloody tarps, deer hooves and parts, and a black backpack with sheathed machetes inside of it.”
Officers attempted to make contact with the cabin’s occupants, but they refused to come to the door. KFW then requested back-up, with other KFW officers, Kentucky State Police, the Grayson County Sheriff’s Office and a Grayson County Constable arriving to assist.
Contact was eventually made with five suspects in the cabin: Two adult females, two juvenile males and a juvenile female.
The owner of the property allowed officers to enter the residence to search for other subjects. Once inside, officers saw, in plain view, #4 Buck 12-gauge shotgun ammunition, a rifle magazine and a long gun case.
“The long gun case was observed in the open attic after officers observed scuff marks up the wall leading to the opening,” Blackwell said.
Three other male suspects were also found on the property by a KFW officer and his K-9 partner Gambit after being informed by the oldest male juvenile that there were additional adults in the woods behind the cabin.
“In the wooded area officers located a pump-action shotgun, another .22-250 caliber rifle and two more antlered deer,” according to Blackwell.
The property owner was found to have a felony conviction from 2020, leading to a search warrant being obtained for the property and cabin for wildlife parts and firearms.
Found during a search were, but not limited to, a Savage .223 rifle, a Palmetto State Armory 7.62 rifle, a CVA Scout .44 rifle, and a Henry .22 Rifle.
Also seized were ammunition for the following types and firearm calibers: .223 rifle, 44 Remington Mag rifle, 7.62 rifle, .22 long rifle, 5.56 rifle, 12-gauge shotshells and slugs, .22-250 rifle, 17 HMR rifle, .410 shell, .45 ACP, 9mm, and 300 BLK rifle.
Officers additionally discovered multiple deer carcasses/antlered heads and multiple loose turkey feathers.
“The property owner and other suspects on the property had no license or harvest history in the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources licensing system,” Blackwell stated. “Harvested deer and turkey are required to be reported to the Department through the Tele-check system, regardless of where they are harvested within the state of Kentucky.”
Officers’ arrested the property owner who admitted to owning the firearms and taking possession of the illegal deer. The property owner was charged with being a felon in possession of firearm and multiple counts of illegal taking of deer (KRS 150.390).
After interviewing the landowner, a search warrant for the suspect’s primary residence was conducted by KFW officers in Bullitt County on Monday, November 6, and produced four more firearms that the suspect is not allowed to possess.
“While performing the search warrant in Bullitt County, another subject arrived at the house and saw officers conducting a search of the residence and fled the scene,” Blackwell said. “This unknown individual was bringing water to the residence, as it did not have city-provided water and relied on a water tank.
“After executing the search warrant officers purchased water to bring back to the residence so the juveniles at the house could have water to bathe and drink.”
The identities of those arrested have not been released due to an unrelated, ongoing federal investigation.
Involved in the investigation were KFW Officers Berry, Reynolds, Nelson, Willen, and Amshoff, Grayson County Deputy Sean Fentress and Sgt. Erik Franklin along with Constable Mark Stanton.
(Photo: KFW Officer Berry and his K-9 partner Gambit along with some of the deer heads and firearms recovered, courtesy of Kentucky Fish & Wildlife)
By Ken Howlett, News Director
Contact Ken at ken@k105.com
