Officials Search For Illegal Hunters In Hutchison County

There is a right way and a wrong way to hunt in Texas. There are plenty of us who play by the rules and do whatever we need to do in order to hunt--or should I say harvest--correctly here in the Lone Star state. Then there are folks like these who give responsible hunters a bad rep.

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WARNING CONTAINS GRAPHIC CONTENT

A few days ago, Texas game wardens were tipped off about a kill that was left in Hutchinson County, near Borger. Three dead antelope west of State Highway 207 near the 6666 Ranch. The antelope bodies were within 60-70 yards of the road, leading the game wardens to believe the shooter made his hits from the roadside; however, no bullet casings were found.

Why You Need A Permit To Hunt in Texas

Technically, antelope and other game belong to the general public of Texas, which is why permits are required to hunt. Hunting on land without a permit is a state jail felony in Texas, leaving the animals to waste is a class A misdemeanor. It's more than just the charges. Land owners are certainly able to open their land to permit hunting and in this case the owners of the ranch were not aware of any hunters on their property.

What this person (or persons) did is not cool. They showed no regard for safety or for the humane treatment of the animals. Bullets don't just stop on their own either. Had our hunter(s) missed and someone been downrange, things could have turned out much worse. There is an unspoken code among hunters and this isn't it. Hopefully they are caught. If you happen to have any information you can contact Game Warden Lance Lindley at 806-683-5954. There is also a reward.

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