An Oregon hunter just learned the hard way that it doesn’t pay to lie, especially when that lie is tied to a supposed-state record. Kevin Howard Noel claimed to have taken the 8-point mule deer in the Steens Mountain Unit in 2015 with his bow and arrow. The buck “measured first that year” for nontypical archery mule deer and claimed “eighth all-time” in Oregon at the Northwest Sportsman Show, KOMO News reports.
However, in May 2018, police were investigating Noel concerning possible involvement with other crimes. During that investigation, Oregon State Police discovered that he’d shot the record-setting deer with a rifle even though Noel had claimed to take the deer during archery season with a valid tag, which, according to KOMO News, is illegal. Noel was arrested for the “unlawful possession of mule deer buck parts” and a jury found him guilty in November.
Oregon State Police seized the trophy mount. According to KOMO News, Noel has been sentenced to three years probation and 15 days in jail. He lost his hunting privileges for the next three years and was ordered to pay a $6,250 fine.