Officers with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) recently arrested three individuals in the Angeles National Forest on suspicion of poaching, following a public tip about illegal hunting activity. The arrests came after officers observed two vehicles driving off-road and using a spotlight to hunt, an illegal method according to the agency.
Upon pulling the vehicles over, CDFW officers reported finding the three individuals with blood on their hands and clothes. An investigation revealed two freshly killed does, loaded firearms, and spotlights. The agency noted that one of the animals had been fully skinned, while the other was quartered. Both deer were found headless and stuffed into black trash bags.
The suspects were arrested at the scene and later released after making written promises to appear in court, the agency announced in a Facebook post on a recent Friday. According to the CDFW, the suspects admitted to illegally killing the deer and attempting to conceal the evidence. Officers seized the firearms, the deer carcasses, and other evidence.
The violations reported by the agency include unlawful take of female deer, taking deer without licenses or tags, possession of untagged meat, possession of loaded firearms in a vehicle, illegal method of take, and spotlighting. The CDFW did not immediately respond to requests for comment regarding when the suspects were taken into custody.
The agency's Facebook post indicated that officers had received multiple reports of illegal deer hunting and “spotlighting” in the Angeles National Forest, which mostly falls within Los Angeles County, dating back to August of last year. A specific tip from a member of the public prompted the CDFW to conduct “targeted night patrols” in the area, leading to the recent arrests.
Alan Barcelona, president of the California Statewide Law Enforcement Association, commented on the dangers faced by officers in such situations. He stated that investigating illegal hunting puts officers at risk, particularly at night, as they often approach armed individuals on uneven terrain. Barcelona also emphasized the crucial role of public assistance, noting that “this investigation also highlights the importance of tips from the public, as CDFW officers can’t be everywhere.”
In California, a hunting license and a specific deer tag are required to legally hunt deer. This month, nearly two dozen hunting zones across the state, including areas in the Central Valley and Eastern Sierra, opened for rifle hunting.
The CDFW has previously relied on public tips for successful prosecutions. In 2020, a tip in Yuba County led to the prosecution of a man accused by authorities of killing seven does and dumping their bodies to avoid detection. In that instance, DNA analysis of deer meat found at the man’s home and a nearby waterway helped confirm the details, contradicting his statements about the number of animals he had shot.