Red stag killed in DeWitt County, $1,000 reward offered

By Sonya Timpone

The Cuero Record

State wildlife officials are offering a $1,000 reward for information leading to the conviction of the person(s) responsible for the illegal killing of a red stag. The male red deer was found on a ranch at the intersection of Highway 72 and Old Yorktown Road on June 24.

“The stag was shot in the front shoulder with what appears to be a small-caliber bullet,” DeWitt County Game Warden Trey Kram said.

The deer was most likely shot from the road not from the property due to the proximity of the carcass to the road and the nature of the property, according to Kram. This illegal act has penalties that can range from a class C misdemeanor to a class A misdemeanor depending on exact circumstances.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Operation Game Thief at 1-800-792-GAME(4263). You can request to remain anonymous.

Operation Game Thief is Texas’ Wildlife Crime-Stoppers Program, offering rewards of up to $1,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction for a wildlife crime. Since its inception in 1981 (as a result of laws passed by the 67th Legislature to help curtail poaching) the program, a function of the Law Enforcement division of The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, is highly successful, having been responsible for the payment of over $195,000 in rewards.