Hunters are members of Sandy Ridge Hunting Club
According to the NCWRC, the agency has charged more than 25 hunters from Richmond County for allegedly illegally killing 44 deer. They charged the hunters, members of the Sandy Ridge Hunting Club, with a total of 308 crimes.
Some of those hunters now face multiple charges. One member of the hunting club has been charged with over 40 offenses.
Among the charges are trespassing for the purpose of hunting, possessing deer with knowledge they were unlawfully killed, transporting unlawfully killed deer, hunting on Sandhills Game Lands out of season, failing to validate big game kill card, failing to register big game kills with NCWRC, loaning of license/big game kill card, falsifying information to NCWRC, exceeding the legal limit for deer, hunting with the aid of a motor vehicle, hunting from the right-of-way of a road, hunting at night, engaging in taxidermy without a taxidermy license, and littering.
The majority of the alleged crimes took place on the Sandhills Game Lands in Richmond County. Others happened on numerous private lands that surround Sandhills.
The NCWRC conducted a lengthy investigation throughout 2017 and 2018. Concerned citizens had alerted the Commission about what they deemed to be illegal killings of deer in the area. It was during this time span that wildlife officials say they detected and documented the 308 criminal acts.
The District Attorney’s office is looking over evidence provided to them by the NCWRC. They will determine if any other warrants will be issued.
Those charged will appear in court on Aug. 21, 2019.
Click here to see a list of those who have been charged, and the full list of their charges.
