HENDERSONVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — An attempt to illegally poach a buck is being investigated by the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, officials said.
Neighbors called for help because they were upset that a deer was walking around with a crossbow bolt stuck in its face.
That's when the TWRA stepped in to help. They received several calls from people in the Indian Lake peninsula area of Hendersonville who thought the animal was in distress.
Eventually, officers were able to track it down.
"They did tranquilize the animal using a dart gun, and when they inspected the wound, they realized that it had missed a lot of vital areas. It didn’t hit any blood vessels or veins. The broadhead was lodged in its lower jaw," TWRA spokesperson Barry Cross said.
They removed the bolt, applied medicine to the wound, and let the buck go.
"If the animal does die, then they’ll have to pay restitution — $1,000 for the deer itself, and then $500 for each antler point," Cross said.
The attempt to harvest the buck is considered a Class B misdemeanor. Cross said it's possible the crossbowman could lose their hunting license too.
"The biggest thing that you need to take away from this, whether or not it was a bad shot or not, was the fact that they were hunting out-of-season and they were illegally trying to take an animal," Cross said.
If you know who attempted to poach the deer, call the TWRA. The Sumner County wildlife officer is at Montana.Michaelson@tn.gov or you can call the Region II Office at 615-781-6622.
Deer hunting season with archery equipment begins Aug. 26 and ends on Aug. 28. It's on private land only.
