A 29-year-old man was charged with a felony after he was discovered having illegally killed a mule deer whose antler spread was a half-inch longer than the minimum length used for restitution for a Utah trophy deer.

In the Fifth District Court in Salt Lake City, Ethan Lebaron was charged with wanton destruction of protected wildlife by using spotlights at night to kill the deer, in this case a third-degree felony. He was also charged with a tagging requirement violation, a class B misdemeanor, the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources announced. Charges are still being considered for the two men who were with Lebaron.

A preliminary hearing for Lebaron is scheduled for March 24. His initial court appearance was Feb 4.

A buck whose antler spread measures 24 inches or more makes it a trophy and illegally killing one a felony-level offense. It calls for a minimum restitution of $8,000. Lebaron’s deer measured 24.5 inches. Had it been under 24 inches, it would have been a Class A misdemeanor and the restitution would have been a minimum of $400.

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“Because Utahans value wildlife so highly, convicted poachers face steep consequences,” the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources states on its website. “In addition to paying fines and restitution, poachers may also face jail time, the confiscation of hunting equipment and the loss of hunting and fishing privileges in multiple states.”

Lebaron was discovered by conservation officers using archery equipment and a spotlight to shoot and kill a buck deer near Quichapa Canyon in Iron County at around 10:30 p.m. on Aug. 20.

A witness had called the UTIP hotline to report seeing spotlights in the dark because it was archery deer hunting season and the witness worried illegal hunting was occurring. Hunting deer at night is illegal, as is wasting game.

Two conservation officers arrived on scene and found three men and the dead deer. Because the animal had not been field dressed, the meat had spoiled and was unable to be donated.

Photo courtesy of the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources.

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