ND man loses appeal in NM poaching case

The New Mexico Supreme Court has upheld an appeals court’s judgment that ordered an Arnegard, North Dakota, man to pay $74,000 restitution to the state Game and Fish Department for poaching a trophy mule deer buck in December 2015.

The restitution included $20,000 for the out of season killing done without a license plus $54,000 reimbursement to the department for the extensive investigation required for the case.

A hotline tip to the Game and Fish began the investigation after a headless deer carcass was found near Lindrith, New Mexico.

Conservation officers went to the scene and located the stashed head and trophy antlers.

Officers set up around-the-clock surveillance and said Cody Davis of Arnegard was seen retrieving the head four months later.

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AP