Two men were arrested after Indiana Conservation officers received a tip of multiple whitetail deer being shot illegally.
Corporal Eric Doane conducted a series of interviews with multiple individuals, and was able to determine that 26-year-old Brook N. Hawkins, of Shoals, had shot and killed three whitetail bucks within a period of 48 hours with the aid of 27-year-old Brandon Clifton, of Loogootee.
Hawkins was arrested on the following charges:
- Hunting deer by illegal method
- Illegal taking-possession of whitetail deer
- Use of artificial light to take deer
- Hunting deer with the aid of a motor vehicle
- False informing
Clifton was arrested on the following charges:
- Illegal taking-possession of whitetail deer
- Use of artificial light to take deer
- Hunting deer with the aid of a motor vehicle
On November 10th between the hours of midnight and 2 a.m. Hawkins was searching for deer from a motor vehicle with a spotlight.
He located three deer and police say he shot a large 9-point buck from the vehicle with a .204 Ruger rifle with the aid of a spotlight.
He then left the area and returned later to claim the deer.
Then on Nov. 11th between the hours of midnight and 3 a.m. Hawkins was in a burgundy Ford truck driven by Clifton, when Hawkins spotted a buck in his spotlight, and shot it from the vehicle.
When the buck dropped Hawkins ran into the field, cut off the head, and left the body lying in the field.
Then around 6 p.m. Hawkins was again in a vehicle driven by Clifton when he saw a buck standing in a field and shot it with a .204 Ruger rifle. The deer was not retrieved.
