Man forfeits trophy buck for illegal hunting

David McCollough poses with a large buck he shot last November. Having not obtained the proper hunting license, McCollough had to forfeit the animal to Indiana conservation officers.

Courtesy photo

Rather than spending a few dozen dollars to get a deer license in a timely fashion, a Greencastle man has to forfeit a trophy buck with an estimated value of $4,500.

On Wednesday, Indiana Department of Natural Resources Law Enforcement division announced charges against 37-year-old David McCollough for multiple hunting violations committed last November.

The long investigation by Indiana Conservation Officers concluded with a recent agreement with the Putnam County Prosecutor’s Office.

The investigation stemmed from a complaint of hunting from an off-road vehicle and trespassing on Nov. 18, 2018, during the time McCollough claimed to have killed a trophy-class deer.

Electronic check station records revealed inconsistent reporting of the deer killed by McCollough. An interview with McCollough revealed additional discrepancies in his hunting activities.

Search warrants were issued and served on the cellular phone in McCollough’s possession. Data retrieved from the phone account revealed text messages sent by McCollough earlier in the day of the alleged incident expressing intent to hunt without obtaining a valid hunting license.

Other text messages sent by McCollough to two additional phone numbers that afternoon described him killing the deer and were time-stamped approximately 45 minutes prior to him purchasing the appropriate license online.

A photo of McCollough displaying the deer reveals what appears to be a 16-point buck. The monetary value of the deer is estimated at $4,500 due to its size.

In December, the Putnam County Prosecutor’s Office filed five Class C misdemeanors in the case.

Early in the investigation, investigators were able to obtain the animal’s hide, but not the antlers. In lieu of a pre-trial diversion, which is often used in low-level misdemeanors, the prosecutor’s office agreed to drop all charges against McCollough if he also forfeited the antlers to Indiana conservation officers.

Information on Indiana’s hunting regulations is available at hunting.IN.gov.