TWRA Investigation Reveals Extensive Poaching Violations

NASHVILLE - In the fall of 2024, Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency's (TWRA) game wardens in Wilson and Rutherford counties received information from a concerned citizen regarding extensive ongoing wildlife poaching activity near the Wilson and Rutherford County border.

During initial investigation, game wardens identified two individuals, Robert E. Comer and Carson Smith, who were engaging in the illegal hunting of whitetail deer as well as the illegal sale and bartering of whitetail deer meat. Robert E. Comer was currently serving a three-year hunting license revocation because of previous illegal wildlife poaching violations in Tennessee. Through multiple search warrants, game wardens ultimately seized 50 white-tailed deer heads and antlers, one wild turkey head, and one illegally possessed fox squirrel. Game wardens also seized one rifle, one muzzleloader, and one crossbow utilized in the commission of multiple hunting violations.

Comer pled guilty to two felony counts of Possession/Traffic of Protected Wildlife, one count of Illegal Take, Possession, or Destruction of Wildlife, and two counts of Hunting on Revocation.

As a result of the plea, the Court Ordered that Comer was banned, for the rest of his life, from hunting, fishing, and trapping. Further, the Court Ordered that Comer was also banned, for the rest of his life, from any TWRA controlled and/or managed lands, be required to pay $15,000 in restitution (part of which stemmed from a prior 2022 conviction of hunting violations), and serve a 60-day term of incarceration.

Smith pled guilty to three counts of Illegal Take, Possession, or Destruction of Wildlife, one count of Statewide Big Game Hunting Season and Bag Limit Violation, and one count of Big Game Tagging Violation. Smith also received a three-year hunting privilege revocation.

The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency encourages individuals who witness, or have knowledge of, hunting violations, to contact the Poaching Hotline at (800)-831-1174.

The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency is responsible for protecting, managing, conserving fish and wildlife species for the benefit of all Tennesseans and its visitors. The Agency also maintains public safety through law enforcement and safety education on waterways.

---TWRA---