Illegal hunting brings jail, stiff fines, restitution

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WILMINGTON — A Clinton County man will serve jail time and pay restitution to the state and large fines after he illegally shot a deer with a rifle and checked it online as an archery kill.

Dana A. Combs, 57, of South Beechgrove Road pled guilty Tuesday in Clinton County Municipal Court to two misdemeanor offenses — for shooting the deer with a rifle and for falsely reporting it as an archery kill.

“The Court specifically finds that this offense was planned by the Defendant,” wrote Judge Mike Daugherty. “He chose to use the most powerful rifle commonly used to hunt deer in Ohio. He chose to hunt private land during the peak of the deer rut. He passed on numerous smaller and antlerless deer until he had the opportunity to take a trophy buck.

“His actions were disrespectful to the lawful hunters of Ohio,” the judge continued. “His actions were compounded by his choice to check the deer online with the ODNR (Ohio Department of Natural Resources), falsely listing it as an antlerless deer, and falsely stating that it was taken with legal means.”

Daugherty ordered Combs to: serve 90 days in the Clinton County Jail beginning immediately; pay $2,047.52 restitution to the State of Ohio (ODNR); and pay a total of $1,750 in fines.

Combs must also forfeit his rifle — a Marlin .47-70 and all ammunition and accessories seized in connection with his arrest.

He also forfeited his hunting license, and he is prohibited from obtaining a hunting or fishing license before Dec. 10, 2022.

https://www.wnewsj.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2019/12/web1_dana-combs.jpgCombs

https://www.wnewsj.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2019/12/web1_gavel-pic.jpgCombs

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