November 14, 2007

Muscatine, Iowa - Two Oklahoma men pleaded guilty Tuesday to illegally taking and possessing an antlered deer in Muscatine County and paid more than $4,500 in fines and civil penalties.

Timothy Chad Nolan, 38, of Sallisaw, Okla., was charged with illegally taking and having possession of an antlered buck deer in Sweetland Township and for hunting deer without a valid nonresident deer hunting license. Brent R. Webb, 37, of Roland, Okla., was charged with hunting deer without a valid nonresident deer hunting license.

The charges were filed following a lengthy investigation by conservation officers from the Iowa Department of Natural Resources.

Nolan and Webb were both issued nonresident antlerless deer licenses. Nolan’s antlerless license was issued for and valid only in Louisa County while Webb’s antlerless license was issued for Muscatine County.

Nolan and Webb were bowhunting in Montpelier Township in Muscatine County on Saturday morning, when Webb attempted to take an antlered buck, which lead to his charge of hunting deer without a valid license. Nolan was charged for hunting deer in Muscatine County with a license valid only for Louisa County.

On Monday, Nolan killed an antlered buck deer while hunting in Sweetland Township with his Louisa County antlerless deer license. On Tuesday, Iowa conservation officers stopped the two men in Fredonia in Louisa County while they were en route to Oklahoma. Officers seized an 8-point antlered buck deer and more than $2,500 worth of bowhunting equipment.

Later Tuesday, Nolan and Webb appeared in Muscatine County Associate District Court and pleaded guilty to the charges. Webb paid a fine of $182, while Nolan paid fines of $364 plus a $4,000 civil penalty for the deer.

The DNR has initiated condemnation proceedings against the two men for their seized property. The Muscatine Police Department and Columbus Junction Police Department assisted with the investigation.