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Hunter summoned into court on charge of illegal taking of a white-tailed deer

A summons to appear in Greene Superior Court has been issued for a Linton man after allegedly hunting with the aid of a motorized conveyance and illegally taking a white-tailed deer. 

Joshua D. White has been summoned to appear in court on Feb. 16 following a Nov. 20 incident. Indiana Conservation Officer Matt Vossmer responded to a call from dispatch in which a caller reported observing a deer being shot from a vehicle just south of the crossroads of County Roads 1400 West and 200 South. 

Upon responding to the scene, Vossmer observed a Ford F-150 as described by dispatch. When White saw Vossmer, he wrote in the probable cause affidavit, Vossmer said, “I think I messed up.” White was asked by Vossmer to elaborate on that statement. White said the deer he shot was on the property of Goose Pond Fish and Wildlife Area. When Vossmer asked him where he shot the deer, he allegedly pointed to the other side of the road, which was private property. When asked who owned the property, White told the officer he did not know. 

Vossmer asked White to show him where he shot the deer. White complied; however, told the officer he only knew where he found the blood. He showed Vossmer the location in the field where the blood was located and Vossmer tracked it to the location where the deer was shot. Vossmer wrote in the probable cause affidavit the blood started in an area nearly straight in line with White’s vehicle and about 50 yards from the roadway.  

White was asked to write a statement leading up to the events of him shooting the deer. Vossmer informed White he had a witness who saw him shoot the deer. 

According to the probable cause affidavit, White explained that he was driving on County Road 1400 West and observed several deer in a field about 50 yards west of County Road 1400 West. He stopped the truck, stepped to the edge, and shot the antlerless deer. 

White was cited for hunting with the aid of a motorized conveyance and illegal taking of a whitetail deer. Vossmer photographed White’s Savage model 10. 308 caliber rifle and released White from the scene. 

The deer was seized and taken to someone on Greene County’s meat donation list.