NEED TO KNOW
A Texas man is accused of illegally killing at least 13 white-tailed bucks across three counties over 11 months
Authorities allege he used a crossbow from his vehicle and left carcasses behind after removing the heads
Charges include poaching, drug possession and exceeding legal hunting limits during the 2024 season
A Texas man accused of illegally killing at least 13 white-tailed bucks across three counties faces over 70 charges.
According to a Thursday, May 21, press release from the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, Darrell Maguire, 55, allegedly poached deer in Comal, Hays and Bexar counties between fall 2024 and late summer 2025.
Investigators claim Maguire frequently used a crossbow to shoot the animals from his vehicle before removing only the heads and leaving the carcasses behind.
A male or buck White-Tailed Deer, Odocoileus virginianus, near Goose Island State Park in Texas
Credit: Jon G. Fuller/VW Pics/Universal Images Group via Getty
The investigation, which started in June 2025, was launched after multiple white-tailed buck carcasses were discovered in Comal and Hays counties, according to officials. Some of the incidents reportedly occurred in residential neighborhoods, where game wardens recovered crossbow bolts from front yards and porches.
Authorities arrested Maguire in September 2025 on drug and wildlife possession charges. During a search of his residence, wardens said they recovered evidence they believe connected him to several poaching scenes.
As the investigation expanded, officials also determined Maguire allegedly exceeded the “legal annual bag limit” during the 2024 hunting season, which is a maximum of three, by taking five white-tailed bucks over the legal limit in Bexar County.
Wardens now believe that from June through September 2025 alone, Maguire illegally killed at least eight white-tailed bucks in residential areas across Comal and Hays counties.
According to Texas Parks and Wildlife, the charges against Maguire include hunting without landowner consent, hunting white-tailed deer at night and hunting deer from a vehicle on a public roadway. He also faces charges related to failing to retrieve and keep deer in an edible condition, drug possession allegations involving methamphetamine (5.86 grams) and marijuana and several Class C Parks and Wildlife Code violations.
As of writing, the case remains under investigation.
Read the original article on People