Duston J. Slinkard, Acting U.S. Attorney | U.S. Attorney for the District of Kansas
Duston J. Slinkard, Acting U.S. Attorney | U.S. Attorney for the District of Kansas
A Georgia resident has been sentenced to five years of probation and permanently banned from hunting and fishing in Kansas due to illegal hunting activities. Matt Jennings, 35, from Bowdon, Georgia, admitted guilt to two counts of unlawfully taking a white-tailed deer across state lines.
Court documents reveal that on November 11, 2022, Jennings killed an antlered deer near Florence, Kansas. He used a tag not valid for that area. The following day he traveled to Oklahoma where he falsely registered the kill using an Oklahoma electronic tag.
On November 19, 2022, Jennings killed another antlered deer near Wakeeney. Although his tag was valid for that region of Kansas, state law prohibits killing more than one antlered deer per season. Both illegal hunts were showcased on his hunting show "The Game."
A federal judge ordered Jennings to pay $15,000 in restitution to the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks and imposed a $10,000 fine. He must also surrender the antlers from the illegally hunted deer.
During his probation period, Jennings is barred from guiding or participating in hunting-related activities across several states including Nebraska and Missouri.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service alongside the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks with support from various state agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Treaster led the prosecution.
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