A North Dakota farmer will not be allowed to hunt for two years after pleading guilty to illegally killing deer in his fields. In addition to losing his hunting privileges, Daryl Klein, 62, of Balta, was fined $2,825 and must forfeit a rifle with scope to the North Dakota Game and Fish Department.
The case stems after a call to the Report All Poachers in January 2017 about multiple dead deer on a farm near Balta. Upon investigation, the game warden found 20 dead deer. Klein admitted to killing at least seven deer after becoming frustrated with them eating his grain.
In addition to the immediate losses, there may be residual damage in the form of future yield reduction for fruit trees or forage crops, and ornamental trees or nursery stock may be permanently disfigured by deer browsing. Although browsing is the most common type of damage, deer may also damage agricultural crops by trampling or antler rubbing.
