Emergency Dumb Poachers: Deer Wakes Up On Way Home

by
posted on November 28, 2012
** When you buy products through the links on our site, we may earn a commission that supports NRA's mission to protect, preserve and defend the Second Amendment. **
wilder_ah2015_fs.jpg (5)

I normally only try to do dumb poacher recaps about once a season or so, but this story out of California was both unfortunate and unusual enough to warrant its own post.

According to a report from the Tahoe Daily Tribune, two Sacramento men were pulled over and arrested on Nov. 18 after concerned citizens called police to let them know that a tan SUV was speeding down the highway while blood dripped out of the car's doors.

After a local K-9 spotted and apprehended the car, Sheriff's deputies and CHP officers conducted a full-fledged search and detained the men. Officers eventually got the full story out of the accused poachers, and it's a doozy.

According to the report, the men, Scott Lee and Nai Saechao, allegedly poached a buck in a bit of road hunting, and threw the animal in the back of the SUV after it collapsed. The pair began heading home with their poached prize, when they ran into a little problem: the deer wasn't dead.

The shotgun wound they'd delivered hadn't finished the buck off, and he naturally wasn't very happy to come to in the back of an SUV. Either Lee or Saechao (it isn't specified) climbed into the back to put the animal down. It worked, but the damage was done. Blood from the altercation was splattered throughout the interior of the car, and it didn't take long for it to start leaking out of doors and any other opening it could find.

The poachers tried to hightail it home, but some keen eyed observers noticed the blood and the shifty behavior of both driver and passenger and called it in. Now they'll likely face a multitude of charges.

Next time, boys, make sure the deer's dead before you load it up in the back of the Toyota.

Latest

Example Of Blending In With Your Surroundings Camo
Example Of Blending In With Your Surroundings Camo

Understanding the Predator-Prey Dynamic and Its Influence on Hunting Strategies

Looking for a new lens through which to view your chosen hunting strategy for a specific scenario? Why not consider the natural predator/prey dynamics at work in the mind of your quarry. Read on, as Barb Melloni explores the why behind some popular hunting practices.

New for 2026: Birchwood Casey Biodegradable Firearm Cleaning Solutions

Birchwood Casey has announced the expansion of its product lineup with the introduction of several new gun cleaners, all 100-percent biodegradable. Synvex Copper Cutter, Synvex Carbon Cutter, Synvex CLP-X Oil and Synvex Bore Wash, deliver modern formulations to remove fouling with the same efficiency as traditional petroleum-based solvents.

#SundayGunday: EAA Balikli Blue Label O/U

On this week's #SundayGunday, we’re taking a look at a working-class over/under shotgun from EAA; it’s called the Balikli Blue Label, and don’t let its price tag fool you—this gun is a shooter than any hunter should be happy to own. Learn more about it in this exclusive video.

Hawaii Attempted to Use Old Hunting Statutes to Ban Concealed Carry

In a 6-3 rebuke of Hawaii’s attempt to circumvent the U.S. Supreme Court’s NRA-backed Bruen (2022) decision, the Court ruled in Wolford v. Lopez that “Hawaii’s law prohibiting licensed concealed-carry permit holders from carrying handguns on private property open to the public without the property owner’s express authorization violates the Second and Fourteenth Amendments.” 

Buy a Select Beretta or TIKKA Rifle and Receive a Free Trailcam

Beretta USA is giving hunters and shooting enthusiasts even more reason to add a BRX1 rifle to their collection this month.

Wild Game Recipe: Wild Bird Yakitori

There’s nothing quite like standing around a tailgate after a successful hunt, birds laid out and admired, beers being passed around. That kind of casual, fire-driven cooking isn’t all that different from a Japanese grilling method called yakitori. Read on for a great twist on a classic by Game Girl Gourmet's Chef Holly Hearn.

Interests



Get the best of American Hunter delivered to your inbox.