State rangers on the look out for illegal archery deer hunters

Archery deer season is underway in Middle Georgia. It started September 12. The Georgia Department of Natural Resources wants to remind hunters lacing arrows with poison is illegal.

“If you don’t recover an animal that you poisoned and it goes off and dies,” explained State Ranger Keith Page. “Any animal that comes to eat on it will also be poisoned. It just starts a chain reaction. So it’s not a very humane way to hunt.”

Officer Page works closely with his K-9 Drake to track hunters. Drake is German Shepard. He is also trained to find and detect poisoned arrows for evidence.

One veteran hunter says people using poison arrows should be punished.

“That’s not hunting,” says Charles Thompson. “All that is, is just poaching. They ought to be locked up.”

Thompson says he has been hunting for 45 years. He prefers searching for his prey in Twiggs County.

Deer archery season will continue until January 10th.