Convicted felon cited for 10 hunting violations

Man faces up to $15,000 in fines
Criminal weapons charges pending

FLINTSTONE — A convicted felon faces up to $15,000 in fines for alleged hunting violations after Maryland Natural Resources Police recently wrapped up an investigation on the Pennsylvania and Maryland border.

According to an agency news release, Rodney Bible, 64, of Black Valley Road in Flintstone, was seen driving north towards a field in Pennsylvania only to be caught speeding back a few minutes later. The complainant, who lives in Maryland and owns an adjoining field in Pennsylvania, told police that someone shot a deer on his property.

Submitted photo
A Flintstone man faces up to $15,000 in fines for alleged hunting violations, along with possible firearms-related criminal charges for being a convicted felon in possession of firearms.

Police said the complainant located a fresh trail of blood, indicating a deer was dragged from the field to a vehicle. Police went to Bible’s address for questioning. While there, police allegedly discovered two recently removed buck antlers and several deer heads inside a cardboard box in the yard. According to police, Bible admitted to illegally killing a deer in the Pennsylvania field and the Pennsylvania Game Commission seized that deer.

Five deer in total, antlered and antlerless, were found in Bible’s possession. The animals had not been reported. Bible allegedly told police that he removes parts of the antlers to make pipes, keychains and handles to sell in Maryland — a state in which it is illegal to sell any parts of a deer without a taxidermy license. Bible does not possess such a license, police said.

In addition, police said they discovered multiple firearms and ammunition, all of which Bible is prohibited from having due to being a convicted felon. Further, police said Bible also illegally killed three foxes out of season and did not possess the required furbearer’s license.

According to the NRP, Bible was charged with 10 hunting violations, including:

  • Hunting deer closed season;
  • Failing to report the kill of deer to the department’s checking system within 24 hours;
  • Removal of a deer head, hide or parts from any deer before check-in; and
  • Failing to record or possess a confirmation number on big-game harvest record or as an electronic record.

Bible was also issued four warnings for hunting on private land without permission, failure to possess a furbearer permit, and failure to obtain a taxidermist license.

Rodney Bible

Criminal charges for prohibited person firearm possession are pending, along with charges from the Pennsylvania Game Commission. He faces up to $15,000 in fines for the natural resource violations alone.

The Pennsylvania Game Commission was involved in the investigation.

According to online records, Bible was cited last month by Maryland Natural Resources Police for failing to carry photo identification or or a secondary form of positive identification in addition to a hunting license, as well as hunting on private property without permission.

All individuals cited or charged are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law. 

 

Filed in: Latest Headlines, Outdoors

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