Texas deer hunter faces 74 charges in poaching case

New Braunfels Tex. — Texas wildlife investigators say a man illegally killed at least 13 white-tailed bucks across three counties over an 11-month span, often shooting the deer from a vehicle before removing the heads and leaving the carcasses behind.

According to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, 55-year-old Darrell Maguire of New Braunfels faces 74 charges. He allegedly poached deer in Comal, Hays, and Bexar counties between the fall of 2024 and late summer 2025.

Investigators believe Maguire frequently used a crossbow to shoot the deer from public roadways and residential areas before decapitating the animals and abandoning the meat. Game wardens said several of the incidents occurred in neighborhoods, where crossbow bolts were later recovered from front yards and porches.

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The investigation began in June 2025 after multiple white-tailed buck carcasses were discovered in Comal and Hays counties. Some residents reportedly woke up to find dead deer near homes and roadways, prompting complaints to local authorities and Texas game wardens.

Authorities say the investigation took another turn when Maguire was arrested in September 2025 on wildlife and drug-related charges. During the execution of a search warrant at his residence, investigators reportedly recovered evidence tying him to several of the poaching scenes, along with illegal drugs.

According to Texas Parks and Wildlife, Maguire was charged with possession of 5.86 grams of methamphetamine, which carries a second-degree felony charge under Texas law. He also faces a misdemeanor marijuana possession charge.

The combination of wildlife violations and felony drug charges significantly escalated the case. In addition to the narcotics allegations, Maguire faces charges for hunting without landowner consent, hunting white-tailed deer at night, hunting deer from a vehicle on a public roadway, and failure to retrieve and keep deer in edible condition.