A father and son recently got caught breaking hunting laws, and they were reality TV show stars.
Arkansas state record for a velvet deer taken by Stuart Everett, Faulkner County, currently on tour with Buckmasters. It is also on record as the 2nd largest velvet deer ever harvested (photo via Xtreme Taxidermy) We’ve seen this before — the downfall of a reality TV show star. Fortunately, none of the Robertsons from Duck Dynasty have fallen from glory.
But you know that TV show called “American Stuffers”? Well, the host of that show, Daniel Ross, and his son, Hunter (ironic name, I know), were caught hunting illegally, according to THV11.
Daniel Ross posing with a taxidermy alligator — he runs Xtreme Taxidermy, which stuffs and preserves dead animals (photo via Xtreme Taxidermy)
An Arkansas court fined them each $8,500. Daniel plead guilty to transporting illegally hunted wildlife, and both he and Hunter plead guilty to hunting during a closed season and night hunting.
They had been hunting deer, elk, bears, turkey, alligator, and “numerous water fowl,” according to the Daily Citizen.
“American Stuffers” was a reality TV show on The Animal Planet in 2012. It was all about Daniel’s taxidermy business. Which makes you wonder — was he hunting animals specifically for his business? Animals are already over hunted, says Willie Robertson. In doing the research for his book American Hunter: How Legendary Hunters Shaped America, he found out a lot of interesting things. “People really hunted out of necessity,” he said. “Now we do it because we love it. …It’s good and bad, we about decimated our buffalo… animals were over-hunted.” So people hunting during the off-season or at night (in addition to the day) is just overkill. It’s not necessary, not good for the ecosystem, and, well, just plain illegal. Hunters, take note: don’t do illegal things! Check out Willie hunting deer in the video below.
