New Braunfels Man Charged With Poaching 13 Bucks Across Three Counties, Faces 74 Violations

A New Braunfels man is facing dozens of charges after Texas Game Wardens accused him of illegally killing at least 13 white-tailed bucks across multiple counties, often taking only the antlers and leaving the rest of the deer behind.

According to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, 55-year-old Darrell Maguire of New Braunfels now faces 74 charges tied to an investigation involving alleged poaching incidents in Comal, Hays, and Bexar counties between the fall of 2024 and late summer 2025. Texas Parks and Wildlife officials allege Maguire illegally killed deer over an 11-month period, often shooting bucks with a crossbow from a vehicle and removing only the heads while leaving carcasses to waste.

The Investigation Started After Deer Began Appearing in Neighborhoods

According to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, the investigation began in June 2025 after multiple white-tailed buck carcasses were discovered in Comal and Hays counties. Several of the incidents reportedly occurred in residential neighborhoods, where game wardens recovered crossbow bolts from front yards and porches. Officials said the unusual nature of the cases immediately raised concerns among investigators because several animals had allegedly been left headless after being killed.

Reporting from the San Antonio Express-News stated that one of the deer discovered near Kuehler Avenue in New Braunfels had likely been shot from a roadway before its head was removed, apparently as a trophy. Other incidents reportedly occurred near residential streets, creating concern among nearby homeowners who began finding dead deer close to houses and yards.

Officials Say Some Deer Were Shot From a Vehicle

According to Texas Parks and Wildlife, investigators believe Maguire frequently used a crossbow to shoot deer from inside a vehicle, often from public roadways. Authorities allege the deer were killed illegally at night and without landowner permission.

Texas Game Wardens also stated that investigators believe at least eight of the illegally killed bucks were taken between June and September 2025 in residential areas throughout Comal and Hays counties. Officials further alleged that Maguire exceeded the legal annual deer bag limit during the 2024 hunting season by harvesting five bucks over the allowed limit in Bexar County.

According to the Houston Chronicle, investigators described a disturbing pattern in which only the heads were removed while the remaining carcasses were left behind. Wildlife officials say that failure to retrieve edible meat represents a serious violation under Texas law and undermines ethical hunting practices followed by lawful hunters throughout the state.

Search of Home Allegedly Linked Suspect to Multiple Scenes

Texas Parks and Wildlife officials reported that Maguire was arrested in September 2025 on wildlife and drug possession charges. According to the agency, game wardens executed a search warrant at his residence and recovered evidence they say connected him to several poaching scenes across the region. Authorities have not publicly detailed all evidence collected but stated the investigation tied multiple incidents together.

During the search, investigators reportedly found 5.86 grams of methamphetamine, which led to an additional second-degree felony drug charge. Officials also reported a marijuana possession charge.

Charges Range From Wildlife Violations to Felonies

According to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, charges filed against Maguire include hunting without landowner consent, a state jail felony; 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. He also faces controlled substance and marijuana possession charges, along with multiple Class C Parks and Wildlife Code violations.

The case remains pending, and Maguire has not been convicted of the allegations.

Why Cases Like This Frustrate Hunters

For many Texas hunters, stories like this generate strong reactions because legal hunting depends heavily on conservation, ethics, and respect for wildlife.

Licensed hunters fund conservation efforts through license fees and excise taxes, while bag limits, legal seasons, and landowner permission requirements exist to help sustain healthy deer populations. Illegal harvest, waste of game meat, and nighttime poaching often draw particular criticism because they violate both wildlife laws and hunting ethics.

Texas Game Wardens continue encouraging anyone who witnesses suspected poaching or wildlife violations to contact the state’s Operation Game Thief program.

The Bottom Line

What began as a strange discovery of buck carcasses in neighborhoods eventually grew into a major wildlife investigation spanning three counties.

Now, a New Braunfels man accused of illegally killing at least 13 bucks faces 74 charges tied to one of the more unusual deer poaching cases Texas Game Wardens have investigated in recent years.