Ohio Wildlife Undercover Operation Targets Illegal Jacklighting

Eleven hunters, including five residents of Michigan, have been sentenced in Ohio following a two-year undercover investigation into deer poaching and wildlife crimes.

The case was led by the Ohio Division of Wildlife and focused on a group of hunters who harvested multiple bucks through illegal means. According to the Ohio Division of Wildlife, the suspects engaged in spotlighting and shooting deer at night and failed to properly tag the animals.

The investigation began in 2023 after a wildlife officer received a tip. A second tip was submitted to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources communications center a few weeks later.

Investigators infiltrated the group to gather evidence. In a statement shared on the Ohio Department of Natural Resources Facebook page, the agency noted that investigators gathered information, photos, and videos from the suspects and witnessed numerous wildlife violations that confirmed the allegations from the TIP calls.

Enforcement and Arrests

In January 2025, wildlife officers converged on hunters in Guernsey County. The operation was supported by the Guernsey County Sheriff’s Office, which utilized a drone during the enforcement action.

Five hunters were contacted in Guernsey County, while other suspects were apprehended in various locations across Ohio and Michigan. The Michigan Department of Natural Resources assisted officers in coordinating the contacts within Michigan.

Among the charges filed in the case was jacklighting. Under Section 1533.161 of the Ohio Revised Code, jacklighting is defined as throwing or casting the rays of a spotlight or other artificial light from a vehicle into any field, woodland, or forest while in possession of a hunting device, or doing so for the purpose of locating a wild animal.

The Ohio Division of Wildlife described the method as unethical and illegal because it uses lights to stun deer, making them easier for hunters to shoot.

Sentencing and Penalties

One of the convicted individuals, 28-year-old James Barrett of Harrison Township, Michigan, was sentenced in Licking County Municipal Court. Barrett was convicted on counts of jacklighting, failing to game check a deer, and hunting with the aid of a motor vehicle.

The court ordered Barrett to pay $500 in restitution and $169 in court costs. His sentence also included a three-year revocation of his hunting license and 60 days in jail, which were suspended.

The legal proceedings concluded in April 2026 with the final defendant in the case being sentenced in Muskingum County Court.