A tip submitted to Tennessee game wardens in the fall of 2024 led to the conviction of a repeat wildlife offender involved in one of the most serious poaching cases in the state in recent years.
Authorities confirmed that Robert E. Comer, along with an accomplice, illegally killed 50 white-tailed deer and unlawfully sold the meat, violating multiple state wildlife protection laws.
At the time of the investigation, Comer was already serving a three-year hunting license revocation due to prior wildlife poaching offenses in Tennessee. Despite the ban, he continued to engage in illegal hunting activities.
Wildlife officials emphasized that the lifetime ban reflects the seriousness of repeat offenses and the scale of ecological harm caused.
Carson Smith, identified as an accomplice in the poaching operation, also pled guilty to multiple charges, including:
Smith received a three-year revocation of hunting privileges.
The poaching activity occurred near the border between Wilson County and Rutherford County.
Through multiple search warrants, Tennessee game wardens seized:
Investigators confirmed that all seized weapons were used in the commission of the wildlife crimes.
Illegal wildlife poaching is not merely a hunting violation -- it is a serious environmental and conservation crime with long-term ecological consequences.
From a scientific and regulatory standpoint, white-tailed deer populations are carefully managed through:
to protect biodiversity and ensure sustainable resource management. These areas intersect with high-value sectors such as environmental law, conservation policy, public safety, and natural resource economics, making wildlife crime enforcement a growing focus in both legal and scientific communities.
This case serves as a clear warning that repeat wildlife offenders face severe consequences. Tennessee authorities reaffirmed that illegal hunting, trafficking of protected species, and violations of conservation laws will be met with aggressive enforcement, substantial penalties, and permanent loss of privileges.
Protecting wildlife is not optional -- it is a legal, ecological, and ethical responsibility.