Rock star Ted Nugent pleads no contest to California deer baiting charge

Legendary rock star and hunting advocate Ted Nugent was fined $1,750 in Yuba County Superior Court Friday after pleading no contest to charges of baiting deer and not having a properly signed hunting tag stemming from a 2009 incident in California.

California Department of Fish and Game spokesman Patrick Foy told the Appeal-Democrat that a game warden "just about fell out of his chair" when he saw Nugent kill an immature buck on an episode of "Spirit of the Wild," Nugent's hunting show on the Outdoor Channel, which aired earlier this year.

Further investigation into the incident revealed that the area had been baited with "C'mere Deer." Using any sort of wildlife attractant is illegal in California.

Nugent was originally facing an additional charge for killing an immature buck but this was dropped during negotiations between his attorney and the Yuba County District Attorney's Office, Foy said.

Nugent and two co-defendants -- Mitchell Moore and Ross Patterson, who also pleaded no contest -- did not appear in court. Patterson was fined $1,225 for taking an animal with bait, while Moore was fined $700 for possessing an animal illegally.

-- Kelly Burgess

twitter.com/latimesoutposts

Photo: Ted Nugent. Credit: Michael Ives

Comments

[GuyS]

OK Eric. It is clear you have an agenda against hunting as you are the coordinator for ACTION FOR ANIMALS. You don't like hunting and I'm fine with that. I don't like Rhubarb Pie and guess what- I don't eat it, but I'm OK with those who do like it and eat it. Frankly, I am totally happy that some people don't like to hunt or fish because if everyone did it, that would be a rather large problem. Nugent paid the price. Don't know about the slime-ball lawyer- Last time I checked, we are all allowed representation in the court system.
Here's Ted's response:

"To my Fellow Outdoorsmen.... You may have read the news that I pled no contest to two misdemeanor game violations. I should have been better informed, more aware and I take full responsibility. The honorable hunting lifestyle is my deepest passion."
-Ted Nugent

As for Glenn Beck's event-
"And now I see that Nugent and the NRA are gonna be part of the Glenn Beck fiasco at the Lincoln Memorial next week. Honest Abe and Dr. Martin Luther King must be whirling in their graves."
What makes you think that it will be a fiasco. Funny, how the left has already propagandized an event that has not even happened yet. Let's just see how civil and peaceful the event is. Let's see how many attendants are arrested for looting and destroying property. I'm guessing around....none!
Do you watch Glenn Beck or just get your info from the alphabet news channels? You know- the ones that have no ratings because a large portion of America has grown tired of their agenda and "So-called" news reporting. Glenn Beck has nothing but the deepest respect for Dr. King and has mentioned him many times on his shows. Alveda King, a niece of Dr. King, is scheduled to speak at Mr. Beck’s rally.
As for bow hunting being one of the most inhumane and unethical ways to hunt- That is not the equipment's responsibility, it's the hunters. As an avid hunter and outdoorsman, I rutinely pass on any shot that isn't an optimum kill shot. I know others are not so prudent in the field, but many of us are.

[Deor Knight]

I started rifle hunting because I thought the tool was more effective than a bow. Then I met a rifle hunter who had fired a semiautomatic weapon repeatedly into a heard. He said, "they just came out of the trees and so I kept shooting and finally I got one." I tracked the heard and found sign of multiple wounded animals. I stopped rifle hunting and started bow hunting. Now I always have meat in the freezer. I kill quickly and legally. Last year I took a massive elk at 5 yards. It's not the tool, it's the hunter. Yeah, Ted broke the law. He was and should be punished. The rest of you who buy tubed and cubed meat from the supermarket made animals suffer, but since it's legal to make cows suffer it's all good, right? Wrong! Buy grass fed beef, hunt, or face the reality of the meat you eat.

[Hunter]

Yes, of course I meant THAT Fred Bear; I met him in the early 1980's at the SHOT Show.
The "issue" you mention regarded POISON arrows [Fred owned the Patent], not "Tranqs", and specifically regarded the hunting of gigantic Alaskan Grizzlies and dangerous African game with the fairly primitive archery equipment available in the 1950's, a far cry from what is available today, and the topic was NOT deer and other such small game.
Within that context, Fred was right at the time.
As for the Tedster, I hold no love for him, his music, or other similar game law violators.
And you are also correct that there is no excuse for not being personally familiar with the local laws.
Granted, even if the fine was $20,000, it wouldn't really hurt Ted, but do you propose a tiered justice system for rich showbiz people?
If so, I'd love it if the Beverly Hills PD could hand out $100K fines for DUI, it might help.
I'd also love it if heavy-duty poachers went to jail, but even the guy who killed 500 black bears and sold the gall bladders in the Asian folk medicine market didn't do time [but LIFE would have worked for me].
Doubtful that Ted will ever hunt in CA again, which is also fine with me.
Ted got what most similar violators get; wish he could have gotten more; but the issue put forth by the posters was hunting in general.

[Eric Mills]

FYI, "Hunter," my comment about the late Fred Bear, grandfather of modern bowhunting, was assuredly not a "blatant lie." It's on record. I'd suggest you look before you leap, next time.

Consider the following from a 1964 letter that Bear wrote to Pope & Young officers, urging the club's leaders to allow animals taken with "tranquilizer" arrows to be entered in the Pope & Young Club records. Among his more controversial comments were the following:

"....if we don't do something to clean up our ranks the time will most surely come when we will be unmasked, the impotency of our weapons revealed, and we will stand there with bowed heads faintly mumbling, yes, you are right."

And, "....no archer, no matter how good he is, except under certain circumstances, can be sure of hitting an animal where he wants to hit him at bow shot distances. What is wrong with Killing what you Hit?"

Bowhunting should be outlawed for its cruelty and ineffectiveness. Many studies have indicated a crippling loss of 50%+, with most of the victims dying lingering deaths of blood loss and gangrene. Some "sport"!

RECOMMENDED READING: "THE BOWHUNTING ALTERNATIVE," by Texas bowhunter Adrian Benke (1989).

But back to Mr. Nugent. He got off with a slap on the wrist. Charged with 11 game violations, he cut a deal and pleaded "no contest" to only two. ANY ethical hunter would automatically check the game laws before hunting in a particular state, no? Again, Ted should have lost his license, his weapons, and maybe done a little jail time. The $1750 fine was a joke. And all for a TV "reality" show, God help us.

Sport hunting will continue to wane so long as it allows Neanderthals like Nugent to be its spokesman for hunting and "hunting ethics."

Sincerely,
Eric Mills, coordinator
ACTION FOR ANIMALS

[Hunter]

Mr. Hat,
OK, let's go back to Ted.
He violated the regulations.
He admitted it.
He was cited and fined within standard guidelines.
He apologized.
End of boring story.
It's only relevant as the anti-hunters grab an opportunity to slam hunting in general with a whole barrel of Red Herrings claiming to care about wildlife.
Please continue to buy your meat at Ralph's.

[Bold Chapeau]

Hunter is, apparently, the king of red herrings. Suddenly, the issue isn't about the psycho killer of innocents and law breaker, Ted Nugent. It's all about Julie, Ralph's, blacktop, etc. How far afield this character has wandered just to escape placing the blame squarely on the shoulders of his idol Ted Nugent and, indirectly, himself.

[Hunter]

Julie,
Wild animals kill for non-feeding, non-defensive, non-territorial reasons ALL THE TIME.
In particular cats, where do you think the saying "playing cat and mouse" came from?
How do you know if they think it's "sport"?
Typical City Slicker, doesn't see the irony of yourself, your friends, family members, co-workers enjoying a good meal that includes meat, you've conveniently left the "kill" part out of it, but without the "kill" there is no gathering.
Just because you hired the butcher at Ralph's to do the dirty work, if you enjoyed any part of the kill, you took part in it.
You do know that among the most prime wildlife habitat in the entire state was where DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES is today.
The real killer is blacktop, but to go after that would mean you might have to blame yourself.

[Julia Di Sieno, Animal Rescue Team]

Wild animals never kill for sport. Man is the only one to whom the torture and death of his fellow creatures is amusuing in itself.
Ted Nugent is NOT a man! He was very well aware of our state hunting laws and regulations. His guide as well.
What part of his poaching crusade was ethical? He needed a guide, he needed to bait animals, and took a couple spikes. What a man!!!!!
Ted is a disgrace to the human race.
Months ago Ted performed at the Chumash Casino here in Santa Ynez. He was booed by many for shooting a white buffalo on stage, while wearing a native american head dress. While the white buffalo was simply a guitar, its the very thought, that Ted would STOP at nothing. Teds show also included many stage photo's of himself killing Elk, Deer, and bear. Many animals displayed suffering, due to Teds inability to shoot properly.
Please DO NOT ever visit our Valley again. There is a reward out for you!!!

[Hunter]

Mr. Mills,
That response is straight out of the "Activists Handbook".
Never a hunter; in your very early years you may have been unwillingly dragged along with a family member, and are now indeed "anti-hunting", the quote that rifle hunting is "bad enough" is an easy tell.
As for the quote about Fred Bear, simply a blatant lie; I met Fred Bear many years ago.
California's hunting regulations are by far the most Byzantine of any state, and also quite different than most; this would not have been a violation in most states.
That's absolutely no excuse for a rich person to assume differently, and the "guide" he used was just the owner of the property, so actual regulatory knowledge is questionable.
Again no excuse; he was justly cited, and received a fine somewhat on the high end of typical for that violation.
Please direct your efforts at correcting the ongoing and extreme environmental degradation caused daily by the City of Oakland, along with Los Angeles and the rest if you want to do something for wild animals.

[Lucy Shelton]

You "rock" Mr. Mills. Thank you for taking the time to post your comments.

While I am against hunting for so-called sport, and especially dislike bow hunting, true sportspeople would not take pleasure in such activities that are clearly unfair to animals. Nugent is disgusting.

[Bold Chapeau]

On an NRA website in 2008, Nugent wrote: "Ethical behavior is still expected where I live, work and play." "Nugent" and "ethical" couldn't possibly occur in the same sentence. Ted Nugent is many things, but ethical certainly isn't one of them. And the miscreant roles around in the guts of the animals he kills. This calls his sanity into question as well.

As far as using bait and killing immature animals on TV, you have to wonder whether this is further evidence of emotional instability, arrogance, or grotesque stupidity. Probably all three.

[Eric Mills]

And a P.S. for Laura:

So "poaching and killing" WITH a license is O.K. with you?

Explicate, please.

x
Eric Mills
ACTION FOR ANIMALS

[Eric Mills]

FYI, I'm not a hunter (but was when I was a kid). But I'm not an "anti-hunter," either. I do insist that it be done legally, ethically, and as humanely as possible. Wouldn't you agree? What Mr. Nugent did was none of the above. And I can't believe that he didn't know the California game laws. Most any hunter would routinely check those laws before hunting anywhere, no? And Nugent reportedly had a guide with him, who surely knew the law. They chose to ignore it for the sake of a silly "reality" show. And then got caught.

Three dead deer, under-aged, and over bait. Some "sportsman"! Nugent was charged with 11 violations, yet, with the help of a slime-ball lawyer, was able to cut a deal and plead "no contest" for only two of those, and a measly fine of $1750. And you guys think that's fair?! Anybody else would have been in the slammer. I still think he should have lost his license and weapons. And I think most of the general public would agree.

As for the cruelty of bow hunting, numerous studies have documented a crippling loss of 50%+, whereas with rifles it's "only" about 7%--which is bad enough. When's the last time you saw a Native American with bow and arrows? Even Fred Bear, the grandfather of bowhunting, was opposed to the carnage.

Nugent's ethics are similar to his music: they both suck.

And now I see that Nugent and the NRA are gonna be part of the Glenn Beck fiasco at the Lincoln Memorial next week. Honest Abe and Dr. Martin Luther King must be whirling in their graves.

Cheers,
Eric Mills, coordinator
ACTION FOR ANIMALS

[Laura Moore]

People act like this is headline news. Good grief do you think he is the only person doing a show that uses bait? If they didn't bait to bring in animals it would take forever to get a series recorded.

He's a man with a huge musical talent that loves to hunt. Big deal, get over it and move on. Why don't you all go find the ones that are poaching and killing without a license?

[mowmud]

Nugent for president! Little Nugents for his body guards. WATCH OUT for them crazy people!

[Steve K.]

Where I'm from baiting is not illegal. Also, If you kill a deer when its mature or immature does not matter. A dead deer is a dead deer. I say if its big enough to grind into a sausage patty, kill it....

[mr. t]

Mr. Mills,
Oh please, come on down off your high chair... although I do like your suggestion of our Governor appointing Uncle Ted to the Fish & Game Commision, then it may give this state enough gusto to correct the issues we face with our wildlife.
Also, maybe you and your liberal cohorts can actually learn the real lesson here - TAKE FULL RESPONSIBILITY FOR YOUR ACTIONS - mistake or intentional, legal or otherwise, you take FULL RESPONSIBILITY and deal with the consequences - just as he has. For that, I will be supporting Ted at his next concert!

[Hunter]

Mr. Mills,
There are strict laws against what Nugent did, he was cited and punished per those statutes; just as it should be.
For those like you who believe all hunting and in fact any kind of carnivorous activity is inherently wrong, please don't try to pretend that you think bow-hunting is any worse than any other type.
When you are going after rifle hunters, you wail that its just "too easy".
This does provide an opportunity for organizations such as yours to increase your visibility to your City Slicker constituency who believe that the meat at Ralph's dives under the plastic on it's own.

[Donnie Wright]

Mr. Mills,

Even though I'm an avid bowhunter, an "Uncle Ted" fan I am not. He broke the law in this instance and will now have to suffer the consequences.

However, I mainly replied to ask this question. How exactly is a bow & arrow the most inhumane form of hunting? A properly placed arrow can kill a deer just as quickly as any bullet. What evidence do you have to support your "accusation?"

Donnie Wright

[Justice Scalia]

Eric Mills = overzealous activist liberal Obama supporting Socialist.

Stop telling other people what to do. Bow and arrow hunting is 100% legal. Baiting is not. He got caught and paid the required fine.

End of story.

You want to spend your life eating broccoli, sprouts and tofu, then have at it.

Leave the rest of us alone.

[Eric Mills]

Thank you, Jesus!

And this is the same guy who smears his face with deer blood and promotes "hunting ethics," right? Love it!

Hey, maybe the Gov could appoint Nugent to the Fish & Game Commission. There's an opening there, now that Commissioner Don Benninghoven has been forced off for political reasons.

Your article failed to mention that the deer was killed with bow-and-arrow, surely one of the most inhumane and unethical ways of killing an animal, legal or otherwise.

Howsabout some jail time for this guy? And taking away his hunting privileges. Or a least a bunch of demonastrators at his upcoming concerts. Maybe Ted and Michael Vick can form a club--they have a lot in common.

Sincerely,
Eric Mills, coordinator
ACTION FOR ANIMALS
Oakland