In the fall of 2009 the Illinois deer hunting world was shocked to hear of a buck being taken by hunter Chris Kiernan of Minooka. Taken in November, Kiernan’s buck scored an astonishing 261 5/8 inches and was expected to shatter the state’s non-typical record. It seemed as though its only obstacle was awaiting the 2012 panel scoring by the Pope and Young club. It looks as though that panel scoring will never arrive.

Kiernan (along with two other men) has been charged with 41 counts of criminal complaint, which includes the aforementioned whitetail buck. It seems Kiernan had trespassed on land owned by the Material Service Corporation in Grundy County, Illinois. Kiernan originally reported he took the giant buck from nearby Kendall County. Even more appalling however, the district attorney says Kiernan never had a legal tag for the buck in the first place.

While we shouldn’t pass judgment until after the final court-ruling, the story has to sicken every law abiding deer hunter not just in Illinois, but throughout the continent.  This is the kind of incident that gives all hunters a bad name.

Chris Kiernan took what could be Illinois largest non-typical ever in 2009. This deer, along with several more, have been confiscated by the state as part of a two year investigation on illegal hunting activities by Kiernan and two other hunters. The deer is said to be worth $35,000.

The following is reported from the Morris Daily Herald.

Kiernan is charged in the complaint with illegally hunting on Material Service property with bow and arrow, even though he did not have a deer archery permit.

Count 3 of the complaint charges Kiernan with unlawfully taking the 36-point deer in 2009. Count 4 cites him with unlawfully possessing the ear tags from a 36-point deer on April 19 of this year.

Another count charges Kiernan with illegally killing an 11-point whitetail deer at the same location on Nov. 8, 2009. Count 8 alleges Kiernan possessed a set of 11-point whitetail deer antlers on April 20 of this year.

Count 15 claims Kiernan illegally killed a 10-point whitetail deer on Material Service property on Nov. 7, 2009, and failed to tag the animal.

Count 20 charges Kiernan with illegally killing a 16-point whitetail deer at the same site on Nov. 13, 2009.
In Count 22, Kiernan is charged with possessing the skull cap and antlers of an 11-point deer at 205 Osage Street on April 20 of this year.

Counts 23 through 27 charge Kiernan with illegal possession of an 11-point deer mount at his home on May 11, 2011, plus the mount of a 10-point deer and a 13-point deer, and the skull and antlers of an 8-point deer.

Counts 28 to 32 allege Kiernan illegally possessed the skull cap and antlers of a 12-point deer at 205 Osage St., on April 20, 2011, plus that of a 7-point and 11-point deer, along with the skull cap and mount of a 17-point deer.

Counts 33 and 34 charge Kiernan with illegally possessing the mount of two 10-point deer on Aug. 4 of this year.

Count 35 claims Kiernan illegally possessed the skull cap and antlers of a 9-point deer at 205 Osage St., on April 20, 2011.
Lastly, counts 36 through 41 charge Kiernan with hunting on Material Service property on Southmor Road on Nov. 6, Nov. 7, Nov. 8, Nov. 9, and Nov. 12 of 2010, and on Nov. 7, 2009.

Also filed by Bates on Friday, Oct. 28, are two more illegal hunting lawsuits naming a Canadian and a New York state resident.

Larry Smith, 49, of Williamsburg, Ontario, is charged in a five-count criminal misdemeanor complaint with illegally hunting and illegally taking a 16-point whitetail deer on the Material Service property on Southmor Road on Nov. 13, 2009.

Garrett L. Armstrong, 31, of Avon, New York, is named in a 24-count criminal misdemeanor complaint with hunting and taking deer in the Material Service property, starting in November of 2009.

Stay tuned to the Hunting Network over the next several months as we bring continuous coverage of this case.