Michigan Man Accused of Killing Dozens of Deer and Leaving Them to Rot

It's one thing to break hunting laws. It's another to kill deer and just leave them where they fell.

A 26-year-old Clinton County man is now facing 50 charges after the Michigan Department of Natural Resources says he spent months driving around at night, shooting deer from his vehicle and leaving them to rot. It feels like he was just killing to kill.

According to MLive, the alleged poaching happened between April and November of 2025 in Clinton and Gratiot counties. The DNR says Thomas Jefferson House used a spotlight to find deer, shot them from his vehicle with a suppressed semiautomatic rifle, and then never even bothered to harvest them.

How Was the Alleged Deer Killing Spree Discovered?

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The investigation started after someone tipped off the DNR's Report All Poaching hotline in October 2025.

See Also: Michigan Lawmakers Want to Bring Back Deer Baiting

As investigators dug deeper, they say they found cellphone videos and photos that allegedly showed House shooting deer and leaving them behind. That investigation snowballed into 50 different charges, including felony weapons offenses and numerous hunting and wildlife violations.

What Happens Next for the Michigan Man Accused of Poaching Deer?

House was arraigned in Clinton County and later posted a $30,000 bond. He's due back in court later this week as the case moves forward.

This isn't the kind of thing that gives hunters a bad name. It's the kind of thing that makes legit hunters angry. Shooting deer from a vehicle and leaving them to rot isn't hunting; it's just senseless.