Cedar Creek Buck Confiscated, Hunter Bought License After Kill

UPDATED Oct. 10, 6 p.m.

The 154-inch Cedar Creek WMA buck that was reportedly killed on Saturday, Sept. 22 by Alan Rudolph, of Eatonton, was confiscated earlier today after a joint agency investigation between Georgia DNR Law Enforcement and the U.S. Forest Service on charges of hunting without a license.

Rudolph told GON in a story that was released yesterday that he had purchased his hunting license early in the morning on Sept. 22. He said he then went bowhunting and killed the 154-inch buck a few hours later. However, Rudolph confessed earlier today that the buck was actually killed on Friday, Sept. 21, and he did not purchase his license until Saturday, Sept. 22.

Zach Nichols, a Law Enforcement Officer on the Oconee National Forest, and Bubba Stanford, a Georgia DNR Law Enforcement Officer, found Rudolph at his home on the morning of Oct. 10.

“Soon as we pulled up, he was in violation already. He was burning treated lumber in the yard, which is a no-no,” said Stanford.

“(The deer) was mainly Zach’s case because it was killed on national forest,” said Bubba. “He was charged federally, and the deer taken. He will be going through federal court in Macon.”

The deer was taken on a portion of Cedar Creek WMA that lies inside the Oconee National Forest. Rudolph was hunting near Hillsboro Lake in Jones County. Rudolph told GON that he had taken the buck in a Putnam County portion of Cedar Creek WMA.

GON did reach to Rudolph for comment. He provided the below text message.

“Deer of a lifetime, and all I did was forget to get license. Not right. I’m one of the good guys. This did not merit taking the deer and publishing a negative portrayal, won’t do anyone any good. I’m not a criminal. I don’t want to be made out to be one,” said Rudolph.

The 11-point buck grossed 154 inches and should net 144 inches, which would have made it a new county bow record for Putnam County. However, since it was killed in Jones County, it’s in the running to be the No. 5 best bow deer for that county. If scored after the 60-day drying period, it will go down as a confiscated illegal deer.

“I will say that Allen was cooperative, he never argued, he laid it all out there. He is a good hunter. He said he just made a big mistake. From a law enforcement standpoint, we really appreciate that. We don’t expect any other charges in the case,” said Stanford.