An Ohio man who bragged about his hunting prowess on TikTok now has to return to the same platform with a completely different message. As different as it gets, in fact.
In May, 21-year-old Carter J. Hickey pleaded guilty to 17 wildlife crimes after a multi-state investigation. Outdoor Life writes that the investigation began with complaints to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Wildlife.
Investigators said the man took wildlife out of season, hunted without permission, illegally possessed animals, used a vehicle to spotlight and kill wildlife, and failed to follow game-check rules. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service said its investigation ultimately uncovered wildlife violations in at least 17 states.
All told, the penalties include jail time, thousands of dollars in fines and restitution, and lost hunting privileges, as outlined by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Except his punishment comes with an extra condition. Since the man had also been promoting his hunting online, one part of the sentence actually involved TikTok.
His TikTok Posts Became Part of the Punishment
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The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service said he posted false information about his hunting activities on TikTok and bragged about his skills—even though many of the hunts were illegal.
As part of his sentence in New Philadelphia Municipal Court, he was ordered to post an apology on that same TikTok account, according to Outdoor Life.
He also has to write an apology to the city of Dover after trespassing and illegally killing a 10-point buck in a public park, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service said.
As of Aug. 20, Outdoor Life had not found the required TikTok apology posted publicly.
The Rest of the Sentence Is Much Less Unusual
The social media apology is one part of a bigger whole. The hunter was ordered to pay more than $12,000 in restitution, $5,500 in fines and another $11,000 in penalties, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. He also must contribute $5,000 to Ohio’s Turn In a Poacher program.
He was sentenced to 15 days in jail, two years of probation, and 80 hours of community service. His hunting and trapping privileges were revoked for five years, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Outdoor Life also writes that the man has been accused of helping others illegally take turkeys without licenses and exceed legal limits. Three additional defendants received a combined $5,000 in fines and lost firearms and hunting privileges.
Altogether, the agency calls the hunter’s actions a “deliberate pattern of violations,” Outdoor Living writes.
The hunter also forfeited three firearms, a bow, hunting blinds, decoys and other hunting equipment. Officers seized 115 pounds of turkey meat and 47 whole or partial turkey fans during the investigation, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service said.
“These are not only evidence, but they also represent real conservation losses,” said the agency, as reported by Outdoor Life. “Poaching damages far more than one species. It harms trust and puts honest hunters at a disadvantage.”