Ozark County man cited for killing black bear, baiting deer, trapping without permit

An Ozark County man has been cited for killing a black bear, baiting deer and trapping without a permit. Curtis Hastings of Udall was cited earlier this month by an agent with the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC).

According to the probable cause affidavit, the agent spoke with two people regarding a bear being killed in the Udall area. During the investigation, two agents with the MDC went to Hastings’ residence and asked about the bear. After briefly denying any knowledge of a bear being killed, he admitted he shot the bear with a crossbow Sept. 27 from his ground blind while deer hunting.

Hastings then hauled the deer out on his ATV and took it to a friend’s house where they skinned it. He left the skull there and brought the bear home to process the meat which he put in freezer bags and labeled them as deer meat. He stored the meat and hide at a friend’s house.

The agents went to the friend’s house to retrieve the meat the bear hide. While there, they checked out the hunting blind and found corn scattered on the ground. Hastings said he had been baiting the area since June and he knew it was illegal to hunt deer over the bait.

The agents also found two foot-hold traps set for raccoons. Hastings did not have a trapping permit for the traps.

The bear skull had been returned to Hastings’ residence by the time they returned and was taken into possession of the MDC agents.

Hastings was cited for taking black bear out of season, taking or attempting to take deer with bait and trapping without a permit. All three are misdemeanor charges with a maximum penalty for each of one year in prison and a $2,000 fine.

Hastings was also given a warning for taking bear with bait, illegally possessing bear parts and placing bait in a CWD zone.

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