COLUMBUS, Ohio — A multi-year investigation into alleged wildlife violations has ended with Steven Niese of Harrod, Ohio, facing fines, jail time, and a decade-long hunting ban after being found guilty of multiple counts of possessing untagged deer parts and falsifying game check information.
The case began in January 2023 when a tipster told Northwest Ohio wildlife officers that “something just seemed strange in the whole situation” regarding Niese’s son shooting a large buck. The informant, officials said, suspected Niese himself had killed the deer, a suspicion that proved correct after months of investigation and a subsequent search warrant.
Officials with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources say Niese was convicted on three counts of possession of untagged deer parts and three counts of falsifying information when game checking a deer. His total penalties include $4,291 in fines and court costs, $10,447.04 in restitution, a 10-year hunting license suspension in all 50 states (effective June 15, 2025), nine days in jail served over weekends during specific deer seasons, 81 suspended jail days, and five years of probation.
Authorities also seized and forfeited 58 antlered deer skulls, two shoulder mounts, 11 antlers on broken skull caps, and 164 sawed-off antlers.
State investigators said Niese has a long history of wildlife-related convictions, with 14 prior charges dating back to 2001 across Allen, Hardin, Hancock, and Putnam counties. Previous penalties included a 30-day jail sentence for a deer-related charge and a three-year hunting license revocation in 2017 for possession of untagged antlers.