TEXARKANA, Texas - A father and son accused of hunting white-tailed illegally on a ranch in Bowie County are facing multiple state jail felony charges.
Kirk Brooks, 52, and Brandon Brooks, 23, were allegedly caught hunting white-tailed deer in the predawn hours of Christmas Day 2019 by a Texas game warden, according to a probable cause affidavit. Warden Daniel Kessler responded to a call about shots fired on Three Sides Farm located of Farm to Market 992 in the northern part of Bowie County.
Kessler discovered two dead female white-tailed deer which had been recently shot lying on the ground near the main house. Neither was tagged with a tag from a hunting license as required.
At about 2 a.m., Kirk Brooks and Brandon Brooks approached in a vehicle. Two more deer were found in the bed of their truck and ice chests with pieces of five deer were also found. During the investigation, the remains of at least one other deer was discovered.
It is illegal to hunt white-tailed deer at night and the season for hunting doe had ended, according to the affidavit. Additionally, the affidavit alleges illegal lights were used to hunt the deer.
Kirk Brooks allegedly claimed he worked on the ranch and that he and Brandon Brooks were living in the main house.
A representative from International Farming Group, which owns Three Sides Farms, allegedly told Kessler that Kirk Brooks and Brandon Brooks had been told they could not hunt on the property.
Both father and son have been charged with 10 counts of taking wildlife resources without the consent of the owner. The offense is a state jail felony punishable by six months to two years in a state jail.
Both men appeared Friday before 202nd District Judge John Tidwell for preindictment hearings. Tidwell rescheduled the cases for hearings in July. Their cases have not been presented to a grand jury for formal indictment. Both father and son are currently free on bond.