(New Braunfels) — A New Braunfels man is facing dozens of charges after Texas Game Wardens say he illegally killed at least 13 white-tailed bucks across Comal, Hays and Bexar counties over an 11-month period.
According to Texas Game Wardens, 55-year-old Darrell Maguire allegedly poached the deer between the fall of 2024 and late summer 2025. Investigators say he often used a crossbow to shoot the animals from his vehicle, removing only the heads and leaving the carcasses behind.
The investigation began in June 2025 after several white-tailed buck carcasses were discovered in Comal and Hays counties. Authorities say some of the incidents happened in residential neighborhoods, where wardens recovered crossbow bolts from front yards and porches.
Wardens arrested Maguire in September on wildlife and drug possession charges. During a search of his residence, investigators say they recovered evidence linking him to multiple poaching scenes.
As the investigation continued, Texas Game Wardens determined Maguire also allegedly exceeded the annual bag limit during the 2024 hunting season by taking five white-tailed bucks over the legal limit in Bexar County.
Investigators believe that from June through September 2025, Maguire illegally killed at least eight white-tailed bucks in residential areas throughout Comal and Hays counties.
Texas Game Wardens have filed 74 charges against Maguire, including hunting without landowner consent, hunting deer at night, hunting deer from a vehicle on a public roadway, and failure to retrieve deer in edible condition. He also faces drug-related charges, including possession of methamphetamines and marijuana, along with multiple Parks and Wildlife Code violations.
The case remains pending.