Ted Nugent Fined for Illegal Deer Hunt

Gonzo guitarist used bait to lure deer

California wildlife officials have gonzo rocker Ted Nugent in a stranglehold after he got caught cheating during a deer hunt.

Nugent, who is almost as good with a bow and arrow as he is with a guitar, agreed to pay a $1,750 fine after pleading no contest to charges stemming from a reality show appearance where he used illegal methods to kill a young deer.

California Department of Fish and Game spokesman Patrick Foy told a court on Friday that two game wardens saw Nugent use bait to lure a young deer which he then killed while taping his Outdoor Channel series "Spirit of the Wild."

"They watched him appear to shoot a spiked buck, which is an illegal buck to take, because it's too small. And he had it right there on television, and it wasn't live, it was taped," Foy said.

Nugent, 61, used a commercial deer bait called "C'mere Deer." Baiting animals to hunt them is illegal in the state.

The rock star originally faced 11 charges, including killing a deer too young to be hunted. In a deal with Yuba County prosecutors, Nugent's attorney on Friday entered no contest pleas to the two misdemeanors.

"We were disappointed because he had been an advocate for hunting, so for him to make this decision was very disappointing," Foy said.

Selected Reading: KBET-10, Mercury News, TedNugent.com.

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