UNION COUNTY, Ill. (WJPF) — Three Florida men have been fined more that $29,000 for illegal hunting in Union County.

According to the Union County State’s Attorney’s office, Aaron Holmes, 30, Parker Bell, 27, and Scott Adams, 30, traveled from their homes in Lakeland, Florida to rural Union County in November 2024. Prosecutors say the three rented a cabin for a week and at night drove around shooting white tailed deer from their vehicle. They were equipped with a semi-automatic rifle with a night vision scope and a gun mounted infrared spotlight. Illinois Conservation Police investigating suspected poaching later found three unlawfully killed deer in their possession. 

Charges against the three Florida residents include a myriad of wildlife law violations ranging from spotlighting wildlife from a motor vehicle, unlawfully hunting between ½ hour after sunset to ½ hour before sunrise, transport of loaded rifles within vehicles, shooting from the roadway, hunting from the roadway, and unlawful taking of multiple white-tailed bucks.