Michigan man accused of shooting and killing deer while driving around, leaving animals to rot

A mid-Michigan man faces a total of 50 counts of firearm and wildlife violations over illegal deer hunting, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources says. 

The investigation was spurred by a tip in October 2025 to the DNR's Report All Poaching hotline, said Capt. David Malloch of the DNR Law Enforcement Division. The tipster reported that someone had been shooting at deer from a vehicle at night, using what appeared to be a suppressed semiautomatic rifle. 

The illegal activity was believed to have been happening in northern Clinton County and southern Gratiot County, Malloch said. 

Conservation officers then investigated, assisted by interviews and search warrants from the Clinton County Prosecutor's Office. 

Officers concluded there was a series of such incidents from April 25, 2025, to November 25, 2025. The suspect involved would drive around at night, shining lights at and shooting deer from his vehicle.  

DNR officers said the man left those deer carcasses to rot, unharvested. 

In addition, authorities said the man used his cell phone to record several incidents of him shooting and killing the deer, along with leaving the dead animals on the ground. 

Most of the incidents happened in Clinton County, although both the Clinton County and Gratiot County prosecutor's offices were asked to review the case. 

The DNR said Thomas House, 26, was arraigned on July 23 in 65-A District Court in St. Johns, on five counts of felony firearms, one count reckless use of  a firearm, three counts of possession of an uncased firearm in a vehicle, six counts of taking game from a vehicle, six counts of shining with a weapon in possession along with 29 wildlife violations.  

The suspect lived in Elsie at the time of the violations, and now lives in St. Johns, authorities said.