Two Men Face Hunting Charges

State officials have identified two Rio Rancho men who face criminal charges for illegally killing five pronghorn antelope on the King Ranch near Zia Pueblo in February.

The men allegedly shot two bucks and three doe antelope and removed the heads of the bucks before leaving all the carcasses in a pile, New Mexico Department of Game and Fish said in a written statement Tuesday.

Michael Yarbrough, 21, and Travis Miller, 18, each face misdemeanor charges of unlawful hunting, possession of game without a license and criminal trespass, Sandoval County District Court records show.

Each also faces a fourth-degree felony charge of contributing to the delinquency of a minor because a 17-year-old allegedly accompanied them on the hunt, state Game and Fish said. The unidentified juvenile also faces misdemeanor charges.

Game and Fish investigators were assisted by a sportsman who found the antelope carcasses and reported it to the agency. Investigators then served a search warrant at the Rio Rancho residence of one of the suspects.

The suspects apparently cut a fence surrounding King Ranch and illegally drove onto the property, said Dan Williams, a Game and Fish spokesman.

Anyone with information about a crime involving wildlife can call the Game and Fish hotline at 800-432-4263.
— This article appeared on page C2 of the Albuquerque Journal