Game warden cites Derry Township man after trophy deer post on social media

A Derry Township man’s boast on social media about bagging an albino deer during archery season last month landed him in hot water with the state game commission.

After an investigation, Stone P. Kepple, 23, admitted to wardens that he had struck the deer while driving in Derry Borough and tossed it in his car without acquiring a road kill permit, according to court documents.

In addition, Kepple subsequently admitted shooting an antlered whitetail buck in the Murrysville area with his compound bow on Sept. 30 and using another person’s tag. Archery season did not start until Oct. 3, so Kepple also was charged with hunting during a closed season.

Wardens allege Kepple also admitted to picking up an antlered deer he found along an area highway on Sept. 16, again without acquiring the proper permit.

Warden Christopher Reidmiller said in court documents that wardens began investigating when Kepple posted Oct. 12 a photograph of himself with the albino deer on social media “claiming he had shot it during archery season.”

“There was no trauma on the deer’s coat that would be typical of a legal archery harvest,” Reidmiller wrote in court documents.

When wardens arrived at his home, Reidmiller said officers noticed the front end of Kepple’s Chevrolet Cruz was damaged and “had white deer hair” in the area of the collision.

When questioned, Reidmiller said Kepple admitted hitting the deer with his car on Alexandria Street and putting it in his car. He later took the deer to an area taxidermist to have the hide processed, Reidmiller reported.

Kepple was charged with not having the road kill permit as required under state law.

As he was questioned, Reidmiller reported that Kepple admitted he had picked up another antlered whitetail deer Sept. 16 that was being mounted at the same taxidermist. He was cited for lacking a road kill permit in that case, too.

Kepple also told the wardens that he had also shot a deer in the Murrysville area that he was also having mounted on Sept. 30. Reidmiller said that Kepple said he had used another person’s tag “so he could continue archery hunting.”

Reidmiller said game wardens seized the albino deer hide and the two antlered mounts from the taxidermist.

Kepple could not be reached for comment and an attorney was not listed in court documents.

A preliminary hearing on six misdemeanor charges is scheduled Dec. 16 before Derry District Judge Mark Bilik.