RUTHERFORD COUNTY, TN - As deer season wraps up this weekend, wildlife officials say one of the most significant poaching cases in Middle Tennessee has unfolded right here in Rutherford County. The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency confirmed that game wardens recovered 50 illegally taken deer heads, along with antlers, a wild turkey head, a fox squirrel and several weapons, after a year long investigation along the Rutherford–Wilson County line.
The case began when the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency’s (TWRA) game wardens in Wilson and Rutherford counties received information from a concerned citizen regarding extensive ongoing wildlife poaching activity near the Wilson and Rutherford County border. That information went directly to the agency in the fall of 2024, which is when agents began looking into the problem, that was much larger than imagined.
The case lands in a region already known for its strong deer presence. While Tennessee doesn’t publish county by county population counts, TWRA relies on harvest data to gauge abundance. With a statewide herd estimated at roughly 900,000 animals, Middle Tennessee consistently shows some of the highest densities, and Rutherford County sits squarely in that band. Local harvest numbers remain among the strongest indicators of a thriving herd, which makes the scale of this poaching case even more striking.
Investigators said two men were involved and that the pair also illegally sold deer meat. Robert Comer pleaded guilty to multiple charges and now faces a lifetime ban from hunting. According to TWRA, Comer continued poaching even while serving a previous three year hunting violation. Carson Smith also pleaded guilty to several wildlife offenses and has had his hunting privileges revoked for three years.
Mike Butler, CEO of the Tennessee Wildlife Federation, said the damage extends far beyond the animals taken. “A poacher that is not following the rules is really stealing from the rest of the public,” he said, noting that legal hunters earn the right to possess the wildlife they harvest. Poaching, he added, undermines conservation efforts funded by ethical hunters who buy licenses and follow limits.
The investigation began after a tipster reported suspicious activity more than a year ago. Butler said that kind of vigilance is essential. When someone shoots far over the limit, he explained, they’re taking from everyone who enjoys Tennessee’s wildlife resources.
TWRA encourages residents to report suspected poaching. The agency offers rewards of up to $1,000 for information leading to an arrest and conviction, and the Tennessee State Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation offers up to $300 for tips involving turkey poaching. Reports can be made confidentially by calling 1 800 255 8972.
Summery: In the fall of 2024, game wardens with the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency investigated a tip about ongoing poaching near the Wilson–Rutherford County line and identified Robert E. Comer and Carson Smith as being involved in illegal whitetail deer hunting and the sale or trade of deer meat. Comer, who was already serving a three-year hunting license revocation for prior violations, was found through search warrants to possess dozens of illegally taken animals and hunting weapons. He pled guilty to multiple felony and misdemeanor charges and was sentenced to 60 days in jail, $15,000 in restitution, and lifetime bans from hunting, fishing, trapping, and entering TWRA-managed lands. Smith pled guilty to several wildlife violations and received a three-year hunting privilege revocation. TWRA urges the public to report suspected poaching and continues its mission to protect and conserve Tennessee’s wildlife while ensuring public safety.
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