Texas Game Wardens Near Conclusion of Massive 'Ghost Deer' Smuggling Investigation with 24 Suspects and 1,400 Charges

Back in March, we reported on the shocking revelations from Texas Parks and Wildlife Department regarding a sprawling black-market deer breeding scheme that implicated 22 suspects across 11 counties, resulting in over 1,200 criminal charges. What began as a routine traffic stop in Houston exposing an attempt to smuggle seven deer for illegal release has since evolved into one of the most extensive wildlife enforcement operations in Texas history. At the time, names were withheld due to the ongoing nature of the investigation, but the violations, which ranged from falsified Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) tests to illegal poaching and transport, highlighted serious threats to the state's deer populations and conservation efforts.

Five months later, TPWD has announced that the investigation is nearing its conclusion, with the number of suspects rising to 24 and total charges ballooning to 1,400, including misdemeanors and state jail felonies. This update comes as game wardens have uncovered additional layers of the operation, involving more individuals and deeper violations that could have long-term impacts on wildlife health and the integrity of Texas' deer breeding industry.

The operation, dubbed "Ghost Deer", has exposed a sophisticated network that exploited regulatory loopholes for profit, endangering both captive and wild deer herds. Initially focused on 22 individuals, the investigation, which is heavily focused on southern Texas, now targets 24 suspects from counties including Bexar, Nueces, San Patricio, Jim Wells, Aransas, and Tom Green. Half of the suspects hail from the Coastal Bend region. Among those named are prominent figures, such as a board member of the Texas Deer Association, raising questions about industry oversight.

For the first time, TPWD has publicly identified the individuals involved. The list includes: Evan Bircher, 59, of San Antonio, Vernon Carr, 55, of Corpus Christi, Bill Bowers, 55, of San Angelo (implicated as a facility manager in smuggling activities between breeding sites and ranches), Ken Schlaudt (owner of breeding facilities linked to Bowers), and many others, including ranch owners and breeders from various counties. Bowers, in particular, faces felony charges for tampering with government records, alongside 100 misdemeanor counts related to unlawful deer breeding in Tom Green County.

The current 1,400 charges, encompass illegal transport of white-tailed deer, CWD testing fraud (including submitting samples from poached wild deer), falsified records in the Texas Wildlife Information Management Services (TWIMS), tag swapping, and unauthorized release of unidentified fawns, just to name a few. Additional felony drug charges have also surfaced for mishandling controlled sedation substances used in deer operations.

According to officials, the scheme spanned three registered deer breeding facilities, ten release sites, one deer management pen, and three unregistered illegal facilities. Smugglers allegedly poached wild deer to replace dead breeder stock, circumventing CWD protocols that are critical for preventing the spread of this fatal neurological disease.

Col. Ronald VanderRoest, TPWD law enforcement director, reiterated the department's stance: "These violations don’t just break the law—they undermine the very foundation of responsible wildlife management in Texas, " echoing the sentiment from our March coverage, where he emphasized zero tolerance for abusing the regulatory framework.

As of right now, it looks as though this case is all but buttoned up. As law enforcement awaits adjudication across 11 Texas counties, officials remain hopeful that this outcome can serve as a safeguard to future violations. Stay tuned to future sentencing details.