Men posing as wildlife photographers face serious consequences after investigation exposes disturbing actions: 'This just blows my mind'

A pair of wildlife poachers ran afoul of the law recently, according to the website FStoppers.

Reportedly, the two men set up a fake online profile posing as a female nature photographer and then used that to befriend other local wildlife photographers. They also infiltrated online photography groups to gather information from actual photographers who posted photos of deer in restricted areas.

Using this method, the men were able to gather enough information to determine where deer were so they could illegally hunt them in no-hunting zones by disguising themselves as hikers, hiding hunting gear, and waiting for night to fall before transporting the deer out of the area.

However, local conservation officers noticed a significant uptick in deer poaching in restricted zones, and a local hunter became suspicious of one of the poachers' online activity. That led to the discovery of messages where the two men had discussed their scheme.

As a result, authorities arrested both men for poaching, and both pleaded guilty to the charges. Their sentences included the revocation of their hunting licenses, conservation-related community service, and fines.

Not only did this case demonstrate the lengths some will go to in order to hunt animals, but it also showed how easily people can exploit online communities for illegal gains.

Watch now: Giant snails invading New York City?

FStoppers stated: "Officials emphasize that while most hunters follow ethical guidelines, cases like this demonstrate the need for vigilance in both online communities and wildlife conservation efforts. They urge photographers to be mindful of the details they share and report any suspicious activity to authorities."

Poaching is illegal for good reason. It not only affects the animals hunted but can also affect people as it depletes natural resources and imbalances local ecosystems. Also, people often poach deer to sell the meat. The sale of game meat, even when legally harvested, is also illegal for conservation reasons. Further, the uninspected meat could cause illness if consumed.

Readers of the article were understandably upset.

"This just blows my mind," one commented. "Put them in jail or prison for a minimum of 1 year without the possibility of parole, straight time served, per animal!"