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Man charged for alleged slaughter of deer at preserve

SALLADASBURG — On at least two occasions under nightfall, 40-year-old Cody Lee Short trespassed on the 800-acre Whitetail Mountain Lodge preserve, in Anthony Township, and shot to death 12 buck that he did not pay for, state Trooper Matthew Miller alleged this week in court documents.

As a result, the lodge suffered a financial loss in excess of $100,000, according to an affidavit.

In the affidavit, Miller said that Short, when questioned, admitted to not only killing the deer, but also to using “a large knife to cut off their heads, leaving (behind) their carcasses.”

Short, of 2756 Cogan House Road, Trout Run, told Miller “I did it. I did it all.”

The lodge, owned by Richard Yingst Jr., is a fenced-in property that is “a preserve used to breed, raise and release deer on their land for hunting purposes,” Miller said. It is located in the 800 block of Water Company Road, a few miles northeast of here.

“All killed deer on the property require payment,” Miller said.

Short is accused of “illegally hopping a fence on at least two separate occasions” and shooting the deer with a .233 rifle during the fall and winter of 2017, Miller said.

Based on “the deer antler’s uniqueness and breeding traits,” the estimated value of the 12 killed deer was $138,000,” Miller said.

Short surrendered Tuesday to face felony charges of theft, receiving stolen property and criminal mischief as well as misdemeanor charges of trespassing and possession of an instrument of crime.

“I made a lot of bad decisions. I want to make things right,” Short told District Judge Jerry C. Lepley during his arraignment. He was released on $75,000 bail.

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