Keith Lusher 08.04.25
Matt Jennings, the 35-year-old host of the hunting series “The Game,” has been permanently banned from hunting and fishing in Kansas after pleading guilty to federal charges related to illegally killing two whitetail deer in the state. The Georgia resident’s poaching violations were particularly appalling because he featured both illegal hunts on his streaming show.
A federal judge sentenced Jennings to five years of probation and ordered him to pay $25,000 in fines and restitution after he admitted to violating the Lacey Act in November 2022. The case represents a significant enforcement action against a public figure who used his platform to showcase illegal hunting activities.
According to court documents and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Kansas, Jennings’ first violation occurred on November 11, 2022, near Florence, Kansas. While he possessed a valid antlered deer tag, it was restricted to a hunting unit near Wakeeney and Hill City in northwest Kansas. Despite knowing this limitation, Jennings chose to hunt in central Kansas instead, where his tag was not valid.
After killing the deer illegally, Jennings compounded his violation by driving to Oklahoma the following day, where he fraudulently registered the kill using an Oklahoma electronic tag. This cross-state deception demonstrated a calculated attempt to cover up his illegal activity.
Eight days later, on November 19, 2022, Jennings killed a second antlered deer near Wakeeney. Although this location was covered by his valid Kansas tag, the kill violated state bag limits that restrict hunters to one antlered deer per season. By taking a second buck, Jennings exceeded Kansas’ legal harvest limits.
Investigators from the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service used phone data and social media posts to track Jennings’ movements and confirm the locations where the deer were killed.
The case involved extensive cooperation between multiple agencies, including the U.S. Secret Service, Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation, Missouri Department of Conservation, Georgia Department of Natural Resources, and Alabama Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries Division.
Beyond the lifetime Kansas ban, Jennings faces significant additional restrictions during his five-year probation period. He is prohibited from hunting, fishing, trapping, or guiding in eight other states: Nebraska, Missouri, Oklahoma, Colorado, Iowa, Wisconsin, Illinois, and Minnesota. The sentence also prevents him from accompanying anyone engaged in these activities in those states.
Financial penalties include $15,000 in restitution to the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks and a $10,000 fine. Jennings must also forfeit the antlers from both illegally harvested deer and retake hunter education classes.
The case highlights the serious consequences facing those who violate hunting regulations, particularly public figures who profit from outdoor content. Each criminal charge carried maximum penalties of one year in prison and fines up to $100,000, though Jennings avoided jail time through his plea agreement.
For hunting content creators and their audiences, this case serves as a stark reminder that wildlife laws apply equally to everyone, regardless of their public profile or platform reach.
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