A Ringgold senior says the Game Commission is overstepping its authority by searching for dead deer on his private property.

However, the Game Commission says he didn’t follow the rules for deer killed for crop damage.

A semi-retired farmer here says he has to shoot deer to stop them from eating his crops, but now the Game Commission is trying to fine him.

“The leaves are chewed off on this stalk here,” says Charles Boddorf, 76.

Boddorf calls the farm “my garden.” He says his soybean crop alone can bring $600 per acre, but says he has to fight nature.

“These will get down to the point that if I don’t take care of this problem, all these tops will be gone,” says Boddorf.

He blames deer, and admits to killing deer.

The Game Commission says he shouldn’t be killing deer without reporting it to a wildlife officer, removing the entrails, and turning over the carcasses.

The Commission filed more than 60 tickets that could cost Boddorf about $16,000, and even put him in prison.

The affidavit shows a Game Commission officer, Andrew Troutman, receiving complaints in June and finding five dead deer on Boddorf’s property.

In July, the officer says in the affidavit that he spotted Boddorf shoot four deer and not check to see if he killed them. On July 5, the officer says Boddorf shot a buck.

At least 16 deer are mentioned by number in the tickets.

“You’re looking at a deer path. That’s where they come out of the weeds. I mean, they’ve traveled it enough here that they made a path,” says Boddorf.

Boddorf says he’s had to put fences around his apple trees and other fruit trees to keep the deer from harming them.

“There’s a bud that was eaten off!” says Boddorf.

Then, there’s his corn crop. “This is deer damage, nothing!” says Boddorf.

Back in 2014, Boddorf says he did turn over deer to the officer, but was still ticketed.

He says he’s been studying up on the game law and plans to fight the new charges.