‘Game’ Over: Hunting Show Host Banned for Kansas Deer Fraud

WICHITA, KAN. – The hunt is over for Matt Jennings, 35, of Bowdon, Georgia. The host of the hunting show “The Game” received five years of federal probation and a lifetime ban from hunting and fishing in Kansas after a brazen scheme to illegally bag white-tailed deer and then cover his tracks. Jennings isn’t just losing privileges; he’s paying a hefty price for turning a hunt into a federal offense.

Court documents reveal Jennings pleaded guilty to two counts of illegal taking of white-tail deer in interstate commerce. The scheme unfolded in November 2022. On November 11th, Jennings downed an antlered deer near Florence, Kansas, in an area where his tag wasn’t valid. Instead of owning up to the violation, he drove across state lines to Oklahoma and fraudulently registered the kill using an Oklahoma electronic tag – a clear attempt to mislead authorities.

The deception didn’t stop there. Less than a week later, on November 19th, Jennings killed another antlered deer near Wakeeney, Kansas. While he possessed a valid tag for that specific area, Kansas law strictly prohibits taking a second antlered deer in the same season. He blatantly exceeded the bag limit, turning a legal hunt into another illegal kill. Both of these hunts, the DOJ alleges, were filmed and featured as part of his show, “The Game,” adding insult to injury for ethical hunters and wildlife conservationists.

A federal judge didn’t take kindly to the blatant disregard for the law. Jennings was ordered to pay $15,000 in restitution to the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks, a $10,000 fine, and forfeit the antlers from the illegally harvested deer. The antlers, once symbols of a successful hunt, now stand as evidence of a criminal act. But the penalties don’t end with financial repercussions.

As part of his five-year probation, Jennings is barred from guiding, hunting, trapping, or even being *near* anyone engaged in those activities in a wide swath of the Midwest: Nebraska, Missouri, Oklahoma, Colorado, Iowa, Wisconsin, Illinois, and Minnesota. This isn’t just a Kansas problem; Jennings’ actions have consequences across multiple states, effectively ending his career as a hunting show host.

The investigation was a multi-agency effort, led by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks, with crucial assistance from 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. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Treaster prosecuted the case, ensuring Jennings faced justice for his calculated crimes. This case serves as a stark reminder that even those in the spotlight are not above the law when it comes to wildlife violations.