Judge forces poacher who illegally slaughtered hundreds of deer to watch ‘Bambi’ once a month

A Missouri man convicted of illegally poaching hundreds of deer over the span of several years has received a highly unusual punishment as part of his sentencing.

The Springfield News-Leader reports that Springfield, Missouri resident David Berry Jr. will now have to watch the classic Disney cartoon "Bambi" at least one a month during his imprisonment at Lawrence County Jail.

Prosecutors allege that Berry Jr. and two of his family members -- David Berry Sr. and Kyle Berry -- illegally killed hundreds of deer for the sole purpose of claiming their heads as trophies.

“The deer were trophy bucks taken illegally, mostly at night, for their heads, leaving the bodies of the deer to waste," Lawrence County Prosecuting Attorney Don Trotter claimed.

The three men were busted as part of a massive anti-poaching investigation that involved officials all the way from Kansas up to Canada.

"According to a Missouri Department of Conservation news release, information gained from these and earlier interviews tied 14 Missouri residents to over 230 charges that occurred in 11 Missouri counties," reports the Springfield News-Leader.