55-Year-Old School Worker Goes Hunting, Fired by Superintendent After Shooting Deer in a Field

A school district in Oregon terminated a 29-year employee after he was cited by police for illegally hunting a deer, according to a report from The Oregonian on Dec. 2.

Paul Simmons, 55, claimed he was unaware he was trespassing when he hunted the animal in November 2023.

Simmons is now pursuing legal action against the school district, seeking $677,000 for back pay, future wages, and emotional distress.

At the time of the incident, Simmons, who served as the maintenance manager for the Clatskanie School District, had recently learned of his father’s terminal pancreatic cancer diagnosis.

“Mr. Simmons realized that he needed a short break from work to manage the stress he was experiencing due to his father’s diagnosis and his heavy workload,” court documents state.

After school buses had returned to the garage, signaling the day’s end, Simmons left the campus intending to join his son for a hunting trip.

The district alleges Simmons departed work without proper authorization, but Simmons, who had accrued 2,500 hours of unused leave, stated it was a common practice within his workplace to handle “personal matters” without prior approval.

Simmons also mentioned notifying Superintendent Danielle Hudson before the incident that he might need time off due to his father’s illness.

After leaving work, Simmons retrieved his rifle and headed to Swedetown, a rural community in Oregon.

On his way, he saw a deer in a field near a house.

Believing he was on private land owned by a family who had previously granted him hunting permission, he did not notice any “no trespassing” signs.

He shouted “hello” to check if anyone was around, then hunted the deer, loaded it into his truck, and recorded the kill in the state hunting database.

Later, police arrived to confiscate the deer and Simmons’ rifle, citing him for misdemeanor charges of unlawful hunting and official misconduct.

Hudson subsequently dismissed Simmons in November, and he has since taken a job at a car dealership.

Earlier this month, Simmons was sentenced by Columbia County to 1.5 years of probation and ordered to pay $2,000 in restitution. Additionally, his hunting license was suspended for three years as part of a plea agreement.

Last month, Simmons filed his lawsuit against the school district, according to a report by the U.K.’s Daily Mail.