Scalia died after hanging out with a centuries-old secret society of hunters
In the days after Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia was found dead at a remote Texas ranch, it emerged that he was in the company of an unspecific group of hunters who were staying at the resort free of charge.
Turns out the group's members were no average joes.
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The Washington Post reports that they were in fact leaders of a centuries-old secret fraternity of hunters called the International Order of St. Hubertus.
The group's slogan, “Deum Diligite Animalia Diligentes,” means “Honoring God by honoring His creatures,” which they apparently have done by hunting them since the society was founded in the 1600s in Austria.
The group's insignia features a green cross with a 16-point buck overlaid on top.
Its purpose, according to the group's website, is to "promote sportsmanlike conduct in hunting and fishing," "preserve sound traditional hunting and fishing customs" and "promote the concept of hunting and fishing as an intangible cultural heritage of humanity."
It also aims to encourage wildlife conservation.
While its still unclear if Scalia was an official member of the group, they had some things in common. Both loved robes, meetings behind closed doors and hunting.
St. Hubert, for starters, is the patron saint of hunters. And Scalia was a devout Catholic.
The justice himself spoke of his love of the sport in a 2013 interview with New York magazine, stating of hunters, "It’s nice to get in with a different crowd. None of them are lawyers. Or very few."
Magazines like Deer & Deer Hunting mourned his death, saying "we’ve lost an advocate with his passing."
The ranch owner, for his part, told the Post in an email that he couldn't say if Scalia was a member of the group.
“There is nothing I can add to your observation that among my many guests at Cibolo Creek Ranch over the years some members of the International Order of St. Hubertus have been numbered,” John Poindexter said.
He added: “I am aware of no connection between that organization and Justice Scalia.”
It is unclear if he winked.
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Topics Supreme Court
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