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GAME WARDEN’S JOURNAL

ACCOUNTS FROM THE FIELD BY THE PUBLIC SERVANTS WHO ENFORCE THE FISH
AND WILDLIFE LAWS OF OKLAHOMA

Oklahoma Game Wardens in Districts 4 and 5 in Grey Snow Eagle House
central and south-central Oklahoma recently trained wrote, “Thank you Game
to handle active shooter scenarios in schools (photo Warden Lt. Strang for
above). ODWC Director J.D. Strong was invited to role helping get this injured
play in the training. Afterward, he wrote, “I have more bald eagle to us. Radio-
respect than ever for the stress that law enforcement graphs show the eagle
faces to subdue suspects, save lives and go home each has a broken radius (wing
day in one piece. Nothing but mad respect and awe for bone) and will need to
these men and women!” spend some time resting
and healing.”
Game Warden Chad Strang
In March, Game Warden Lt. Chad Strang based (Reports from the Oklahoma Game Wardens Face-
in Cleveland County, became aware of an book page.)
injured bald eagle in a shopping center
parking lot in Moore. Strang and some EDITOR’S NOTE: Please help make a difference!
bystanders chased the fleeing eagle and When violators break the law, they steal fish and
boxed the eagle, which was then taken wildlife from you! Report violations anonymously by
to the Grey Snow Eagle House in Perkins calling Operation Game Thief at (800) 522-8039. You
for rehabilitation. could earn a cash reward.

KEEP WILDLIFE WILD

BY LINDSAY THOMAS JR ., NATIONAL DEER ASSOCIATION
Imagine you have found a fawn all alone. This could easily be take a quick photo to remember this amazing moment, then
in an urban area, not just in the wild. Thoughts of “rescuing” the be on your merry way.
animal enter your mind. Captive-raised fawns rarely make successful returns to
Stop! Take the best advice from science: Leave the fawn the wild. In one study, more than half of “rescued” fawns that
where you found it. If you already removed it from the woods, were returned to the wild when ready didn’t survive more than
take it back immediately to its hiding spot, or place it in good 30 days.
forested cover as close as possible to where you found it. The doe won’t reject the fawn if you’ve touched it. So,
Here are facts proved by research: if you now have a wild fawn in your care, take it back to the
It’s likely not abandoned at all. Until a fawn is old woods quickly.
enough to be fully mobile and able to outrun danger, the It’s often illegal to keep and try to raise wild animals in
doe spends most of each day separate from the fawn to captivity. Wild animals seldom make good pets, especially
avoid attracting predators by her own presence and scent. deer. Once a fawn becomes habituated to people, the long-
Next time you are fortunate enough to encounter a fawn, term outcome is rarely good.

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