Page 9 - July/Aug 2020 Outdoor Oklahoma

TURKEY POACHING:
On April 9, a vigilant land-
owner near Reydon called
Oklahoma Game Warden
Tucker Blackburn, based in
Roger Mills County, to report
hearing two gunshots on his
property. The landowner
saw a pickup speeding away
from the area and used his
cell phone to take a picture
of the vehicle. The landowner
found turkey feathers, blood,
and two shotgun hulls in the
county road adjacent to his
property. Blackburn arrived
and collected the evidence.
The next day, a suspect and
suspect vehicle were identi-
fied. Oklahoma Game War-
den Lt. James Edwards Jr.,
based in Beckham County,
contacted his friend, U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service
Division of Refuge Law Enforcement (South Atlantic/ Oklahoma Game Warden Clint Carpenter, based in Custer
Gulf/Mississippi Basin Region) Chief Vic Coffman for County, in sorting through the evidence, including parts of
assistance. Coffman contacted the suspect and advised nine turkeys. The four suspects were cited for 26 violations
him to contact Blackburn to turn himself in. Soon after, totaling $12,014.00 in fines and court costs.
Blackburn was contacted by Roger Mills County Sheriff’s Game Wardens want to thank the landowner for taking
Deputy Joey Bales, who reported seeing the suspect vehicle. immediate actions to report poaching! We cannot express
The suspect called Blackburn and pulled over. Blackburn’s how much we appreciate everyone who reports suspicious
investigation revealed 26 violations among four men in and illegal activity. We would also like to thank all agencies
the suspect vehicle. Blackburn was assisted by Bales and and officers involved in this successful investigation.

ROOST SHOOTING:
An investigation in late April involving the Oklahoma
Department of Wildlife Conservation and the U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service uncovered the illegal killing of at least 28
federally protected migratory birds at a roosting site at Lake
Texoma. Game Wardens Cody Jones and Garrett Beam, both
based in Bryan County, and Game Wardens Trey Hale and
Billy Bob Walker, both based in Marshall County, along with
federal Officer Chris Owens, found more than 100 shotgun
hulls, many broken eggs and empty nests at the roost site,
where these birds build nests and raise their young. Team-
work led officers to the potential violators, and shotguns
were seized as evidence. Each of the violators could face
state and federal charges with fines totaling nearly $23,000
and could lose their hunting privileges.

(Reports from the Oklahoma Game Wardens Facebook page.)

EDITOR’S NOTE: Please help make a difference! When vio-
lators break the law, they steal fish and wildlife from you! Report
violations anonymously by calling Operation Game Thief at
(800) 522-8039. You could earn a cash reward.

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