Page 9 - 2019 JAN/FEB Outdoor Oklahoma
P. 9

Game Warden’s Journal






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



                  On Nov. 17, Game Warden Tell Judkins, based in Oklahoma  custody without incident. The vehicle, a firearm, deer, and
                County, was contacted by an Oklahoma City Police officer  other evidence  were  seized.  Following  numerous  wildlife
                informing him of an arrest he had made the previous day. The  charges and a felony eluding charge, a detainer for deportation
                officer said the subject had a spotlight, a rifle, two deer heads  was placed on the man.
                in the bed of the truck, and was “covered in blood” at the time.
                  Game Warden Tim Campbell, based in Oklahoma County,
                and Judkins went to the subject’s home and interviewed the
                man’s father. While at the residence, the wardens noticed two
                bucks that appeared to have been gutted near the house. The
                father said his son had taken them the week prior. The subject
                said in a telephone interview that the deer had been shot several
                days earlier with a crossbow at his home. The wardens’ initial
                investigation showed no evidence a crossbow had been used.
                The deer were seized for X-rays.
                  Later, after a lengthy phone call, the man admitted to shoot-
                ing the deer with a .22 caliber rifle at his home.
                  On Nov. 24, Judkins contacted the subject at his home and
                seized two additional deer heads, which the subject said were
                roadkill, and Judkins could find no evidence to dispute his claim.  No two days are the same
                  The man was cited twice for possession of wildlife not  for a Game Warden. Part
                legally taken and twice for hunting in a closed season with an  of the excitement of the job
                illegal method.                                   is the diversity of what’s
                                                                  around the next corner!
                                                                    Game Warden Ryan
                                                                  Walker had an eventful open-
                                                                  ing day of youth deer gun
                                                                  season. He assisted strand-
                                                                  ed news reporter Sawyer
                                                                  Buccy from Tulsa’s KOTV-6.
                                                                  A short time later, he met a
                                                                  hunter and his granddaugh-
                                                                  ter Kaile, who were stuck at
                                                                  Hulah Wildlife Management
                                                                  Area. Walker was able to get
                                                                  them out so Kaile could get
                                                                  into the field to hunt. Then he
                  A months-long investigation by Tulsa County-based Game  and Game Warden Paul Welch got to witness the famous “cactus
                Wardens Travis Garrett, Brandon Fulton and Carlos Gomez  doe” harvested by Kyndal LeFlore! Every day is an adventure, and
                concluded the night before deer gun season opened. A man had  all Game Wardens are proud to serve you!
                been seen on trail cameras entering a north Tulsa property and
                night hunting for deer with a rifle. The man killed deer on at    (Reports from the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife
                least two of his five documented crimes.                         Conservation-Game Wardens Facebook page.)
                  On the fifth hunt, the Game Wardens teamed with Tulsa
                Police and Tulsa County Sheriff’s deputies to identify the   EDITOR’S NOTE: Please help make a difference! When viola-
                suspect’s vehicle and a pursuit ensued. The chase ended after  tors break the law, they steal fish and wildlife from you! Report
                nearly 5 miles when a tire on the suspect’s vehicle shredded.   violations anonymously by calling Operation Game Thief at
                  Wardens took an undocumented Honduran national into  (800) 522-8039. You could earn a cash reward.




                January/February 2019                                                                             7




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