Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation

Four men forced to pay $71,000 for killing four endangered species

They were hunting at Tom Steed Reservoir in Oklahoma when committing their wildlife crimes. They also forfeited guns and hunting privileges.

Four men in Oklahoma were ordered to each pay $17,000 in restitution and a $750 fine for killing four endangered whooping cranes, a migratory bird for which there is no season.

Joseph H. Roman, 43, and Justin M. Wine, 40, of Altus, Chanod M. Campbell, 32, of Gould, and Brian Lee Gollihare Jr., 35, of Hollis, were hunting at Tom Steed Reservoir in southwest Oklahoma on or about Nov. 5, 2021 when the wildlife crimes occurred, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Western District of Oklahoma.

They attempted to hide the birds before leaving the scene.

“This is a great example of state and federal agencies working closely together throughout the investigation,” said Nathan Erdman, Law Enforcement Chief for the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation. “The outstanding ODWC Game Wardens were tireless in tracking down leads and in their collection of key evidence that led to this outcome.

“Rest assured that those committing wildlife violations in Oklahoma will be caught thanks to thorough investigations like this along with tips from the public.”

All four defendants pleaded guilty and, at sentencing hearings last week, they learned of their financial penalties. Plus, they were ordered to forfeit their shotguns and lost their hunting privileges in all 50 states for the next 5 years.

The $68,000 total in restitution will be paid to the International Crane Foundation.

The whooping crane, protected by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, is the rarest of birds in North America and is highly endangered with less than 600 in the wild. It is the tallest bird in North America, reaching a height of 5 feet with a wingspan of more than 7 feet.

“Each of us bears responsibility to protect endangered wildlife so that the species is preserved for future generations,” said U.S. Attorney Robert Troester. “My office stands with and commends the work done by our federal and state law enforcement partners, and we hope this case serves as a warning for those who would harm endangered species.”

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation investivated the case, and it was prosecuted by Asst. U.S. Attorney Charles Brown.

Photos courtesy of U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.

Fishing in pond, boy catches exotic fish that has human teeth

A boy fishing a neighborhood pond in Oklahoma caught an exotic fish from South America that is related to piranha and has odd choppers.

A boy fishing a neighborhood pond in Oklahoma caught an exotic fish from South America that is related to piranha and features teeth that look human.

In photos displayed in a Facebook post by the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation, Charlie Clinton held up his catch to show off the species known as a pacu and opened its mouth to show its human-like choppers.

“Pacu have been caught in a few fisheries in Oklahoma before,” the ODWC wrote. “Non-native pacu in Oklahoma waters are most likely the result of individuals buying them as pets, and releasing them when they outgrow their tank.

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“These fish are generally harmless to humans, but the practice of dumping unwanted pets in waterways can be incredibly harmful to native wildlife.

“Pacu can reach sizes up to 3.5 feet and 88 pounds! They are an exotic, invasive species that can cause damage to our local ecosystems. Anglers who catch pacu in Oklahoma are asked to remove them from the watershed and contact their local game warden.”

Photos courtesy of the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation.

Fisherman snags record carp after losing it twice; officials applaud

An Oklahoma fisherman who twice hooked but lost a huge bighead carp in the Neosho River discovered that the third time’s a charm.

Bryan Baker, a fishing guide with Spoonbill Wreckers, snagged the fish after spotting it on sonar in 12 feet of water and then boated it in six minutes, as reported by Outdoor Life.

“I don’t mess around with these big fish,” he told Outdoor Life. “So when I got her close to my boat, I grabbed her with my hands and hauled her aboard.”

The official weight of the behemoth was 118 pounds, 3 ounces, establishing the state record for a bighead carp.

Officials with the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation applauded the recent catch because bighead carp are an invasive species and it wants to get rid of them in Grand Lake O’ the Cherokees and the adjoining Neosho River.

“Bighead carp consume large quantities of zooplankton, aquatic insect larvae and adults,” the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation wrote on its Facebook page. “Because of their feeding habits, bighead carp are a direct competitor with our native species like paddlefish, and bigmouth buffalo; as well as all larval and juvenile fishes and native mussels. If you catch this invasive species DO NOT RETURN IT TO THE WATER.”

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Baker targets primarily paddlefish and spoonbills.

From Outdoor Life:

“There’s not that many carp, so I gotta search a good bit to find them,” he says. “But they’re huge, so they show up well. I’ve caught 21 bigheads this year, and on Thursday I caught 11 fish, three of which each weighed over 100 pounds.

But the 118-pound carp was special, and Baker knew it when he first spotted it.

“Three days before I caught her, I was fishing with my buddy Jimbo Hollon and his son Nailrod and we spotted the big girl on my Livescope,” says Baker. “Jimbo saw the fish’s image and said, ‘Holy cow, that fish is the size of a Volkswagen’.”

He snagged the fish using 100-pound line but lost it. Fishing the same area days later, he hooked it again, and lost it again.

“I got her hooked the second time, but the hook tore through her soft flesh,” Baker told Outdoor Life. “But 30 minutes later I hooked her again and finally put her in my boat.”

Photo courtesy of Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation.