Oklahoma Game Wardens Investigate Poaching In Mayes County

Oklahoma Game Wardens are looking for the person they say poached a trophy buck on private property with a rifle out of season.

Wardens say someone killed the buck on part of the MidAmerica Industrial Park in Pryor.

Wardens say deer are out and about a lot more during the rut and wardens say that also means they see more poaching. They say poaching is more than just breaking the law; it’s also taking and wasting the state's resources that belong to everyone in the state.

Oklahoma Game Warden Kody Moore is extra busy this time of year as hunting season is in full swing. There are just 117 game wardens in the state, which averages out to less than two per county.

"This time of year, we are stretched very thin,” said Moore.

Moore patrols the Mayes County area, making sure hunters are following the law but that's not always the case. He says on Saturday morning, someone found a buck that had been shot with a rifle on part of the MidAmerica Industrial Park. But rifle season doesn't open for another ten days.

"It was still alive and paralyzed from about the waist down. Obvious mortal wound but it wasn't dead yet. Found on private property,” said Moore.

Wardens believe someone shot the buck between midnight and 9 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 9.

"Just an opportunity. We believe they thought they were safe not to get caught and saw a very large trophy whitetail deer and took that opportunity,” said Moore.

News On 6 previously reported about a poaching incident in Washington County last year where wardens say someone shot two bucks with a rifle from a road, cut the head off one, then left the deer. The poacher broke several laws including shooting the deer with a gun out of season, shooting from a road and using a spotlight.

Related: Oklahoma Game Wardens Investigate Poaching In Washington County

Moore says it is important for people that if they see something, to say something.

"We can't be everywhere at once. I always tell people that just me in Mayes County, and I have a partner assigned to the same area, but we have 650 square miles. Even with two of us, we can only be in so many places at once,” said Moore.

Moore says if you are caught poaching you could face at least several hundred dollars in fines. If you have any information about this poaching incident in Mayes County call Warden Moore at (918) 857-4802.