Oklahoma Game Wardens Investigate Poaching In Washington County

Oklahoma Game Wardens are looking for the person who poached two bucks near Bartlesville, cut the head off one, and then left the deer on the side of the road.

The deer were poached just west of Highway 75, along Moose Lodge Road. Oklahoma's archery deer season opened two weeks ago, but wardens say these deer were killed with rifles.

Investigators believe these two deer were shot from the road at night on someone’s property, which means the poachers broke several laws. Then they left the deer. Wardens say this is about more than breaking laws; it’s also taking and wasting the state's resources that belong to everyone in the state.

Oklahoma Game Warden Lt. Joe Alexander spent Thursday afternoon helping the Washington County landowner pick up the mess left behind by the poachers. Alexander says the two deer were shot a couple of nights ago. 

"One of the deer was located on the property, and it never left the spot where it fell. The other deer, we believe, was shot on the property and dragged to the road,” said Alexander.

Investigators aren't sure if the poachers used a spotlight or headlights, but they do believe the deer were killed at night, which is illegal. The deer were also shot out of season because rifle season doesn't open until late November. Alexander says they've already had several poaching incidents in the first 12 days of deer season.

"Oklahoma is known for big deer. In fact, every year, the deer seem to get larger and larger, and there's a lot of people looking for that trophy deer, and unfortunately, there are those who take advantage of the fact that and do it illegally,” said Alexander.

Alexander says not only are poachers breaking several laws, but they are also stealing from responsible hunters. Oklahoma hunters and fishermen buying licenses, fund the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation.

"The wildlife department is charged with managing this resource for everyone in Oklahoma to enjoy, and when someone comes along and decides to steal that resource and take it for themselves, illegally, they are stealing from me and stealing from you,” said Alexander.

If you do get caught poaching, you can be fined several thousand dollars and lose your hunting privileges. If you have any information on this case that could help investigators, call Operation Game Thief at 1-800-522-8039.