Three Men Charged with Hunting Violations in Louisiana

Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Enforcement Division agents cited three men for alleged hunting violations on Aug. 16 in Red River Parish.

Agents cited Tyler Goodwin, 21, of Ringgold, David Beard, 20, of Coushatta, and Jordan Northcutt, 22, of Hall Summit for hunting from a public road, hunting from a moving vehicle, discharging a firearm from a public road and hunting wild game quadrupeds during illegal hours.

Agents received an Operation Game Thief complaint concerning these three men.  The landowner witnessed them shining a spotlight on his property.  LDWF agents responded and caught up with their vehicle as they turned into a residence.

Agents found the men in possession of a .223 and .22 rifle and a freshly harvested rabbit.

The penalty for each offense brings a fine between $250 and $500 and up to 90 days in jail.

If someone witnesses or has information concerning a violation, they should call Operation Game Thief’s toll-free 24-hour phone line or use the department’s tip411 program.  The toll free number is 1-800-442-2511.

To use the tip411 program, tipsters can text LADWF and their tip to 847411 or download the “LADWF Tips” iPhone app from the Apple iTunes store free of charge.  CitizenObserver, the tip411 provider, uses technology that removes all identifying information before LDWF receives the text so that LDWF cannot identify the sender.  Texting or downloading the app enables the public to send anonymous tips to LDWF and lets LDWF respond back, creating a two-way anonymous “chat”.  Users of the app or texters can also send in photos to help support their claim and be used as evidence.

The information is received by a Wildlife and Fisheries operator and immediately relayed to a wildlife agent who will investigate. If the information results in an arrest, the caller is eligible for a cash reward.

Since the program began, more than $280,000 in rewards has been paid. Information provided by OGT informants has resulted in the apprehension of more than 700 violators who were convicted on a multitude of state and federal charges.

Agents participating in the case were Sgt. Charles Dison and Senior Agent John Blalock.

For more information, contact Adam Einck at 225-765-2465 or aeinck@wlf.la.gov.

Louisiana Dept. of Wildlife and Fisheries

The Louisiana Department of Wildlife & Fisheries – Enforcement Division(LDWF) is the fish & game regulatory agency of Louisiana. It has jurisdictionanywhere in the state, and in state territorial waters. The agency enforces both state and federal laws dealing with hunting, fishing, and boating safety. The agency also enforces criminal laws in rural areas including DWI enforcement both on highways and waterways. Most of the Department’s Wildlife Agents also carry Federal law enforcement commissions issued from the United States Department of the Interior - U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and United States Department of Commerce - U.S. National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS). These federal commissions allow these state officers to enforce federal migratory waterfowl laws and federal marine fisheries laws in state and federal waters off the coast of Louisiana. Besides their traditional role as a “game warden”, Louisiana Wildlife Enforcement Agents also have a number of other responsibilities, including conducting board of health inspections on some portions of the state’s commercial fishing industry. Agents are trained in and conduct numerous search and rescue operations, both in remote land areas and on the state’s waterways. Agents ensure that hunters, anglers, boaters, dealers, breeders, farmers, and transporters are in compliance with regulations governing equipment, quotas, licenses, and registrations. Agents also assist other State departments and law enforcement agencies in the coordination of educational and professional endeavors, as well as national and state emergency alerts by the Federal Office of Emergency Preparedness. In addition, agents perform search and rescue missions alone or in conjunction with other local, state, and federal agencies.