Game Wardens Issue Warning About Poachers After Home Was Hit By Bullets

Oklahoma game wardens want to remind the public to use caution while hunting near homes.

Game wardens said poaching is not only dangerous but unethical.

On Nov. 27, Lincoln County sheriff deputies and Kickapoo Tribal officers responded to a shot fired into a house.

In this situation, a suspect was trying to hunt a deer when one bullet went into a window and narrowly missing a male laying in his bed.

The bullet entered the window above the headboard and bullet fragments were even found behind that headboard.

“Every time we shoot a gun, it’s a responsibility that hunters have to be aware of your target and beyond,” said Micah Holmes, spokesman for the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation. “When you shoot a gun, you can’t take that bullet back.”

Game wardens said the suspect was shooting at a deer across the road.

While the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation said this type of hunting incident is rare, it's still important to watch out for them.

“Anytime you’re shooting on or across the road, that’s illegal,” Holmes said. “Fortunately, most Oklahoma hunters follow the laws, but occasionally there are some bad apples”

The suspect was arrested on complaints of reckless discharge of a firearm, hunting without landowner consent, illegal take of whitetail deer and shooting from a public roadway.

Charges are pending in Lincoln County.

Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation said it’s important to follow game laws and to report any suspicious activity to the police. You can also report a violation by calling 1-800-522-8039 between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.