Hunting & Fishing Terry Harrison, Oklahoma Representative Poacher

[toadbrown]

Mcalester, Okla. — A state legislator who helped write some of Oklahoma's hunting laws was so proud when he bagged a piebald, white-tailed deer that he called the media and gushed about the hunt.

But his pride turned to embarrassment when state Rep. Terry Harrison was told what he did might have been illegal because he didn't have a permit to shoot the animal.

The McAlester News-Capital reports that Harrison's friend, Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation game warden Shane Fields, called him after seeing the story in the newspaper and suggested he research hunting regulations.

Harrison says his heart "just sunk" when he realized his mistake. He called the agency and a game warden wrote him a $296 ticket.

Harrison says he wrote some of the state's hunting laws and should've known better.

 

[h4everything]

Re: Terry Harrison, Oklahoma Representative Poacher

Wow is all I can say. Especially since they made a huge deal when they passed that law about 10 years ago.

 

[toadbrown]

Re: Terry Harrison, Oklahoma Representative Poacher

Yeah, hypocrite lawmaker, whats new!

 

[blackblue]

Re: Terry Harrison, Oklahoma Representative Poacher

A very stupid law at that.

 

[Jon Lester]

Re: Terry Harrison, Oklahoma Representative Poacher

What was the illegal part?

 

[Powder_Burns]

Re: Terry Harrison, Oklahoma Representative Poacher

My question is if someone who wasn't a state senator tagged the same buck, would they get a fine of $296 or would they not pass go, not collect $200, and go straight to jail?

 

[toadbrown]

Re: Terry Harrison, Oklahoma Representative Poacher

No tag

 

[Bloody_Tailgate]

Re: Terry Harrison, Oklahoma Representative Poacher

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Speedgoat_ Junkie</div><div class="ubbcode-body">No tag </div></div>

What do you mean "no tag"? Is that guy really stupid enough to shoot a deer w/o a tag and then call the media...I find that hard to believe. Are you sure he just wasn't in the wrong area or something less obvious?

 

[toadbrown]

Re: Terry Harrison, Oklahoma Representative Poacher

No tag!

 

[blackblue]

Re: Terry Harrison, Oklahoma Representative Poacher

Here is another thread on it, from what I understand you have to have a special permit to take a ablino or piebald deer in oklahoma.

http://www.snipershide.com/forum/ubbthre...193#Post2224193

 

[John_in_WYO]

Re: Terry Harrison, Oklahoma Representative Poacher

Probably didn't have "specific written permission" which he undoubtedly (as a State Representative) would have received from the Director had he asked.


§29-5-414. White deer.
A. Except for white deer that are farmed cervidae regulated pursuant to the Oklahoma Farmed Cervidae Act, no person may possess, hunt, chase, harass, capture, shoot at, wound or kill, take or attempt to take, trap or attempt to trap a white deer without specific written permission of the Director of Wildlife Conservation.
B. Any person convicted of willfully violating any of the provisions of this section shall be punished by a fine of not less than One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) nor more than One Thousand Dollars ($1,000.00), or by imprisonment in the county jail for a period not to exceed thirty (30) days, or by both.
C. For purposes of this section, a “white deer” is any whitetail or mule deer exhibiting a deficient pigmentation condition known as albinism or with a genetic mutation which results in the piebald coloration of the animal.
Added by Laws 1998, c. 159, § 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1998. Amended by Laws 2006, c. 138, § 18, eff. Nov. 1, 2006.

 

[head2h2o]

Re: Terry Harrison, Oklahoma Representative Poacher

Is it not just commonsence to know that if you take a game animal, you better have a tag with you that says that you can legally take it, regardless of where you are?

 

[vpexp]

Re: Terry Harrison, Oklahoma Representative Poacher

He did have a deer tag, but not a permit to shoot a Piebald deer. The law is a bit silly in that they do not deny anyone permission to shoot one that asks, there is no fee, you just have to call in and get the permit. They are relatively common in the SE part of the state and some guys just call in and get there permit each year on the off chance the buck they see happens to be Piebald. The law was put in place when a native American made a plea to protect "White Deer" to the legislature, but yet they give the permit to anyone who requests one, so the law does not protect those deer as intended. He certainly should have known better though.