International Crane Foundation and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Recognize Dedication of Wildlife Officers in Investigating Oklahoma Whooping Crane Shooting

In November 2021, news broke of the largest Whooping Crane poaching incident in modern history. In one event, five cranes—approximately 1% of the entire Aransas-Wood Buffalo Population—were killed. This event occurred in a rural area with no witnesses or immediately discernable leads. Only the predated remains of four carcasses and the recent death of a wounded Whooping Crane discovered in the area were left to tell the story.

The initial investigation revealed the presence of shotgun pellets in the wounded crane, and fresh shotgun shells were discovered near the remains of the other four carcasses. For the next seven months, a team of investigators maneuvered through a maze of technical and sophisticated electronic data to connect four subjects to the crime scene and ultimately gain confessions.

Obtaining the warrants was the relatively easy lift in this case. The thousands of pages of data analyzed and connections made to electronic devices, the follow-up to determine owners of the devices, verifying identities and connections to hunting activities, and the linkages to other co-conspirators were exhausting and the epitome of dedication and commitment to wildlife conservation.

Ultimately, this team presented evidence to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, and in late 2023, all four subjects were charged with violating the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. Pursuant to subsequent Plea Agreements, each subject forfeited their shotgun, paid a $750 fine, fined $17,000 in restitution, and was prohibited from hunting for five years. This team’s dedication to wildlife conservation and determination in the face of insurmountable hurdles were displayed in their tireless commitment, ingenuity, and ability to find new paths when leads proved dead-end. This investigation is just an example of how successful, complex, and thorough investigations come together when a group of passionate people works together.

Left to right: Jim Stinebaugh, Assistant Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; Beau Hardegree, Texas Restoration Office Supervisor, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; Special Agent Tony Vowell, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; Task Force Officer Emily Long, Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation; Dr. Carter Crouch, Director of the Gulf Coast Programs, International Crane Foundation. Photo by Kate Fitzwilliams/International Crane Foundation

Last month, on Feb. 21, at the Port Aransas Whooping Crane Festival in Texas, the International Crane Foundation and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service presented a Special Recognition Award to Special Agent Tony Vowell and Task Force Officer Emily Long for their dedication to the protection of cranes and their commitment to wildlife conservation. Special Agent Vowell and Task Force Officer Long also received signed copies of Michael Forsberg’s book, “Into Whooperland,” a beautiful tribute to the Whooping Cranes that migrate along the Central Flyway.

“This was the worst Whooping Crane poaching incident in modern history, and everyone involved in Whooping Crane conservation took this loss personally,”

“The news of the guilty pleas and fines provided some closure for many of us, but it was far from a high point. Being able to share the details of the case and recognizing the amazing work that Special Agent Vowell and Task Force Officer Emily did to solve this case provided a much more positive closure for many of us. It was important to recognize these two conservation heroes in front of an audience of people who traveled from around the world to see Whooping Cranes,” said Dr. Carter Crouch, Gulf Coast Program Director of the International Crane Foundation.

Top photo: A Whooping Crane family takes flight on their Texas wintering grounds. Al Perry