Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) enforcement agents cited two subjects on March 3 for the illegal shooting of a whooping crane in Evangeline Parish.
Agents cited Logan Q. Thrasher, 36, of St. Landry, and Manuel Luis, 33, of Zacapu, Michocan, Mexico, for state charges of violating the migratory bird treaty act.
Agents were contacted by LDWF whooping crane biologists on March 3 about a whooping crane they were tracking with a transmitter that stopped sending data on Feb. 28. The transmitter’s last known location was in a crawfish pond off Millers Lake Road in Evangeline Parish.
Agents responded to the scene and located a deceased whooping crane in the crawfish pond with what appeared to be a gunshot wound from a small caliber rifle. After further investigation, agents found that Thrasher and Luis were working on the farm on Feb. 28.
During questioning, agents learned that Thrasher and Luis were driving along Miller’s Lake Road when they observed a large flock of birds in the crawfish pond. The two subjects pulled the truck onto a farm road and fired three shots from a .17 caliber rifle at the flock with one of the shots fatally striking a whooping crane.
Agents seized an adult male whooping crane and a .17 caliber rifle.
Violating the migratory bird treaty act brings a $400 to $950 fine and up to 120 days in jail. The two subjects will also jointly face civil restitution totaling $15,000 for the replacement value of the illegally taken whooping crane.
