Houston man charged with illegal hunting near Armand Bayou Nature Center, one of the largest urban nature preserves in the United States

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — A southeast Houston man has been arrested and charged with illegally hunting in the area of ​​a popular wildlife preserve.

And it turns out he has already been convicted several times for the same crime.

The Armand Bayou Nature Center is one of the largest urban nature preserves in the United States.

People of all ages come to enjoy nature and learn about conservation, home to nearly 400 species, many of which are endangered.

“Our job here is to try to protect this wildlife, so we’re very disturbed when we hear about incidents here or in other places where people are illegally taking wildlife,” said Tim Pylate, the center’s executive director.

Herbert Joseph Wickham is accused of illegally hunting deer and wild boar on protected property in Harris County.

The incident, which is believed to have occurred in October 2023, is being investigated in the nature center area, according to Texas Parks and Wildlife.

“The type of high-powered rifles that would be required to hunt here would be very, very dangerous to our residential neighbors,” Pylate said. “We really want to keep our neighbors and our wildlife safe.”

Wickham was arrested and records show he was convicted of illegal hunting in 2014, 2013 and 2012.

His bail was set at $7,500 Tuesday, and a judge also ordered him to stay away from guns and other weapons.

Texas Parks and Wildlife said if members of the public witness a wildlife crime, they should call Operation Game Thief (800-792-4263), Texas’ wildlife crime enforcement program. Operation Game Thief offers rewards to tipsters for information leading to a wildlife crime conviction.

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