Houston man accused of illegally hunting near Armand Bayou Nature Center

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — A southeast Houston man has been arrested and charged with illegal hunting in a popular nature preserve, a crime he has previously been convicted of multiple times.

The Armand Bayou Nature Center, one of the largest urban wilderness preserves in the United States, is home to nearly 400 species, some of which are endangered. People of all ages visit the center to enjoy nature and learn about conservation.

“Our job here is to try and protect that wildlife, so it’s very disconcerting to us when we hear of incidences here or in other places where folks are engaged in illegal taking of wildlife,” said Tim Pylate, the center’s executive director.

Herbert Joseph Wickham is accused of illegally hunting deer and wild hogs on protected Harris County property. The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department is investigating the incident, which allegedly occurred in October 2023, in the nature center area.

“The kind of high-powered rifles that it would take to do hunting here would be very, very dangerous to our residential neighbors,” Pylate said. “We’re very, very keen on ensuring that our neighbors stay safe and our wildlife stays safe.”

Wickham, who was previously convicted for illegal hunting in 2014, 2013, and 2012, was arrested. His bond was set at $7,500 on Tuesday, and a judge also ordered him to stay away from firearms and other weapons.

The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department encourages the public to report wildlife violations in progress by calling Operation Game Thief, Texas’ Wildlife Crime-Stoppers Program, at 800-792-4263. Operation Game Thief offers rewards for information leading to a wildlife crime conviction.