A federal judge has ordered Robert Garner Gambill, a 91-year-old resident of Sparta, North Carolina, to pay a $9,500 fine and surrender his firearm for killing a bald eagle. This decision was announced by Lawrence J. Cameron, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. The court also mandated that part of the fine be given to two witnesses who provided information leading to Gambill's conviction under the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act.
Douglas Ault, Special Agent in Charge with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Office of Law Enforcement (USFWS), Southeast Region, joined Acting U.S. Attorney Cameron in making the announcement.
Court documents revealed that on June 5, 2024, Gambill used a Ruger M77 Mark 2 22-250 rifle with a Nikon Monarch MR31 4x16-42 scope to shoot and kill a bald eagle perched near Farmers Fish Camp Road Bridge in Sparta. Afterward, he left the scene, abandoning the eagle's carcass by the New River. The carcass was later recovered with help from two witnesses and taken into custody by USFWS. A necropsy confirmed injuries consistent with gunshot wounds from a high-powered rifle. On October 11, 2024, Gambill pleaded guilty to unlawfully taking a bald eagle.
The Bald Eagle and Golden Eagle Protection Act (BGEPA), enacted by Congress in 1940 as the Eagle Protection Act's predecessor, makes it illegal to hunt or harm bald or golden eagles without proper authorization from the U.S. Secretary of Interior.
Acting U.S. Attorney Cameron praised the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for their investigation efforts and acknowledged assistance from the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission and Alleghany County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine Armstrong prosecuted the case.
For immediate assistance with fishing or hunting violations, individuals are encouraged to contact local law enforcement or the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission. Information about other wildlife crimes can be reported at https://www.fws.gov/wildlife-crime-tips or by calling 1-844-397-8477.
