CHARLOTTE — A federal judge ordered Robert Garner Gambill, 91, of Sparta, N.C., to pay a $9,500 fine and turn in his rifle for killing a bald eagle.
On June 5, 2024, “Gambill set his firearm on a fencepost, and aimed, shot, and killed a bald eagle that was perched in a tree near the Farmers Fish Camp Road Bridge in Sparta,” according to the courts.
Gambill killed the federally protected bird with a Ruger M77 Mark 2 22-250 rifle. It had a scope attached, as well.
After killing the bald eagle, Gambill left the scene in his vehicle, abandoning the eagle carcass on the bank of the New River, the courts said. The carcass was recovered with the assistance of two witnesses and was taken into the custody of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
A necropsy performed by a USFWS forensic laboratory identified its injuries were consistent with a gunshot wound from a high-powered rifle. On Oct. 11, 2024, Gambill pleaded guilty to the unlawful taking of a bald eagle.
“It’s a crime against the United States to hunt, take, capture, kill, possess, and to otherwise deal with the bald or golden eagle, or any part, nest or egg thereof, except as authorized by a valid permit issued by the U.S. Secretary of Interior,” officials said.
A portion of the fine must be paid to two witnesses who provided information that led to Gambill’s conviction.
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