An Abbeville, Louisiana man stands accused of the illegal shooting of a Louisiana black bear, a species once teetering on the brink of disappearing from our state's landscape, according to a report from the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF). Shannon R. Parker, 50, was cited for taking the bear during a closed season and for non-compliance with the regulations on wild quadruped times and methods of taking, as stated on the LDWF's website.
Enforcement agents sprang into action following a tip-off about a black bear's demise near Palmetto State Park, with the investigation leading them to the discovery of a female bear that had been shot by a high-powered rifle between February 28 and March 1, 2025. During questioning on Wednesday, Parker admitted to an agent that he had killed the bear with his .270 rifle around February 28, believing his target to be a wild hog and not the protected creature it unfortunately turned out to be.
The illegal act carries potential penalties including a fine ranging from $900 to $950 and possible jail time up to 120 days. Additionally, Parker may be slapped with civil restitution of $10,000 to compensate for the bear's value. For the first time in over three decades, LDWF has authorized a strictly controlled black bear hunting season, following the species' successful recovery and its removal from the Endangered Species List in 2016.
The LDWF's concerted conservation efforts, alongside collaborators, have been paying off; the Louisiana black bear is no longer considered endangered and was even subject to a limited hunting season with 11 tags issued through a lottery system in 2024. According to the LDWF report, Parker also failed to get written permission to hunt on the property at night and didn't have contact information for the landowner or notify local authorities of his intent to hunt hogs after dark.
The agents on the case, Corporal Derek Logan, Corporal Joshua Segrest, and Sgt. Michael Hebert, underscore the seriousness of Parker's infraction; not just for the loss of the bear, but for the disregard for hunting protocols designed to protect both animals and humans. Parker now faces both the legal consequences of his actions and the scrutiny of a public increasingly aware of the importance of wildlife preservation.
