Larry Eugene Harding, Black Bear Poaching, Baltimore MD, 2015

Baltimore, Maryland – The grim reaper of Maryland’s forests was sentenced for his callous treatment of nature after Larry Eugene Harding, 57, and Wallace A. Harward, 58, were hit with a heavy penalty for their black bear poaching scandal.

On February 4, 2015, U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Sullivan sentenced the duo to pay a combined $13,000 in fines and restitution. Harding was ordered to perform 25 hours of community service and face five years of probation. Harward was hit with similar penalties but also lost his Maryland waterfowl outfitters license.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein, along with the Maryland Natural Resources Police and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, announced the sentences. Colonel George F. Johnson IV highlighted that this case’s penalties are one of the most substantial for wildlife poaching in Maryland over two decades.

Between 2008 and 2010, Harding of Friendsville and Harward of Forest Hill, both operators of hunting services, engaged in commercial bear hunts, violating stringent Maryland regulations. They used bait to attract bears for hunters who paid them for guided hunts. Their underhanded tactics included illegal use of bait and failing to maintain visual contact with each other while guiding.

During an undercover investigation, officers posing as clients discovered that the pair had violated these rules. On October 25, 2009, they were caught leading hunters to a location where bears were lured by apples. One hunter, an undercover officer, shot a bear, with Harward violating his hunting permit terms.

Harding and Harward are now barred from guiding or hunting in 44 states due to the Interstate Wildlife Violator Compact. The poaching pair’s actions have left a lasting scar on Maryland’s wildlife and its hunters of ethical standards.