Florida Guides Face Charges for Osceola Turkey Hunting Scam

Two hunting guides, a ranch owner and a taxidermist are facing charges for allegedly organizing a scheme to deceive turkey hunters pursing Osceolas in Florida’s Charlotte and Hardee counties.

According to nbc-2.com, Larry William Collins, David Preston Mills, Paul Neil Beckham and Vernon Robert Flowers were charged for the scam.

Authorities said the men advertised what they claimed were genuine Osceola hunts through the Razzor Ranch website. Clients were instead guided to hunt pen-raised turkeys bred to look like the Osceola subspecies.

One of the hunters told NBC2 he paid $2,000 to shoot Osceola turkeys at Razzor Ranch but became suspicious when he noticed the turkey he shot wasn't as dark as it should be. He took the bird to a taxidermist who told him it was a domestic turkey. Hunting domestic turkey is illegal on licensed hunting preserves.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission conducted a DNA test on the turkey confirming it was a domestic bird, and the commission launched an investigation in 2021.

Investigators said the scam was operated by Collins, who ran the Razzor Ranch Blanket Hunting Preserve in Hardee County, and Mills, who managed a game farm in Charlotte County, where the domestic turkeys were raised. Mills and Beckham guided the hunts, and Flowers, owner of Skins and Scales Taxidermy, mounted the turkeys for the victims.

Flowers provided Collins with kickbacks for referring taxidermy business. He also reportedly advertised, promoted and scheduled the turkey hunts.

Collins accepted the money for the hunts, and Beckham and Mills guided the victims to hunting locations to hunt pen-raised turkeys, according to the news release.

“Collins knowingly and intentionally represented his captive-raised turkeys as Osceola turkeys for unsuspecting hunters to pay large sums of money to hunt the Florida Osceola wild turkey,” Lt. Col. Randy Bowlin, FWC deputy director of law enforcement over north operations and investigations/intelligence, said in a FWC press release.

According to the release, the four men are facing these charges:

* Collins, 58, of Punta Gorda, is charged with organized fraud, conspiracy to commit organized fraud, cheating, and unlawful use of a two-way communication device.

* Mills, 57, of Arcadia, is charged with organized fraud and conspiracy to commit organized fraud.

* Beckham, 49, of Punta Gorda, is charged with organized fraud, conspiracy to commit organized fraud, cheating, and unlawful use of a two-way communication device.

* Flowers, 71, of Naples, is charged with organized fraud and conspiracy to commit organized fraud.

According to the press release, the FWC Division of Law Enforcement is aware that this type of fraud is happening in Florida and is working to identify, investigate and arrest offenders.

“This fraudulent scheme not only deceived hunters but also exploited a revered species of Florida’s wildlife,” Bowlin said. “We want public, private and tribal landowners to know that we are working diligently to ensure that captive-raised, nonwild turkeys will not be released near their lands. Hunters can be reassured that the opportunity to hunt a wild Osceola turkey will remain, and legitimate outfitters will not have competition from unethical and fraudulent turkey guide services or outfitters.”