If you need proof that the competition for duck hunting honey holes can lead to toxic—and potentially lethal—behavior, here it is. On August 28, 2026, 23-year-old Carson McKoin of Monroe, Louisiana, was convicted in federal court for assaulting U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service agents. But what’s particularly notable about the conviction is what prompted it.
Instead of talking to the potential hunters, McKoin “fired a shot toward” them. It goes without saying that intentionally shooting toward other others is appalling and illegal behavior. But the boat wasn’t being driven by hunters; it was full of a team of “federal fish and wildlife agents performing their official duties.”
McKoin admitted to firing the shot but said that it was simply a “signal shot” that was not aimed toward the wardens. However, this statement was “at odds with the agents’ belief that he had intentionally fired at them.”
A multi-agency investigation ensued, and the conflicting opinions were eventually settled in the court of law by a jury that found McKoin guilty of assaulting, resisting, or impeding federal wildlife agents. The punishments for doing so are severe; McKoin faces up to 20 years in federal prison, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release. He will be sentenced in December.
“Louisiana, long known as ‘Sportsman’s Paradise,’ is blessed with one of the richest outdoor traditions in the country,” said U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Keller. “But that tradition only succeeds when hunters exercise due care and responsibility with firearms. Reckless actions put lives at risk and are taken very seriously.”
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