Texas Tuesday: Texas Game Warden Field Notes

Interesting stories from Texas Game Warden reports. Texas Game Warden reports/. There are plenty more on their web site.

Pizza party
On Oct. 2, 2006 a Tom Green Co. game warden was putting the “sneak” on some unsuspecting illegal dove hunters and was trying to find a way to approach them unnoticed, when he heard an approaching vehicle behind him. At first, he thought it was more hunters coming to join the ones he was watching, but as the vehicle got closer he saw that it was a pizza delivery truck. Being the innovative warden that he is, the game warden quickly saw that a solution to his problem was at hand and quickly stopped the pizza truck. It just so happened that the driver was trying to locate the same hunters and deliver their pizza. The game warden convinced the driver that it would be a good idea if he assisted in the delivery of the pizza, and the driver consented to let him ride along. To say the least, the hunters’ jaws dropped when they saw a game warden getting out of the pizza delivery truck to delivery a pizza supreme and a few citations.

That had to be a sinking feeling

On June 5, 2006 the Camp County sheriff contacted the local game warden and requested help in the recovery of a vehicle sunk in Lake Bob Sandlin. The proud owner of a 2006 F-150 Ford pickup had driven to his lake house to retrieve a battery charger. He got out of his truck and turned around in time to see the truck race down the hill and into the lake. The truck floated for a short time before it sank approximately 50 feet from shore in 15 feet of water. The game warden was asked to SCUBA dive and connect a chain to the bumper hitch. When the vehicle was pulled from the lake, it was discovered that gearshift was in reverse instead of park. The vehicle had only 5,000 miles on the odometer and a beautiful leather interior.

Gotta run, Warden, but here’s my parole officer’s card

On March 6, 2006 an Orange County game warden to check a vehicle parked along an isolated county road in Vidor. Upon making contact with the driver, a crack pipe and hypodermic needle fell onto the roadway. A scuffle ensued, and the suspect jumped into a nearby swamp and fled into the woods after being pepper sprayed. Fortunately, the driver left his driver’s license and parole officer’s card in his vehicle. Two hours later the suspect returned to his residence where the game warden placed him under arrest for multiple violations, including tampering with physical evidence, resisting arrest, and evading arrest or detention

Owl catches woman

On Dec. 13, 2005 an Irion County game warden received an urgent call from the sheriff’s office stating that they had received a 911 call from a woman requesting a game warden. The caller reported that she had stopped on the roadside to assist an injured owl, and the owl had attacked her and now had its talons impaled in her leg and would not turn loose. The game warden called the woman and instructed her to place a towel or cloth over the owl’s head, try to remain calm and quiet and maybe the owl would release its hold. When the game warden arrived, he found the woman and her five children in the vehicle, but the owl had left the area. The grateful woman stated that she had done as instructed, the owl released its hold, and she kicked it into the ditch. The warden then advised her to get prompt medical attention for her wounds. The woman stated she would and that she would never touch another wild animal.

Freezer burn

On Dec. 17, 2005 a Bowie County game warden received a call from the Arkansas Game & Fish Commission that they had information on an illegal deer from their state that had been brought to Texas. The warden and an Arkansas warden located the residence and made contact with the owner. The owner stated his son had killed deer in Texas but not Arkansas. The father showed the officers two bucks in the freezer. They were whole, un-skinned and frozen solid since Thanksgiving. The father stated his son had killed one and his 5-year-old granddaughter killed the other around 8 a.m. on Nov. 24. The Texas warden checked for a hunting license through Houston communications, and it showed the son had bought a license Nov. 24 at 10:17 a.m. The Texas warden had the man contact his son. The son arrived and admitted to killing both deer and not tagging them. The son also stated that he had bought the license after the deer were killed. Citations were issued. The wardens had a hard time getting the deer out of the freezer because they were frozen together and to the freezer itself. After an hour of pouring hot water and also trying a water hose running on the deer, they still would not move. The son tied a chain around the deer being seized and tried pulling them out of the freezer with his vehicle, but no luck. That's when the homeowner got on his tractor, and with help dislodged it.

It was that sixth shot that did it

On the night of Oct. 28, 2005 a Cameron County Warden and three U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service refuge officers ran a decoy deer operation on the Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge. At 11 p.m. a truck with two subjects approached the intersection where the decoy was deployed and fired six shots from a .22 rifle. After a short pursuit the truck was stopped. The two Port Isabel locals commented that they knew it was a decoy when on the sixth shot, the right antler was shot off and the deer continued to just "Look at them." State and federal refuge cases were filed.

Mmm Good

A Harris County Game Warden answered a complaint regarding illegal sale of raccoons in Northeast Houston. The suspect was advertising the sale of wild hog meat with signs on his van, but after inspecting his freezer it was discovered that he had hidden 17 processed raccoons. The suspect did not have a trapper’s license and gave a written confession of the offense. Case pending.

Field Dressed

Jan, 2005 Wardens were checking a hunting camp right after dark. When the occupants of the camp came out to greet them, the wardens were somewhat concerned that one of the male hunters was wearing a dress or skirt. Being the professionals they are, they continued with the contact and found that the hunter had been successful in killing two turkeys, one of which was untagged and the other was improperly tagged. While receiving his citation, the Tarrant County hunter asked the wardens, "How do you like my new hunting dress?" They replied that it was nice, but it might be a little cool. The hunter replied that the wind did cause some problems. The dress turned out to be a "camouflage kilt." The hunter's wife stated that this was the new fad in hunting apparel, and she had bought the kilt for him.