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Flushing out a Poacher On Nov. 2, Henderson County Game Wardens filed charges against a man for hunting without landowner consent. The wardens had been investigating the suspect since last deer season, when they found an unusual hunting blind made out of a converted port-a-potty. Unable to catch the suspect last year, wardens set up a game camera along the property line in hopes the hunter would return to hunt the same unusual blind.
On the opening morning of deer season, the camera captured the suspect walking to his “toilet stand.” Not long after, wardens confronted the hunter and he confessed to hunting without permission. Charges were filed, and the man removed the blind and feeder from the property.
Bailout Results in Bale-Out
While assisting other law enforcement agencies as part of Operation Lone Star, a Texas Game Warden and his K9 partner, Jake, were called to track a bailout suspect. Before starting their search for the bailout, though, Jake alerted to the vehicle — an indication people could be inside. However, Jake and his partner began pursuing the track of the bailout suspect and left the vehicle alone so it could be processed for evidence.
After successfully locating and aiding in the apprehension of their suspect, the game warden received a call from the agent at the scene and were surprised to learn the haybale in the bed of the truck had just flipped over and requested assistance. Officers discovered 10 undocumented individuals hiding inside the fake hay bale.
Venom and Vice
A Milam County Game Warden received a call on Feb. 1 from a concerned landlord about a tenant reportedly keeping several venomous snakes in an apartment near the Cameron ISD Middle School. Given the nature of the call and the tenant’s history, game wardens from Travis and Williamson counties, along with the Milam County Sheriff’s Office, assisted with the investigation.
Upon contact, the tenant admitted to possessing multiple snakes and allowed wardens to inspect them. Inside the apartment, wardens observed what appeared to be methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia in plain sight. A field test confirmed the substance as methamphetamine, and the suspect was arrested for possession of a controlled substance. The tenant’s apartment is located within 1,000 feet of a school, placing the offense within a designated drug-free zone.
After being Mirandized, he confessed to keeping a monocled cobra, a green bush viper, rat snakes, bull snakes and approximately 25 rat t lesnakes—without the required permit or a hunting license.
Due to the presence of the openly visible narcotics, wardens obtained a search warrant, which led to the discovery of additional narcotics, drug paraphernalia and more unlawfully possessed snakes. Wardens seized the reptiles and transferred them to a licensed permit holder who is equipped to care for them.
The suspect now faces multiple charges, including possession of a controlled substance penalty group 1, possession of drug paraphernalia, no valid hunting license and a violation for the lack of a non-indigenous snake permit.
Montgomery County Landowner Ruffles Feathers with Case of Mistaken Identity On the afternoon of Oct. 11, Texas Game Wardens received reports from a caller saying they witnessed a bald eagle shot in Montgomery County. The warden spoke to the landowner who admitted to shooting a hawk that had been harassing his chickens. While searching the property, the warden discovered an injured bald eagle hidden underneath a tarp. The landowner confessed to shooting the eagle and said he planned to try to fix its wing.
The game warden seized the eagle and transported it to a veterinary hospital, where it was evaluated and prepped for surgery to try to repair its broken wing and gunshot wound. Despite best efforts, the eagle ultimately had to be euthanized.
After completing the initial investigation, Texas Game Wardens turned the case over to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), which will inquire into the situation further and file necessary charges.
“While we never like to see an incident like this occur, we appreciate the caller’s prompt actions in reporting the violation so Texas Game Wardens could investigate and try to give the eagle its best chance at survival,” said Col. Ronald VanderRoest, TPWD Law Enforcement Director. “We are grateful for our partnership with the USFWS who will help in the prosecution of this crime and hopefully prevent violations of this nature from occurring in the future.”
Mule Deer Mishap
In late October, a Crockett County Game Warden received a call from a ranch hand in Pecos County reporting two hunters illegally harvesting mule deer. The ranch in question operates under the Managed Lands Deer Program, allowing for extended seasons for white-tailed and mule deer. Hunters could legally harvest white-tailed deer by any lawful means at that time, but mule deer could only be harvested by lawful archery equipment until Nov. 2.
The ranch hand reported that the two hunters, who were instructed to shoot only white-tailed deer, had shot two mule deer bucks with modern firearms.
Crockett County and Brewster County Game Wardens responded the next day to interview the hunters, who admitted to shooting the bucks at last light when they saw antlers in the brush. They claimed they mistook the mule deer for whitetailed deer and took the shots as soon as the deer stood up. The wardens seized both bucks and issued citations for unlawful means and methods, warnings for taking mule deer out of season and the hunters were charged civil restitution for the two dollars.
