The following items are compiled from recent Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s law enforcement reports.
Lost and Found
A recent game warden academy graduate was enjoying a weekend of camping and fishing at Fayette Lake before reporting to his first duty station later this month in Starr County. One Sunday morning, the new game warden came across a small aluminum boat that was abandoned at the dam. He called local dispatch and gave them the boat registration numbers, then towed it back to the Oak Thicket boat ramp and secured it. When the local game warden arrived, a park worker told him that a boat had been stolen during the night from one of the campers. After talking to the campers, it became apparent their missing boat was the same one the new game warden had found on the other side of the lake that morning. The campers were overjoyed and grateful for the recovery of their boat.
Does Your Mother Know That You’re Out?
While patrolling the Sabine River late one night, a Gregg County game warden and an Upshur County game warden saw two individuals fishing near a public boat ramp. When the wardens made contact, they noticed one of the individuals grew visibly irritated and evasive. Fictitious information was offered to the wardens as local law enforcement arrived to assist. The subject was placed in handcuffs for safety precautions. Once in handcuffs the individual began complying with the officers and provided their real identification information. Concealed drug paraphernalia was later found in the subject’s underwear. It was later discovered that the individual was evading a felony parole warrant for injury to a child. The subject’s parents arrived to assist and thanked the wardens for helping them regain some control of their child. The subject was released to another agency, who transported them to the Gregg County jail. Additional charges pending investigation.
Linked by Ink
Two Liberty County game wardens completed an investigation that began in mid-February of this year when they were notified about some potential hunting without landowner consent. A hunting lease member contacted the wardens when they captured a picture of a man on their game camera and on their property without permission. The picture was clear enough to see the very distinctive tattoos the man had. After a few weeks of talking to local residents, the wardens were able to identify the name of a possible suspect. They ran the name through the Liberty County Sheriff’s Department to check for priors and they discovered that he had been through the system and they had pictures of his tattoos on record. After a quick comparison of the tattoos, the wardens had enough probable cause to get an arrest warrant for the suspect. He was soon arrested on the Class “A” Misdemeanor charge of Hunting Without Landowner Consent and a brief interview was conducted at the Sheriff’s department. During the interview, the suspect admitted to the crime. Case pending.
It’s Tradition
A Lubbock County game warden was travelling to Buffalo Springs Lake when he came across a group of five young men shooting skeet on a county road. While approaching the group, he noticed numerous empty shell casings on the road. When the warden questioned the group about what they were doing, one of the individuals admitted they were skeet shooting, but did not know the owner of the field they were shooting across and into. At one point, a family member of one of the young men became frustrated and said, “we have done this for years.” Citations were issued to the individuals for Discharge of Firearm on Public Roadway and Trespass by Projectile.