Dragnet: Game Warden Edition
The following items are compiled from recent Texas Parks and Wildlife Department law
enforcement reports.
Something Very Fishy Here
On April 7, a Delta County game warden received a phone call stating five men were
using two cast nets to catch game fish at the Cooper Lake Spillway. The suspects’
vehicle was located by a State Parks peace officer at a gas station in Cooper. Upon
arrival, the game warden found the suspects to be in possession of 197 game fish.
Species included hybrid striped bass, white bass, crappie, and catfish; 29 fish were
undersized and only one of the five men had a valid fishing license. The suspects were
in possession of two cast nets and three fishing poles but no hooks or tackle. Charges
pending.
No DeFence
On April 19, a Brazoria County game warden received a phone call from a local
landowner stating three of his blackbuck antelope had been shot. Two antelope were
found dead and another one was wounded. The landowner stated a neighbor saw two
men with a .22 rifle along his high fence knew where the suspects lived. The suspects
turned out to be a teenage boy and his father. After separating the pair, the teenage boy
stated his dad had shot all three antelope. The boy also retrieved the .22 rifle that was
used, and explained they planned on eating the antelope, but the fence was too high for
him to cross over and retrieve the carcasses. With the overwhelming evidence building
up against the father, he decided to confess. Hunt without landowner consent, no
hunting license, and discharging a firearm across property lines were filed. Cases
pending.
Cleanup on Aisle 4
On April 15, a Hardin County game warden received a call from the manager of the
Office Depot store in Beaumont. The manager indicated there was a small hawk flying
around inside the store and they couldn’t get it to leave, even though they had the front
and back roll-up doors open. The warden enlisted the help of a licensed falconer
experienced in handling and trapping birds of prey. After arriving on scene with a hawk
trap and some live bait they soon discovered that although the bird resembled a hawk, it
was in fact a large nightjar or “nighthawk,” which feeds on insects, rendering the trap
idea useless. Undeterred, the warden and his falconer friend resorted to using a ladder
and a dip net. After what resembled a scene from America’s Funniest Home Videos,
they were able to finally corral the bird in a back hallway and catch it in the dip net. It
was released outside where it flew off unharmed. The store manager was very grateful
the bird was removed and would not be setting off the alarm system after closing.
