The following are excerpts from recent Texas Parks and Wildlife Department law enforcement reports
Not the "Reel" Deal
In November, a Bowie County Game Warden received a call about an individual claiming to be an undercover game warden working the Wright Patman Lake Spillway. The caller said the supposed warden was checking fish and fishing licenses and commenting on the legality of fish being kept. The caller was able to provide a description of the individual and a license plate number registered in Arkansas.
Before Bowie County wardens, working with Arkansas Game Wardens, could visit the suspect’s house, however, the original caller reached out again to say the supposed warden was back at the spillway, making the same claims. A warden immediately headed to the spillway, where he observed the suspect in action and wearing law enforcement gear, though he was unarmed. As the suspect was heading back to his vehicle, the warden intercepted him for questioning. The man denied all claims, stating he was there because he worked for a road construction company.
After getting statements from witnesses, the warden obtained an arrest warrant for the suspect who later turned himself in. Charges are pending.
Baiting and Blasting
On September 13, an Atascosa County Game Warden was monitoring a property where illegal hunting activity was suspected. After hearing several shotgun blasts, the warden entered the property and discovered two men hunting dove over bait. It was during a special white-wing only season and only two mourning doves were allowed per hunter. The hunters were intentionally over their limit of mourning dove and were still actively hunting when the warden arrived.
While investigating the incident, the warden looked through feed sacks in the bed of a truck. He was surprised to discover two cleaned out, untagged jake Rio Grande turkeys in an empty feed sack. One hunter admitted to shooting them earlier in the day and had asked the second hunter to dispose of the carcasses, which he had not yet done.
The hunters were issued citations for killing turkeys out of season, exceeding the daily bag limit of mourning doves, placing bait to attract and hunting over bait. The illegally taken game was seized and donated. Cases and civil restitution are pending.