Texas Game Warden Field Notes

The following items are compiled from recent Texas Parks and Wildlife Department law enforcement reports.

If The Shoe Fits… An Ellis County game warden was travelling along I-35 when he witnessed three male subjects pass what appeared to be a marijuana blunt back and forth to each other as they drove. The warden and a deputy constable pulled the car over and the driver and passengers denied smoking and possessing any drugs. After searching the vehicle, the warden found a bag of marijuana stuffed into a shoe box. The driver was arrested for possession of marijuana.

Boat Accident Leads to Intoxication Arrest: A Polk County game warden received a call about a boat accident on Lake Livingston. The warden responded to the scene and, after viewing the subject involved, suspected they were intoxicated. After a sobriety test, the subject consented to a blood draw and was booked at the Polk County Jail.

Something Smells Fishy: A commercial shrimp boat in Aransas Bay was apprehended by an Aransas County game warden, Dewitt County game warden and two cadets for displaying bay plates. After searching the boat, game warden’s found approximately 3,000 non-game fish but not a single shrimp. The captain of the boat had bait plates on board, and was advised that he would be given an opportunity to clear things up. The captain decided not to correct anything, so citations were issued and all non-game fish were removed from the live wells and released back into the water.

Drug Possession on Frio Could Sends Man “Up the River”: A Uvalde County game warden and Kinney county game warden teamed up to patrol the Frio River out of Concan in northern Uvalde County. A subject who was checked near the Frio River was found to be in possession of about eight grams of methamphetamine and a digital scale. A second-degree felony charge was filed for possession with intent to distribute.

Indictment Returned in Deer-Burning Case: In January, a Sabine County game warden issued multiple Class C misdemeanor hunting violations against an individual after finding the burned carcass of a white-tailed deer in the man’s backyard. After a lengthy investigation, the subject admitted to burning the deer carcass to avoid getting caught by game wardens. The deer had been shot illegally off a major highway in Sabine County. The warden presented the case to a Sabine County grand jury, which on July 17 indicted the man for tampering with evidence, a state jail felony.