The following items are compiled from recent Texas Parks and Wildlife Department law enforcement reports.
Habitual offender
Some folks have a reputation for bad habits. Game wardens have habits, too, like revisiting hunting camps with a known history of violations. One camp in particular in southeast Texas, for example, gets a routine checkup and during a recent visit wardens discovered five improperly tagged deer.
One hunter tagged a doe with a buck tag to avoid exceeding the bag limit on antlerless deer and another used his son’s tag rather than his own. Cases are pending.
Sniffing out game
In early November, a hunter witnessed another hunter on an adjacent property shoot a buck on his side of the fence. The offending hunter jumped the fence, retrieved his arrow and began to search for the deer. He was confronted by the landowner, who called game wardens.
After interviewing the landowner and the suspect, the wardens began searching for the deer. After following the blood trail, and searching for several hours with no results, the wardens contacted the game warden K9 team for assistance. Game warden wildlife K9 Blitz and his handler arrived early the next morning, and quickly located the deer. Appropriate charges and restitution were filed and are pending.
Slippin’ sliders
Salmonella cases have been traced back to common turtles like red-eared sliders and small children have a tendency to put things in their mouths and not wash their hands. That’s why it is illegal to sell turtles less than four inches in size.
On Nov. 3, Cass County game wardens received a call concerning individuals selling undersize turtles at the Cullen Baker Fair in Bloomburg. The caller stated two stands were selling small one-inch red-eared sliders and did not possess the required a non-game wildlife dealer permit. Wardens investigated both stands. The first vendor they checked had removed his turtles and was deceptive during questioning. Further investigation revealed the vendor heard game wardens were on the scene and attempted to hide his turtles in his truck. The second vendor was honest about his activities. Appropriate charges were filed.
Shooters remorse
During the late-night hours in early October, an Upshur County game warden received a call from a distraught couple claiming they had discovered a deceased 10-point buck on their property. The couple explained they noticed the dead deer in the field just beyond their target after sighting in hunting rifles. The callers requested the warden’s response due to concern that the deer was possibly sick or diseased.
An impromptu necropsy by the wardens confirmed their suspicions that the buck had died from a fatal gunshot wound. After further questioning, ballistics exams, and recreating the couple’s shooting scenario, the emotional female finally confessed to intentionally shooting the buck in the field. Claiming never to have had the opportunity growing up to hunt or harvest a wild animal, she decided to take a shot at the live target. Civil restitution and charges were filed. Cases are pending.
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