Game Warden Blotter
Spearfishing technique draws attention, tickets
Williamson County Game Warden Joel Campos received a report about possible illegal activity at San Gabriel Park in Georgetown. Six men were allegedly spearing game fish. Campos could not see them from land so he walked the river, trying to remain concealed at the same time. Campos observed three of them swimming with goggles and spears. When he confronted them, none had a fishing license. All three men said they were fishing for carp. No evidence indicated game fish were in their possession. The men received citations, and their equipment was confiscated. Other charges are pending.
Dance, dance, dance all the way to jail
While patrolling Lake Amistad, Val Verde Game Warden Roger Nicholas and Terrell County Game Warden Kenneth Stannard observed a boat coming from a cove. The driver of the boat was standing up, dancing and chugging a beer all at the same time. The boat was stopped, and after a water safety check, a few float tests were administered. The driver was taken to shore where he failed to pass a sobriety test and was arrested for boating while intoxicated.
Cadet smells something fishy on bank angler
While patrolling the Bosque River, Coryell County Game Warden Andrew Alexander and Game Warden Cadet Brad Clark made contact with two people fishing from the bank. When one of the people went to his vehicle to retrieve his fishing license, Clark detected a strong smell of marijuana. Alexander was notified, and after a search of the vehicle a large bag of marijuana and drug paraphernalia were seized.
Poachers’ misdeeds were plain as day
For five months, Angelina County Game Wardens Phillip Wood and Tim Walker investigated poaching on the Neches River. Ultimately, the wardens saw two people emptying a hoop net in front of them on the river at the back of a hunting club. Both people were charged with possession of a net in prohibited waters, taking fish by illegal means and methods, and undersized catfish.
Wardens descend on lounging road hunters
While loading their boats at Sam Rayburn Reservoir, Angelina County Game Warden James Barge, Nacogdoches County Game Warden Randy Stovall and Tyler County Game Warden Bill Zappe received a call about road hunting. The wardens responded from two different directions and stopped a vehicle. Three people were sitting in lawn chairs in the bed of the truck with rifles and spotlights.
Boys left evidence of apparent poaching
Throckmorton County Game Warden Shea Guinn headed to an area lake one morning and discovered someone had dumped two deer, two cottontails and one bobcat out on a vacant lot. The violators were two local young men, and charges were to be filed.
Solo angler has too many crappie
Game Wardens David Pellizzari and Dewayne Noble were patrolling Lake Gilmer checking boats for water safety and fishing violations. While checking a fishing boat with one man, they found he had 26 undersized crappie and 38 total. Several charges are pending.
One thing leads to another after wreck
While on his way home, Upshur County Game Warden David Pellizzari drove up on wreck involving a deer. While waiting on a trooper to arrive, Pellizzari noticed the registration on the boat the driver was pulling had expired in March 2009. Pellizzari asked where the vehicle’s occupants had been, and the driver said they had been fishing at Lake Fork. Upon inspection of their fish, Pellizzari found eight undersized channel catfish and an undersized crappie. Citations were issued for the undersized fish.
No license: no catch, no keep
Refugio County Game Warden Danny Kelso arrested two people at Cavasso Creek with a mixed bag of several undersized speckled trout, redfish and black drum. Neither person had a fishing license. Four cases were filed.
Three boaters, one life jacket
A call came in to Chambers County Game Wardens Bobby Jobes and John Feist and Harris County Game Warden Susan Webb about an overturned boat on Galveston Bay. With the aid of a victim’s cell phone, the wardens were able to locate and rescue the two males, one female and one dog. The victims had been in the water for about four hours and the female was the only one who had a life jacket on.
Spring flooding blows out Guadalupe
Heavy rains caused flash floods June 9 on the Guadalupe River west of Canyon Lake Dam in Comal County and in Seguin, Guadalupe County. Comal County Game Warden Jake Scott rescued an individual whose truck stalled in high water after driving around barricades at a low-water crossing. Guadalupe County Game Warden Kevin Frazier used his boat to rescue a female from her home on McQueeny Lake. Comal County Game Wardens Brent Satsky and Michael McCall, and Wilson County Game Warden Jesse Garcia assisted sheriff’s officers with rescue operations. One fatality was attributed to the flooding. Outfitters and campsites along River Road near New Braunfels received the most damage from the flood waters. Numerous travel trailers, vehicles, camping equipment and personal belongings were washed away by the flash flood.
Warden helps ease hiker’s pain while help is en route
Game Warden Jim Porter responded to a call for assistance in Madera Canyon after an 18-year-old man fell from high bluffs. The man had been hiking near the top of the mountain. After the fall, he had a severely crushed leg and other injuries. The man was given first aid and morphine on the side of the mountain and then carried in a basket to an ambulance at the bottom of the canyon.
Man wanted to fish too bad at children’s event
At a fishing derby for children in Lubbock, Scurry County Game Warden Mel Reed and Hale County Game Warden Mark Collins were assisting and noticed one adult who kept trying to participate in the children-only event. The man ignored other sponsors and was causing problems with others trying to enjoy the event. Reed and Collins asked the man several times to leave the children’s fishing equipment alone. After many attempts, the man was asked for identification. A computer check revealed active warrants for his arrest. The man was arrested and transported to jail.
Fast acting probably saved person
Game Wardens Jared Self and Chris Sanchez were on patrol at Red Bluff Reservoir when they were asked to assist with an unresponsive male. The game wardens notified Pecos emergency medical service workers (about 40 miles away). After a quick assessment, a decision was made to transport the individual to meet EMS on the road. When they met, EMS worked for about 20 minutes stabilizing the individual before transporting him to the hospital. It was later learned that the outcome may not have been the same had 30 or 40 more minutes expired before contact with medical personnel.
Airboat crashes on Brazos; cause under investigation
One man died and two other boaters were injured when an airboat crashed on the Brazos River. Preliminary observations indicate the driver of the airboat possibly had a heart attack or another medical emergency as he was traveling up the river and lost control of the airboat. The airboat went into trees, pinning the driver and one of the passengers in the boat. A third person was able to free the other passenger, and together they pulled the driver’s body from the boat. The victims called friends who had another boat, and all three were taken back down river to an ambulance. Hamilton County Game Warden Ronnie Yates and Coryell County Game Warden Andrew Alexander were among the first responders.
Game Warden Blotter
