Protect Wildlife Report a Poacher February 2016 ISSUE - REPORT WILDLIFE VIOLATIONS: 1(800) 792-4263 WWW.OGTTX.COM In This Issue: 2016 Fundraisers Now In Place (NEW) Lone Star Law TV Series! Game Warden Stories Major Cases/REWARD Offered! CASE SOLVED! OGT COMMITTEE John Nelson, Chairman Joe McBride, Chairman Emeritus Robert F. McBee Gibson D. "Gib" Lewis Robert R. Harper Allen Hurst Sr. Ronald R. Sewell James P. (Rick) Walker Robert G. Samford Jimmy Hasslocher Clint Small OGT ADMINISTRATION Lt. Lewis Rather Program Coordinator, Editor (512) 565-3963 Lori Brock Administrative Assistant (512) 389-4381 Fundraisers In Place for 2016 Well, we re up and running, the fundraising events for 2016 are in place and coming together, and with each event the focus is on raising funds to help continue the work that the Operation Game Thief program does each year. Protecting our state s natural and cultural resources for future generations is no minor task. With the public s help the program will continue to assist Texas Game Wardens in their unending effort to deter poaching across the state. This year the Austin Claystoppers event will be held at the Texas Disposal Systems (TDS) site just south of Austin in Creedmoor on April 29 th. If you have never been to an OGT event at TDS, you are missing out on a great day of fun and food, while supporting a worthwhile cause - - the protection of Texas wildlife resources, through enforcement. The Houston event will be hosted at a new venue this year, and is scheduled for June 3, 2016 at the Texas Premier - Promatic Training Center, on Hwy 36 just five miles south of Sealy, Texas. http://www.txpremiersportingarms.com The last event for 2016 will be at the National Shooting Complex in San Antonio on September 23, 2016. The San Antonio shoot is once again shaping up to be a great event. Information for all three fundraising events will be available in the coming weeks at www.ogttx.com. LONE STAR LAW TV SERIES! On Animal Planet A new television series on Animal Planet, LONE STAR LAW, is coming your way June 2016. The series will be depicting Texas Game Wardens across the state as they intercede on behalf of sportsmen everywhere in protection of the state s fish and wildlife resources as well as working to keep public waterways safe for countless outdoor activities. To view a short preview, go to: https://www.facebook.com/lonestarlaw/videos/1021421167913508
Game Warden Stories On September 5th, Sabine County Game Warden Doug Williams was patrolling Toledo Bend Reservoir for water safety violations when he heard a number of shots being fired. While in route to investigate, he received an OGT call regarding 2 individuals hunting dove over a baited field. As it turned out the OGT call and the shots Warden Williams heard were from the same case. Upon investigation, Warden Williams indeed found 2 individuals hunting over a baited field and citations were issued. Be Careful of Selfies On August 8th, Victoria County Game Warden Travis Haug received an OGT call about a man posting photos of himself on Facebook. The photos showed him holding an Alligator Gar in one hand and an American Alligator in the other. Contact was made with the subject posting the photos and he claimed the alligator was dead when he found it. The subject claimed that he caught the Alligator gar but did not have a fishing license. Two citations were issued to the subject. Cases Pending IT S NOT NICE TRYING TO FOOL A CANINE! On August 29th, Henderson County Game Warden Chad West received an OGT complaint that a person had shot a deer at night and tossed the carcass in the woods near his residence. Warden West made contact with the individual who said that his friends were mad at him and making false claims. Warden West searched the area and was not able to locate a deer or any evidence of hunting activity. The next day Warden West received a call from a different individual, who had overheard the suspect say that he was too good for the wardens to catch. Warden West made contact with warden K9 Handler Sam Shanafelt and his K9 partner, Blitz. The two wardens and Blitz revisited the suspect s residence and he again stated that the whole story was made up and they wouldn t find a deer. Warden Shanafelt and Blitz hit the woods and Blitz was able to find a freshly dumped deer carcass within just a few minutes. Once the deer was brought back up to the patrol units, the suspect admitted to killing the deer a few days before and lied because he was scared he was going to get caught. Many thanks to Warden Shanafelt and Blitz. Due to limited information and the terrain, this case would likely not have been made without their assistance. Cases pending The TRUTH is Always the BEST! On November 20th, Henderson County Game Warden Chad West received a call from a pumper who was checking well sites in Henderson Co. He stated that when he pulled into a well site, he noticed a person dragging a deer off the gas company s property to a wooded area. When the hunter noticed the pumper, he ran to a nearby house where he jumped into a truck and sped off. Warden West made contact with a female at the house who stated that her husband had gone to town to get parts for a tractor. When the subject returned to his house a few minutes later, he denied hunting. He then changed his story to shooting a buck on his property and stated the buck jumped the fence to the gas company s property so he simply went to retrieve it. After more questioning the subject finally confessed to shooting the deer on the gas company s property and got scared when he saw the pumper on the property. He further stated that the real reason he left so quickly was to buy a hunting license in case a game warden showed up. (Cases with civil restitution pending) The deer scored 121 B&C. YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE! REPORT WILDLIFE VIOLATIONS 1(800) 792-4263
Don t MESS WITH TEXAS November 14th, Matagorda County Game Wardens Clay Shock and Trey Sparkman entered a property to check for deer hunting compliance. The first thing the wardens noticed when they entered the camp was a deer hanging from the bucket of a tractor. The 3 individuals in the camp, who were all from out of state, admitted to taking several deer even though none of the men had hunting licenses. Further inspection of the camp revealed eight (8) more quartered whitetail deer in three coolers, and six (6) buck heads that all measured less than the required 13 minimum inside spread. The hunters stated that they had already thrown 3 doe heads in the woods, of which only one was recovered. The 3 Louisiana individuals were charged with Hunting without a Valid Non-Resident Hunting License, Taking Illegal Whitetail Buck (6 counts), and Possession of Whitetail Deer with Proof of Sex Removed (2 counts). Wardens Shock and Sparkman transported all three hunters to meet with the Justice of the Peace, who magistrated them and received a guilty plea from each hunter. The 3 hunters were fined approximately $6000, and are facing close to $8000 in civil restitution. The 9 deer were seized and donated locally.
Major Cases REWARD Offered!
SOCIAL MEDIA YOU CAN RUN BUT NEVER HIDE In early January 2016, Kaufman County Game Warden Eric Minter received a complaint from a local hunter regarding an individual entering a hunting lease to hunt without consent and stealing game cameras and memory cards from other cameras. Unbeknownst to the poacher, one of the cameras left behind had a small amount of internal memory and was able to capture and store a picture of the suspect. After making numerous contacts with local residents, wardens were unable to identify the subject in the photo. On Feb. 1 st, Captain Tony Norton forwarded the photo to OGT with a request to post the photo on OGT s Facebook page and request assistance from the public to identify the subject. On the morning of Feb. 2 nd, by 10:00 am, the subject had been identified and the subject himself had called Austin Communications to ask, Why is my picture on Facebook? He also advised dispatch that he had been given permission to hunt the property where his picture was taken. Once interviewed, the subject admitted that he crossed at least one fence and removed at least three game cameras. Wardens are attempting to recover the cameras or verify that they have been destroyed at this time. This case has been rapidly solved as a result of those who strongly believe poaching of any kind is theft and it is personal to all law abiding sportsmen. The information on this case was shared over 1500 times, proving once again that deterring poaching in Texas is a team effort from both the citizens of Texas and law enforcement. Thank you to all our supporters. HELP STOP POACHING IN TEXAS REPORT POACHING 24/7 CALL 1-800-792-4263
Thank you for supporting the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and the Game Wardens who are the first line of defense against poaching in Texas. Operation Game Thief is Texas Wildlife Crimestoppers Program, offering rewards of up to $1,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of individuals who commit wildlife crimes. Privately funded, the program is dependent on financial support from the public through fundraisers, as well as the purchase of OGT merchandise and memberships, donations, sponsorships and gifts. Please support wildlife conservation and ethical hunting and fishing by donating to Operation Game Thief. 2016 CALENDAR OF EVENTS 2016 Dates and Locations Austin Claystopperrs Event/ TX Disposal Systems (TDS). April 29, 2016 Houston Claystoppers Event/ Texas Premier - Promatic Training Center, Sealy, Texas. June 3, 2016 San Antonio Claystoppers Event/ Nat l Shooting Complex. September 23, 2016 Watch for them at www.ogttx.com and future newsletters! For more information on the OGT program, go to www.ogttx.com or call (512) 389-4381 or (512) 815-5075