Poaching Game Warden

Poaching Game Warden

Mind blown

Crazy. I just dont see how he gets to keep his job. If its common not to charge someone with a felony then thats fine but his story sounds like a bunch of BS to me. Obviously I wasnt there but this: “I had planned on harvesting an antlerless white-tailed deer and donating it to the local food bank,” sounds extremely convenient. Probably has been doing it a while knowing he had almost no chance of getting in trouble....unless he randomly gets shot.

Wow..... unbelievable he's keeping his job. I remember this well when this happened. Alot of people concerned thinking he was out there on duty.

I remember the story being posted here too. I recall quite a lot of bad information. But I don't remember the poaching charges, he was supposedly on duty.
It is my understanding that if you have any wildlife violations that you cannot become a game warden. I guess as long as they are after the fact you are okay.

Can you really stop a poacher while poaching? I guess this falls under "eliminating the competition."

Just saying, he made a moral mistake (even more so because of his position), but then got shot, claimed responsibility, apologized, cited, fined, one month without pay, now dragged through the mud. I've heard of plenty of felons getting less...

Wow, I remember following the thread about the shooting and can't believe this never came out until now. Like most people, I guess I just assumed he had a permit and then went after "poachers" himself when he heard gunshots. To me, a game warden poaching is about the equivalent of a narcotics officer dealing drugs or ATF agent doing some illegal gun running. Would those two officers still have their jobs if they were doing those things?

At minimum would be transferred to the depths of beyond to keep a job.....or resign.

This does not pass the smell test. Just does not seem correct to keep his job.

Not sure how he'd be able to go out and enforce a harsher penalty if he caught someone doing the same. Should be forced to resign. Not buying the preferential treatment deal.

Those felons that got less aren't going to be out enforcing the laws that they broke. He was out doing something illegal, again, paid the stupid tax while doing it, and the department screwed every single tax payer in Texas to cover his medical bills and living expenses as a result of it. When you buy your tags this year, a small portion of that money is paying his bills.

F him, and the shady department that covered for him.

http://www.dallasnews.com/news/state/hea...es-kept-job.ece



No, he was in "Breaking the laws he's supposed to be enforcing" mode.

This is typical American Justice today...

If I remember correctly he was exalted to level somewhere between hero and champion. No one could say anything derogatory about this great man, and everyone wanted his shooter to be drawn and quartered. Harshest words were not bad enough to describe the cowardly POS that shot this hero. Well, it will be interesting to see where people line up now.

Here is the old thread. http://texashuntingforum.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/4874920/4

I noted that the game warden should not have been hunting at the time of the event (after legal hours) and Texas Dan apparently thought I had lost my mind, LOL.

Unbelievable! TPWD is by far the most CORRUPT Law enforcement agency in the Country! Everything is grey and up to the discretion of the Officer. Talk about Power going to your head. There was another group of Game Wardens that got caught Dove hunting early and over a baited area about 3 years ago and they were slapped on the hand and the story was minimized. I know of so many bad stories including an officer giving a parent and his 9yr old son a really hard time for shooting frogs with a BB gun, and on and on.

more of the "do as I say, not as I do"

I fail to see how this is any different then a police officer getting arrested for DWI. I mean we are talking felony(GW) and Misd B(DWI), even though the GW was reduced to a misd. I've never heard of a LEO keeping his job after being found guilty of DWI.

Cabela's wont hire you if you have ever been charged with a game law, fishing or hunting. And they will terminate you if you are charged with a game law during your employment with them. Sad that the State of Texas can't even keep the same ethics as Cabela's.

On another note, it said he "switched from off-duty to on-duty" and so it's being handled by WC. That would be nice for quite a few police officers that were injured off-duty while trying to stop a crime. I mean, they switched to "on-duty" to prevent a crime. Many of them lost their jobs due to the severity of the injury and never received a dime.

Just my

The most entertaining part, to me, is "... file for workers' compensation for the injury..."

Let him keep the job, game wardens are short handed after all.

They need help down on the border, free up a spot around civilization.

I like this idea, let's see if a 3 to 4 year stint in the Lower Valley, changes him.

I read the original THF discussion that Double Naught Spy provided. It is unfortunate this happened. I should not use the word "entertaining".

Cabela's will fire you if you get a fishing/hunting citation while employed there? Didn't think anyone could get fired for such a thing.

There is only a set amount of game wardens, it isn't like there are openings that no one will fill, Texas will only hire so many. Shorthanded is determined by how many the state will hire, not by how many people want to be a game warden.
My daughter's boy friend has applied for game warden, and the process for the two openings had 1500 applicants make it to the first round of qualifying.
There are clearly many people that want the job, we do not need to keep a criminal when we have such a large pool of people willing to step in and fill the only few spots available.

Agree 100%, pretty much my sentiments in the same thread in the OT. At some point the line should be drawn on integrity. How can a "law breaker" enforce the same laws with a str8 face?

Same thing happened in my native CO a year or two back. Game warden got caught in the field will an illegal mulie buck and he didn't get fired! He was "reassigned" to a position in which he had no authority to write citations which means he is riding a desk and still drawing a paycheck!

Even if they were "short handed" and had limited pool of replacements he should not have kept his job. Besides if he is willing to violate his integrity violating his oath of office what other things is he willing to do that do the same or worse? I'm confidant the majority of GW's are good people that do the right things for the right reasons but their willingness to "close ranks" and protect a fellow officer who violated his sworn oath is clearly wrong is more than a little disturbing.
How do you trust people in an organization willing to look the other way when it's someone the know? Ethics are not situational.

Well, the warden got reduced charges and the shooter got greatly reduced charges as well. Nobody got very prosecuted despite the potential sentencing that could have resulted.

Greatly reduced? From an accidental shooting of a warden who was off duty poaching and sneaking around thinking he was gonna bust someone breaking game laws? I think they got the right sentence. An accident isn't purpose. Poaching is on purpose especially when you're a Game Warden. But oh well

I remember that original thread.

This outcome has shocked me, it even says the officer that came to his aide had been caught doing the same thing in (2013?).

Game Wardens poaching, multiple times. Unreal.

Where does it say the officer that came to his aide had been caught doing the same? I read both links here and they appear to be same link and does not mention what you stated.

The internal affairs investigation also revealed that the biologist with the state agency — a friend of Fried’s who located him after he was shot — had also violated hunting rules during the 2013 hunting season.



http://www.mystatesman.com/news/news/wou....3553564.735784

Looks like both had their hands in the cookie jar.

I've always heard the GW's have the best hunting spots, and now we know why

Makes me pretty mad though, I hunt in that area and have gone without a buck for 3 seasons now. My loose count on the statesman article I posted shows at least 5ish times these two poached.

Thanks for the article....

I can't believe he was not fired or forced to resign.......

That is a load of crap. He should of been fired. Im glad Chris Fried isn't a warden in my county. would be hard to be decent to a guy like that.

Most game wardens hunt when and where they want. Laws are for citizens.

Sounds like he'd make for a great future politician!

Wow this makes me feel good. I donated a high dollar shotgun to a group of wardens raising money for the guy.

Speachless I cant say how bad this sucks. Fire him!

I would be livid

How could they accept? Wow, seems everyone's in it together, having a punishment handed out by your friends is ridiculous. A party that is neutral should have given the punishment out, non TPWD affiliated, just sad all around. I hope the guy makes a full recovery, but this is jacked, I will no longer be donating to TPWD either.

That's a lesson learned at high dollar.

Such a huge slap in the face of the other hard working (honest) wardens.

Given that this was a hospital admission while recovering, this is indeed jacked. That means folks knew he was a law breaker and still raising donations for him.

Lots of fundraisers were done for him...all under the guise of him being one of the good guys.
https://www.google.com/search?q=chris+fried+fundraiser&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8

What I don't understand is how TPWD thinks he can do his job. With this information known, every person that goes to court on one of his tickets is going to call into question his credibility as an LEO given that he, himself is an offender.

The scariest part to me is that his buddy that came to help him had been caught doing it too. So that makes me feel likes its not one bad apple, but a bigger problem.

I am not sure fundraisers would still have proceeded had they known their buddy was doing illegal hunting prior to the accident.

I am also thinking the warden will be challenged more to defend the tickets he issues, maybe to the point where TWPD realizes it simply has to move him.

Still amused by the "... workers comp..."

Let's at least hope his buddy knew the secret spot because of that.

No matter how bad this tastes, we sure don't like anyone - including the rule breaking warden - losing his life due to the trouble of finding him promptly.

Strange, back when he was shot everyone wanted game wardens like this hero. Same fellow, different "facts"

I agree-I really don't understand how a warden who commits a game crime keeps his job. That should be a hard & fast Rule #1. It's not like he didn't know, didn't understand, or forgot. Compares to bankers embezzling, etc.

Strange, back when he was shot everyone wanted game wardens like this hero. Same fellow, different "facts"

Tad quick to accept all you hear??

Several certainly would have. It isn't like anybody from the wardens or family was up front about the fact that he admitted to breaking the law, but they were involved in several fundraisers as contacts.

I am sure they knew that if the information got out, little money would be raised. Heck, they were advertising fundraising on the Texas Game Wardens Facebook page, even!



Nobody is saying they wanted his life lost, just pointing out that the problem goes beyond the single warden.

Y'all know my dim view of most game wardens. However, I separate critical injury from criminal behavior. His criminal behavior certainly should have resulted in his loss of job. There is no valid excuse for not firing him.

And no way should state resources be used for promoting his fundraising.

But private fundraising is perfectly fine IMO. He should have been defrocked ASAP tho so people could make informed decisions.

And I guess folks who don't know a lot of GW's are crooks believe in the tooth fairy too.

That's probably why he got off the rap and kept his job. Hard to be too tuff on someone just doing what is common practice.

For sure.

Also amusing, the warden had the nerve to pursue and TPWD calling his action of "transitioned to law enforcement mode"

That is sad. And I am not talking about your view.

They are censoring their FB page too, I haven't posted anything but have been watching comments vanish.

It hit the Stateman, bunny hugger groups are going to want him fried for murdering bambi's dad illegally.

Sad

Yes Sir you are right. I was one of the dummies who believed he was of good moral character because he was a Game warden.
I'm glad that he is ok. Just shouldn't be a Game Warden anymore

As I see it, it boils down to three simple steps:
1) Anyone who earns a living from our tax dollars should be held to the highest standard of conduct.
2) Anyone who has governmental authority over us "common folks" should be held to an even higher standard.
3) Anyone who knowingly breaks the laws that they are paid to enforce, should be punished far beyond the norm.

Maybe I'm just simple minded..........

I fail to see in the criminal code where there is a section for higher standards. Special treatment for special people seems outside of the typical code.

You know, if we just bothered to prosecute people fully with the laws we have in place, we would not need this arbitrary and undefined "higher standard" demands folks make.

With that said, I can't believe TPWD didn't fire him. No higher standard there either. He failed to follow through on his sworn oath to uphold the law which was a condition of employment. He broke that condition, hence he should be fired.

What D N S just said +1...KISS Priciple at work for all involved.
JMHO & YMMV
Ron

+1. The higher/lower standard comes into play when sentencing the convict, that's why there's a range to allow the sentencing party to judge the merits and lessen the blow or light 'em up.

Have to have a higher standard for them to be credible for the prosecutors and fellow officers to effectively do their jobs. The other party will have an attorney with a job to destroy their credibility and when it's a matter of public record they don't have a tough task on their hands. Now any case with his name attached to the prosecutors will have to work damage control knowing it's coming.

I mean an "on-duty" officer got shot in the LEO backing state of Texas. The shooter shot across property boundaries, didn't render aid, shot an officer, etc....got in trouble for shooting a sign......

Y'all are gonna have to work hard to get this up to speed. The thread on TBH about this is up to almost 600 posts.

Karma is unforgiving.

There is no karma......and justice is as rare as honesty ....

I read an article today about this guy (which I can't find now, so take it for what it's worth) that said while he laid dying after being shot, he took his cell phone out to call his wife to say goodbye. But! He accidentally called a wildlife biologist instead, and he knew exactly where he was and was able to locate him and save his life by getting help.

Now, we learn that his wildlife biologist friend that was "accidentally" called instead of his wife, was also a poacher.

I understand skepticism of my post so far, and I will keep looking for the article that I read, but this is part of my issue with this situation.

Some people on here, at least one, donated either money or a high dollar shotgun, to his recovery. What is most tragic about this situation is, people will now be skeptical of game wardens, who have a very tough, dangerous and important job.

Much like what happens with police officers when there is a supposed scandal or perceived "towing the blue line" is it doesn't make sense to not fire the offending officer, in this case a warden charged with combating poaching who was, in fact, poaching himself. And admitted or was caught poaching three other times. In a perfect world, game wardens would want him to be fired, and he would have been, because it makes them all look bad by association, rightly or wrongly.

If they were all duped too, like the person that donated a shotgun to be auctioned for his recovery, that's one thing. But he was not only allowed to keep his job, he was allowed to file for work an's comp, and if he wasn't awarded compensation, they should say so, but they won't, which leads me to believe he collected. That's very wrong, if true. Again, if he duped everyone he works with and it just came out this week that he was poaching, but they fired him after the revelation, fine. However, that's not the case. He had done it and admitted/been found to have poached three other times.

This is an egregious violation of ethics and should be considered a cardinal sin for a game warden.

Makes me suspect there are some people higher up the ladder who are afraid to do what is right and fire this poacher because they have to worry about their own careers. What is the old story about LEOs sticking together. Even when one is caught more than once.

Now if this was some poor fellow trying to feed his family or some person with a two-bit felony charge, everyone would be ready to confiscate his gun, and truck and boat, plus having him pay a hefty fine. But it appears the beloved game wardens are above the law, just like rock stars and athletes. Shameful is what it is. And we have posts criticizing our youth.

Naw, the poor fellow was concerned for the needy. His goal was to kill an antlerless buck in order to give it to the food shelter. Ha!

He wasn't going to hide his kill. Nope, that would be deceitful. He was going to report it to the wildlife biologist who works there in the WMA. That sounds great, doesn't it? Then you read that the wildlife biologist he called after being shot was also a fricking poacher!!!!!

Fried just keeps lying out of his donkey over and over.

http://www.pressreader.com/usa/austin-american-statesman-sunday/20150705/283150017356765/TextView

The fact that many people donated to his recovery and prayed for it shouldn't be questioned. He still is a person, still a son, husband and dad. Did he do wrong? Yep. But not wrong enough to deserve to be shot and let die. This laundry cycle isn't over I'm sure. There will be enough public outcry that the managers of TPWD will have to adjust on this.

You think people would have been as generous had it been presented as Donate to Warden who was shot while poaching? It wasn't presented that way despite that fact being known at the time and that workers comp was being filed. Accepting other's generosity knowing that half truths are being told on your behalf shows a lot about a person's character. It's terrible he got shot, terrible what his family had to go through, don't wish that on anyone...just be truthful and it doesn't leave near the bad taste in people's mouths.

I'm not a warden fan, poacher or not. Too many I've dealt with were unprofessional, rude azzes. But I still would have prayed for any of them in need just like I do for any real prayer request I see.

You can pray for who you want to, but Fried accepted $$ to help offset his expenses of being shot while performing illegal activity that he was sworn to protect against.

rifleman is right. A lot less people would have been as generous had it been presented as Donate to Warden who was shot while poaching. Fried knew it. Fellow wardens knew it. His family knew it. The poaching biologist knew it.

Accepting money under such dubious circumstances is deceitful.

Come on D N S, the poor guy was not paid for 30 days.

I have to correct you that he did not got shot while performing illegal activity. Remember the "mode transition"?

Too funny from every angle.

Almost fraud..........

I wish THF and other Texas hunting groups, would petition the TP&W and Governor Abbot to terminate this Warden and the supervisory staff that accepted this behavior. Them condoning this because it is the "standard used against civilians" is IMO, BS. He is not a civilian in his capacity and what he was involved in. I am former LEO and this stinks to high heavens. Gives the term on the License plate, "EXEMPT", a whole new meaning.

I am thinking same thing. The agent will look better in public eyes if they claim their guys get a free permit as part of benefit package.
Just make sure it is the combo permit.

I start to understand why the warden is not fired. Because TWPD will likely have to terminate half of its work force if they enforce such a strict penalty.

It's probably better if you contact your state reps yourself. Of course, how many of us actually will?? I just did.

I'm not exactly sure how that's a problem.

Wardens are about to be able to legally "poach" thousands of deer. BIG ones. And they don't wand anyone filming it...

I email my rep.

Good idea Rusty, I also think organizations like THF, with a membership (signed petition), gets noticed more than individual complaints.

Done

This just sent to all my Reps of both districts I have property in...copy if you like.

Dear Sirs,

I write to you concerning the apparent impropriety of the TPWD and its dealings with GW Fried. As a citizen that does business that is regulated by TPWD, the reports of GW Fried's poaching numerous times and that of his fellow employees doing the same has me concerned for the integrity of the agency and the industry.

The example set by GW Fried is bad enough. We have dealt with our fair share of poachers in this area, and it is a very frustrating ordeal. Now to learn that those authorized to enforce game laws are taking part in the same illegal behavior, only leads me to believe his behavior will embolden poachers. The appearance of how things were handled gives the impression that he got away with it with only a slap on the wrist. To most poachers, if they were to receive the same treatment, it would be no deterrent at all. At the very least he should have been removed from the TPWD force. How can anyone, superiors and civilians alike, ever trust a law enforcer who breaks the very laws he enforces? All those who guide for me, or enter my property, know full well they will be removed and/or lose their employment if I catch them breaking game laws, much less the Game Warden.

On top of this, TPWD resources were used to raise money for GW Fried's hospital bills and recovery. In my estimation fraud was committed in doing so. Reports explain that Fried confessed, while laying in his hospital bed, to poaching moments before he was shot. Yet this information was kept quiet and fund raising was conducted with this full knowledge. I suggest a full investigation be made into the matters and restitution be made to those that contributed.

In this day and age of heightened scrutiny of enforcement agencies, issues like these must be handled with the utmost integrity. I do not believe the TPWD has done so in these matters.

We Texas hunters pride ourselves on being upstanding members of a long held Texan tradition. We in the industry of hunting strive to keep our profession up held in an honorable light. I'm afraid the TPWD has just given Texas hunting and hunters a big black eye.

Thank you for your time.

Faithfully Texan,
Steve Valentine

That's an excellent idea.

Very well said.

So what amounts to a class C misdemeanor takes away his right to have fund raisers done to offset medical and living expenses? Damn, that's cold.

Than I'm cold. Because it sure should take away his privilege to use agency resources to do so. No one has the right to defraud another out of money without full disclosure. BTW, when are we going to stop making up rights?

I've seen people have fund raisers for a whole lot harder to justify reasons. Not saying he probably shouldn't move on to another line of work though.

X2

Sure, he is allowed to have fundraisers, but would you have donated to the poaching game warden? I wouldn't have. People here that actually donated to him said they wouldn't have. Should his fellow game wardens have used their influence and stood behind one of their own who was committing a cardinal sin for game wardens?

That's the problem. He knew the law. Knew he was in the wrong. Had done it three other times. Called his buddy to save him and it turns out his buddy also poached. A year and a half ago, it was a game warden that was shot while he was out hunting and thought he heard poachers. Who wouldn't rally around that? Of course it makes a difference.

He lied. He deceived. His fellow wardens used their clout to raise funds for him knowing he had broken the law multiple times. It isn't a gray area that what he did was a horrendous abuse of his position. He was then able to apply for workers comp, get his job back and people rushed to his aid based on him being a good guy.

And so have I, but mercy in no way removes responsibility or consequence.

Sometime I wish it did, but it just ain't so.

I think what you meant to say was ...3 class C misdemeanors and 1 felony that was reduced down to a single count...

Nobody said he could not have fundraiser and you know it. What people are unhappy about is that not only did he break the specific laws he was sworn to uphold, he only admitted to breaking the law when circumstances were such that it was apparent he would be discovered, and then he and his ilk were deceitful in revealing such negative attributes because it was not in their favor to take advantage of good-hearted people who might be willing to donate MONEY. Playing on the sympathies of others in a deceitful manner is the work of the lowest level of scoundrel.

You know what I find so ironic is that Fried, while POACHING, heard gun shots and suspected another poacher and went to bust the other poacher. But that isn't what this fundraiser announcement says. It says he was HUNTING and left his stand to investigate.



or how about this one...
http://texags.com/forums/12/topics/2435356



or this one...
http://ketr.org/post/benefit-game-warden-set-jan-18


Again noted here, he was "bowhunting" when he observed illegal activity, NOT he was engaged in illegal activity when he observed other illegal activity. http://www.wave3.com/story/24430515/fundraiser-set-up-for-etx-game-warden

NONE of these benefits referred to Fried as a Double Standard Poaching Game Warden who was unhappy about other possible poachers encroaching on his turf. Nope, Fried is billed as an upstanding individual who while off duty, took time away from his own hunt (never mind it was already after legal hunting hours when he left his stand) to investigate possible criminal activity as a law enforcement officer and was nearly killed by individuals in the process.

No that's not what I meant. He wasn't given any less punishment than any other person with those violations in that county. His legal violations were given fair treatment. However his employer has left the question of ethical standards answered with a poor answer. Which basically is, they don't care because it doesn't matter.

And just because he told them he had done it twice previously doesn't mean he was charged with three counts. He was "caught" only the one time.

Several times over the years I worked with people who had violations that should have resulted in dismissal. Some were DWIs which causes you to lose your driving privilege for two years. Some were they just kept violating policy and procedure. Often they kept their job because we were short handed and they were a body. Or maybe they were really good at what they did and it was worth the hassle to keep them. Usually a kind hearted manager intervened and kept them employed.

Most times though it was a temporary situation. A few realized their direction needed to change and made the changes needed. Most ended up with enough rope they were finally given an opportunity to find another career.

It may be that his supervisors have had past similar incidents in the past we are unaware of and that is how it was handled so a precedent was set so now they are being fair under the rules according to them. It's also possible this may be the slap in the head that wakes this guy up and makes him see why it's important he maintain a higher standard and changes his life and career to the positive.

I used to write and enforce policy and procedure for a large company. I know all about leniency and second chances (Lord knows I've received my unfair share of it); but this is not a policy and procedure matter...he broke the law he is charged to uphold.

You don't keep a thief in the position of vault security.




The examples you use are also in the realm of private business. This is a public matter, and like it or not, there is and must be a higher standard. This, "short handed" excuse holds no water either. There are a thousand (figurative, for I do not know the exact number) eligible recruits and would be recruits standing in line hoping for an opportunity to join the ranks of upstanding GWs.

You don't keep a thief in the position of vault security.

That's the way it should be.

However, if you're not concerned with performance, or the resource your organization is charged with protecting, if you consider yourself above the lowly subjects you are requiring to obey your laws, or if you are running an organization rife with people who violate the laws they are sworn to uphold...

Then yes, you might keep the "thief in charge of the vault".

And that describes today's tpwd perfectly. We need a serious housecleaning in Austin.

He finally fessed up to poaching. He wasn't caught in the act the time he got shot, either. Give me a break. He wasn't charged the other times because he got away with it. After being shot, he realized that explaining why he was bow hunting after hours and not having a pass/license would be impossible. He also fessed up to doing it three other times. They couldn't charge him because he wasn't caught the other three times.

As for his legal violations being given fair treatment, I, and a lot of other people, apparently, believe he should be held to a higher standard, since his entire job is to enforce the game laws he was violating. He should not have been given the same treatment precisely because he is a game warden AND he admitted to doing it three other times. Can't charge for all the violations he wasn't caught, but it can be used to determine his punishment. And one instance of poaching is enough to be fired. DEA agents caught selling drugs would be fired, I hope. This is no different.

Thief in charge of the vault or fox in the hen house, he ADMITTED to multiple violations of the code he is supposed to uphold. He should be fired.

I can't disagree there but like stated before, only pressure on the department can result in a change of approach.

Caught one poaching Friday, that sucker was in one of my favorite arrowhead hunting spot's. I've known him for a long time and never knew he hunted arrowhead's. We talked for a good half hour and I even broke down during interrogation and gave up a couple of more spot's he needed to check out. Even did a little flint knapping demo for him. He's a good man and keeps a good eye on the local ranches, we need more just like him. He's got allot of area to cover with 3 counties and need's some help, new class graduating soon so maybe he get's a little relief.

GW's and BP agents have the very best arrowhead collections.

I would venture to say there are many more good potatoes in that bin than bad but you know it only takes rotten one to stink up the whole cellar.

By far the good out weigh the bad. Have known several GWs personally and they are salt of the earth, great guys. Hated to see Zack Havens leave Tom Green county, he was one of the best. The two young men we now have down here in Terrell county are doing an outstanding job. To be honest, I've seen and dealt with them more in the two years they've been down here, than all the GWs the twenty+ years prior. Even got a ride from one and shared supper with him.

But in this case, there were a lot more than just one potato stinking up the cellar.

Yep, that's what you usually find once you start digging through the bin.

East Tx had a game warden a few years back that was fired for ruffing up a guy in jail that he had just arrested. He was a real d head being the game warden. He had a horrible ego problem. He also snuck into a pond with his kids and the land owner caught them. The game warden told the land owner that he couldn't do anything about it, because he was I GUESS SPECIAL? The land owner was some kind of local politician too. I don't think anything came out of it, but his bad attitude caught up with him in the long run.

I forgot to tell you about the Game Warden that got busted shooting roosting mallards in the Cherokee Bayou. He was fired too. Something about those big greenheads circling around quaking got the best of him.

Would you want someone to donate to a thief that just stole or was intending to steal from YOUR house and was accidentally shot by a neighbor playing around? I wouldn't.

nuts

It only takes one bad apple to ruin the bunch.

I know it has been a while since this thread has had a post. But I received a reply from my Texas Representative Lyle Larson. He basically said that they are doing anything else about it.
But Hey! I got a reply!

I think you nailed it. Just a wild hunch, but my guess is this situation with endorsements and permits is/was much more widespread and they can't fire them all. Biologists that manage a public hunting area and wardens that patrol a specific hunting area are just not going to be checked by another game warden. Some employees probably did not even think about needing endorsements or an APH hunting permit or limited use permit for the very area land they have been assigned to manage or patrol and in many cases live on. I would not be surprised if one could pull open records of license endorsements and permits of TPWD biologists, game wardens, politicians, etc. from prior to the publicity from Chris Fried's accident and find several had some endorsement or permit missing on their license that would normally be required related to what or where they hunt, hike, boat, or fish while off duty. Baring an accident or other incident outing a violation, it would pretty much be unenforceable and on an honor system for those persons to comply. If those records are accessible I would not be surprised either if those same public licensing records showed a lot of state TPWD employees obtaining those missing endorsements and permits just after the publicity of the event or when renewing their license. If there was not a memo directed towards TPWD employees to be sure to comply with all licenses and permits because of this, someone up top in Austin would be smart to send one out. I am glad Chris Fried is ok. He is very lucky to be alive.

Speaking of being unenforceable. I started a new thread rather than hijack this one, but Arkansas as of last month is no longer checking for hunting/fishing licenses unless there has been a reasonable suspicion of a law violation. To do otherwise was ruled by the Arkansas Supreme Court to be a violation of a hunter's consitutional rights.
http://texashuntingforum.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/5852989#Post5852989

Hmm. That sounds plumb reasonable to me. But I'm a little off at times.

Ole' Lyle Larson...

Honestly, I'd be fine if it was written into law that all Game Wardens and state biologists received free hunting licenses or were exempt from purchasing them as part of being employed in those positions. Until that's the case, though, they should absolutely be required to purchase one, like the rest of us, and if they are found in violation of game laws, in anyway, regardless of whether they are exempt or receive free licenses, they should be fired without warning.

I still maintain that Chris Fried should have been fired and prosecuted and also not able to file worker's comp.

I would really, really like to see some facts that substantiate your claim

This reflects the corruption that runs rampant through all our government. Wish I could say I was surprised.

I am amazed at how many come to the defense of this kind of stuff and try to justify a GW, cop etc breaking the law. I appreciate all the hardworking, honest civil servants we have but way too often the bad apples are protected by these same hardworking, "honest" civil servants.

Just google Game Warden charged, indicted, arrested, fired.....not hard to find at all.