I think the difference in him and Jesse James etc is that they are dead and not able to profit from their past actions.

Did Mike actually catch him or did he (Beaty) just turn himself in?

I knew Mike through mutual friends growing up in Austin. He wasn't that well liked back then by most. A bit too assertive and always pushing things just a bit too far.

Hopefully that changed in later years for him. I don't know anything of him after his graduation from Game Warden Academy and his having moved. Friends of mine notified me of his death.

While in Austin he (Mike) was fortunate to have been taken under the wing of long time (legend) Warden Grover Simpson. Now THERE was a stand up, fair handed, level headed man. Respected by all who knew him. Fun guy to hunt with and listen to his many stories. Game Wardens these days are a completely different breed.

Its a tough profession....no doubt.

I heard it from the outlaw, in his words on one of the posted You Tube videos. Never knew that. I met Mike when he lived in Sarita. I believe his part time gig was taxidermy.

The "outfitter" drove us over there when I started guiding. He wanted to introduce me to him. Mike said it was nice knowing me and I would be seeing him - straight up. I did. the first time he got us during dove season, we had fifteen or more hunters and dove everywhere. He gave us a system to utilize and indicated if we ever got away from it, there would be hell to pay. We never got away from it. Never.

I think he must have said something about us when he got the cancer and was replaced. The new guy and a trainee sneakeded up on us through the pasture and in the dark while we were cleaning birds. It was just me and Roberto with a hundred or so birds. The lazy guides and the hunters were all inside,. They saw the Fain requirements and all was good. There is no telling what they heard us say prior to "announcing" themselves from the shadows.

It is sort of like cheating at Solitaire, how much are you ever going to enjoy taking an animal illegally. If the culprit is a youngster, there seems today to be a lot of pressure to "get something". I think that's one reason to start young people out on small game, etc.- get it out of their system. Next comes the guy that cannot accept that the "good old days" are gone forever. No one is "living off the land" any more unless they live in Alaska. These folks, some education may turn them around. The real hard core poacher who knows what he is doing, not sure what to do with those folks. Chain gang?

Yeah, he was dabbling in Taxidermy and Gunsmithing even before he was a Game Warden. He always had a keen interest in hunting and the outdoors.

I first met him when I was just in High School. We had mutual friends. I never saw him after his wedding or graduation from Game Warden Academy, so I have no idea of his life after that.

In fact... the last time I saw him he was out at my place for a 4th of July celebration I was putting on for friends. That evening just before fireworks we were all in the house. In the Great Room I had some mounted deer antlers and some turkey fan tails. He pointed to a couple of the fan tails and exclaimed those were Hen Turkey Tails (which they were). And said he could tell by the color of the feathers (which you can).

Then proclaimed them 'illegal' and that I could get in trouble for killing those. I pointed to the table just below the fan tails at a couple of small 'beards' and reminded him that 'Bearded' Hens are perfectly legal to take and that....that is what he was looking at. He rolled his eyes sheepishly and said no more.

I'm sure he made a fine Game Warden and I hope he enjoyed his time as such. I was sad to hear of his passing from Brain Cancer.

There most certainly are plenty of people living off the land in the rural areas in the lower 48. A lot of em are squatters and hermits and etc. I know of one that lives in a trailer right across the road from my favorite piece of ground. They may not live a 100% subsistence lifestyle but they have enough going on, to thrive without going to the store.

A proud boy

only thing I like about the guy is his camo

I met Mike while spending time down South. Was having an issue with a shotgun, and my customer told me he was a gunsmith. I called him and setup a meeting at his little shop behind his house. It was loaded floor to ceiling with shotgun ammo. He told me he provided ammo to a few of the camps on the King and Kenedy. He sent my shotgun back to Ruger and got it fixed under warranty. Only cost me $20 for freight. He also shared a few stories about poachers he had run across.

I don’t voluntarily fund scum….the government funds enough scum with my taxes!

I won’t be buying anything that would profit that sack of turds, nor listen to any of his podcasts or videos

Exactly right!

And there is no doubt he poached and stole for many years before getting caught but there is also no doubt the guy is FOS and embellishes what he has done probably 10x!