Bee County Hunt (with Game Warden's)

I hunted at a friends ranch in Bee County Sep 3-5 and had a great time. We got about 5 birds each day on average, but it could have been 10 easily with some better shooting. Not quite as good as down by the boarder, but still plenty of action.

Day 2, the game wardens showed up. I was struck by how different it was from Lone Star Law when the cameras are rolling. I love that show, and it makes me think we have the best wardens in the country since they are so friendly and polite, but our experience was a bit different. Not much talking, no thanks for following all the rules, just in and out. One of them walked all over the field I guess looking for corn or violation birds. Nobody was rude or anything, I just expected a friendlier experience since we didn't have any issues. The relatively new land owner was disappointed the wardens didn't make any effort to get to know him or establish a relationship.

Anyway, fun time overall, and felt pretty good in the shade.

Glad y'all got a few birds and congratulations to your friend on his new ranch. Hoping you and him have many more hunts together.

I love Bee County, lived & hunted there for a while. Killed my first deer, rabbit, and quail in Bee County as a kid.

In my life I have had contact with a lot of Texas Game Wardens and all were good contacts and low drama. You either follow the rules, or you don't. If you don't there are consequences. Over & out. Always much respect for our Game Wardens, even named my 23 yr old Son after a strong/firm Game Warden... but my last 3 contacts after Lone Star Law was on the air were BS. Where in the world did this come from? Young Wardens (and one old) acting like they were on steroids. No exaggeration. It really aggravated me, because it was unnecessary and stupid. Young Wardens kept me sitting on my buggy for 45 minutes during prime time dove hunting, lots of birds flying & everybody shooting. "You will get your license back and can hunt when we are done with it." WTF is that?? 45 minutes? I am the guy THAT MAKES SURE EVERYONE IS LEGAL and you got me sitting here...was never disrespectful to anyone and I got treated like a little bitch. That really rubbed me wrong.

I always carry a 22 pistol. Afterwards Warden said "Have you shot that pistol today?" I said "Sir, have you jerked off today? That's right, that's none of my business, either."

Things have changed unfortunately. TV shows and social media have damaged the minds of a lot of people, including the ones that we love and support.

I have had game warden encounters over the decades that I have spent in the field and most have been professional and pleasant.

However, you can still run into a GW who is having a bad day or one who is just an azzhole...it happens.

Just try and put the bad ones behind you...as they wont last long if they dont love their job.

But I do agree, the show about GW's on TV does make them all seem like Walt Disney in the magic kingdom.

Aww, did the game wardens not hold your little hand and tell you how special you are. Did they hurt your feelings?

I love what the possum cops do in the long run. I've met some that were really great people, some I wouldn't piss on if you paid me. I reckon they are just like everyone else in this world. Its not the uniform that makes them good or bad, its their character. I had one experience that I am glad is behind me. It involved an old Warden training the new one. I got along fine with the rookie. It was the old head and I got that crossways. So much so I told my brother, "You keep out of this and keep your mouth shut because I need you to post my bail money". We were a twig snap away from rolling around in the mud.

Probably from a different county and just doing their job in anticipation of getting home.

its all about fundraising, thats why we get terms like "co-mingle" introduced, or tickets for not signing the back of the license

That was is a strange reply.... I won't bother to respond.

I have had some good experiences, some decent experiences, and some bad experiences. I have had guys sit and check us in the field for 20-30 minutes while birds are landing in the spread and we are waiting for them to go on about their day and let us begin shooting again... I have had some hold us up for close to two hours and wouldn't let us move the gators into shade while they ran a bunch of background checks... now that I think of it most of my good experiences have been with game wardens from other states.

Me and 15 others hunted a sunflower field near Lytle on Sunday and were visited by a couple of game wardens. They were professional and quick, checking only that everyone was properly papered up. They didn't ask to check guns or birds in the coolers. I was shooting just inside a tree line along an edge of the field, with the road on the other side of the trees. Just as they were driving away, I shot a high overhead bird that cleared the trees and landed smack dab in the middle of the road, like 10 yards in front of their truck. They stopped, one got out, picked up the bird, handed it to me through the fence, and said "don't shoot in the direction of the road again, have a good day." I thanked him, he got back into their truck, and they drove off.

I was field checked in Dell City. Not much birds flying so we chatted for awhile after the check. I felt like I was talking to a friend I hadn't seen in a long time. Warden Aguilar is a 5 star warden.

Perhaps they were so busy opening weekend they didn't have time for pleasantries.