A stately bull elk in Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park. Photo by Kathy Callan
The recent killing of Hwange National Park’s beloved icon, Cecil the Lion, has brought to mind a number of outrageous poaching incidents that occurred right here in California—all of them inside national parks, state parks, or wildlife refuges.
Fish and Wildlife Warden Jerry Karnow with a suspected poisoned bear at an illegal marijuana grow site. Photo courtesy of California Department of Fish and Wildlife Warden Jerry Karnow
Just after daylight in September 2014, four California Department of Fish and Wildlife officers and four Nevada County Sheriff’s deputies quietly locked their vehicles and began what was to be an arduous hike into the bone-dry Yuba River Canyon. Armed to the hilt and decked out in standard marijuana eradication attire—full camo uniforms and bulletproof vests—the officers were prepared for any eventuality. Since becoming fully engaged in the business of eradicating marijuana grows and routinely dealing with drug cartels and dangerous criminals, DFW wardens had added a new weapon to their arsenal: the POF .308 semiautomatic rifle.
Saving California’s remaining abalone fishery from money-hungry poachers is a daunting task. By telling the stories of dedicated wildlife officers in my upcoming sequel to “Badges, Bears, and Eagles,” I hope to educate the public and, in some way, help conserve this precious resource for law-abiding sportsmen and future generations.
Did you know that the wildlife trade monitoring network, TRAFFIC, estimates that the illegal trade in wildlife and wildlife parts is a ten billion dollar a year industry—right behind drugs? It’s getting worse every day as black markets continue to expand—not just in Asian countries like China, but in Australia, Europe and the United States.
Most game wardens or wildlife officers will tell you that the odds of going out on any given day and catching someone in the act of taking a deer out of season are pretty remote. With thousands of square miles to patrol, it’s like finding a needle in the proverbial haystack.
Chapter 23, “Bears and Bad Guys,” describes how California black bears were unlawfully killed for their paws, as well as their gall bladders. These were seized from an outlaw’s freezer during the arrest phase of our (1995-1997) undercover investigation.
If you think California Fish and Wildlife wardens do nothing but write fishing tickets, read Badges, Bears, and Eagles. You may be surprised!
In 1991, the freshly slaughtered remains of five elk—two bulls, two cows, and a six-month-old calf—were found near the tiny Northern California community of Fall River. California Fish and Game Warden Don Jacobs, pictured here, led an all-out effort to find and prosecute those responsible.
Yesterday’s shootout with former LAPD officer Christopher Dorner should dispel any doubts about the dangerous nature of a California Fish and Game (Wildlife) officer’s job. Here’s something you may not be aware of: California Fish and Game (Wildlife) wardens are not only empowered to enforce all state laws and local ordinances, they are also deputized federal officers, authorized to enforce federal laws dealing with fish and wildlife.