Officer's Logbook

March 25, 2013

• Had two boating/outdoors programs for some Cub Scouts in Topeka.
• Helped with Hunter Ed in Hiawatha. Continued checking snow goose hunters chasing the few birds left in the area.
• Taught a class on Methods of Arrest and Defensive Tactics to a part time County Sheriffs class.
• Taught NASP training in Girard for the Elementary, Middle School and High School teachers
• This week finished field day of HE at the 4H building. Certified 28 new hunters
• Checked fishermen at Pomona Reservoir that were catching a few very small crappie, which they kept anyways.
• The nice weather had people out fishing, not a whole lot of success but at least they were out.
• Paddlefish opener was slow due to low water level. Some more water is needed for the extravaganza to begin.
• Preparing for the 5th Ann. North West Kansas Beginners Pheasant Hunt and HUNTER ED Class at the KURHT Ranch, a Good Time was had by all.
• Finished off the week patrolling snow goose hunters and checking a few fishermen. I was called out Saturday night regarding a drive by goose shooting. I located the suspects and will be working with the CA on the case.
• Found many thousands of snow geese hanging out in the farm fields below the dam and checked a few hunters thinning them out.
• Catching a few walleye by the dam and surrounding points, but no big push of fishermen yet. Still catching a few stripers and whites up in Hell creek.
• Worked CHNR and found several off road vehicles. Had an operator of an ATV tell me that the "NO Vehicles Allowed" sign that he was next to only applied to cars and trucks. Worked Cheney dam for the walleye run Sat. evening. Cold temperatures and high winds pretty much shut things down that night.
• I patrolled finding people starting to show up to try their luck on walleye. Not many fish caught. Did see two keepers.
• Friday evening worked local lake where they are catching saugeye and short wiper.
• Taught Hunter Education at Lakin
• Saturday helped teach Hunter Ed at Scott City. Certified around 35, good class.
• Saturday worked the cub scout all night convention in Topeka. By midnight the kiddos were having problems keeping their eyes open so a little shot of pizza, pop and candy helped them out.
• Topeka trout opener. Not very many folks out fishing in the rain and the ones that were trying weren't catching much.
• I also dealt with a skunk in a garage problem. Skunk was sick and had moved in on the dog's bed. He got evicted!
• Assisted with hunter ed on Monday and Tuesday night. Career day program presented to Labette County High School. Set up for hunter ed in Parsons and held the class on Saturday and Sunday.
• A few fishermen doing good on stripers and white bass, when the weather permits.
• Checked a few fishermen taking advantage of the nicer weather with the crappie slowly starting to bite at Horsethief.
• Visited with a lad (12)that was shooting ducks off his pond with a 17.(Glad that I never thought of that) After the visit with the Dad and the boy, the lad gets to do a book report for the Game Warden on Morals, ethics, and Ducks. Has agreed to retake his hunter ed course.
• Had Hunter Ed at community center with about 30 students.
• Called out at midnight for K9 request to track minors that were consuming and ran. Presence alone caught the ones in the field as they ran directly back when they heard the term K9. Another hid in the attic for two hours until he heard my voice. He then screamed he was coming out and did not want to get bit. I guess he should have researched our K9 program a little bit, instead of watching so much TV. We found another behind a mattress, and 2 passed out hiding in a vehicle. SO arrested several and issued citations to many, many others. Libby did great, but got to sit pretty the whole time.
• I found several flocks of geese, and a lot of coyotes looking for a snack but no hunters. I was called out Saturday night when a deputy stopped a suspicious vehicle of hunters that seemed to be in violation. After investigating I found some major ethical and safety issues, but only one violation.
• Prepped for and taught a Boater Ed Class at Cabela's. Certified 8 students.
• Assisted SO with a hit and run 10-46 driver which turned out to be a couple of local poachers I have dealt with in the past. It amazes me how much crime these guys commit other than wildlife violations.
• Attended the wingbee and left early due to the weather. Ended up with several motorist assists on the drive home. If anyone is wondering, a Hybrid Prius is not a good choice of transportation in 10 plus inches of snow.
• Seized 6 more traps early in the week and finally got a call from my business card left at scene where I removed the traps. Even found a live box trap for beaver among the footholds and 330 conibears? Mystery man ended up being guy from nearby subdivision that did not like that the beavers were eating trees along the creek and, according to him,was trapping as a favor for all the neighbors in the community. Advised him that I had zero complaints about the beavers there. Guess it does not matter that the beaver are not on your property, or your neighbors, if you don't like them? No fur license, no fur ed, no tags on traps, no permission from the city parks dept. or the private landowner where the traps were located. The matter is now settled and the responsible party learned another life lesson.
• Patrolled snow goose hunters. Found a few more individuals (hunting snow geese with a problematic guide) who lacked the appropriate licenses and dealt with them accordingly.
• Found some goose hunters that didn’t believe they needed federal waterfowl stamps.
• Taught hunter ed in Greensburg on Saturday.
• Gun show at Garden City. Program for the Boy Scouts. Got called to Dog wagon complaint in Kearny County. Apparently people can drive from south of Wichita, and show up out west expecting to have permission everywhere.
• A few people out fishing, lake froze out to Elm creek, and Hell creek is froze. Had 4 Trumpeter swans in the upper end of Hell Creek, pretty neat to see them, big birds.
• Finished up the youth hunt on Sunday for the boys from Cal Farley Ranch. Had a real good hunt.
• On Friday evening I was driving to a location which involved a deer that had been shot the night before when a car decided to pass me on the highway in a no passing zone going up a hill. Well in the end his license was suspended so the deputies were kind enough to escort him. I guess the Law Enforcement on the back of our trucks is not big enough.
• Checked some fishermen that are chasing the Walleye Spawn on GLER dam with them having the most luck towards the end of the week.
• Checked fishermen with a few walleye caught, stripers and white bass being caught as well.