BUCK
BOOM, ZINGGGGG WENT THE BULLET AS IT RICOCHETED OFF THE
GRANITE BOLDER NEXT TO ME. I DOVE TO THE GROUND JUST AS,
BOOM, BOOM, BOOM, THREE MORE SHOTS RANG OUT. BUCK WAS RIGHT
BESIDE ME AS FLAT TO THE GROUND AS HE COULD GET. I LAY THERE
WITHOUT MOVING, WAITING TO SEE WHAT WOULD HAPPEN NEXT. THEN I
HEARD THIS VOICE SAY, ”WHAT DID YOU SHOOT AT? I DIDN’T SEE
ANYTHING.” ANOTHER VOICE ANSWERED SAYING, “I DIDN’T SEE
ANYTHING EITHER, BUT I HEARD SOMETHING OUT THERE IN THE
BRUSH.” THE FIRST VOICE SAID, “YOU IDIOT, IT MIGHT JUST BE A
COW.” “WELL WE EAT COWS TOO DON’T WE?” THE SECOND VOICE SAID.
MY NAME IS LOREN AND I’M A GAME WARDEN FOR THE STATE OF
TEXAS. BUCK IS MY BLACK LAB THAT GOES WITH ME EVERYWHERE I
GO. HE’S A DOG BUT HE DOESN’T KNOW IT. HE THINKS HE IS A
GAME WARDEN ALSO. WE USUALLY WORK IN THE EAST TEXAS COUNTY OF
HARRISON AROUND CADDO LAKE. BUT THIS YEAR IN ALL THEIR WISDOM
THE AUSTIN OFFICE ASSIGNED ME TO HELP WARDEN JIM HALBERT HERE
IN LLANO COUNTY DURING DEER SEASON.
JIM HAD RETIRED FROM THE NAVY AFTER 20 YEARS SERVICE AND HAD
BECOME A GAME WARDEN. NOW HE HAD BEEN A GAME WARDEN FOR 20
YEARS AND WAS BEGINNING TO THINK OF RETIRING. HE HAD BEEN
ASSIGNED TO A SHIP BY THE NAME OF “NORTON SOUND” WHEN HE WAS
IN THE NAVY BUT THAT’S A WHOLE NOTHER STORY FOR A DIFFERENT
TIME.
JIM HAD TAKEN ME UNDER HIS WING AND WAS SHOWING ME THE COUNTRY
ONE DAY WHEN WE GOT A CALL OF SOME TRESPASSERS ON THE MOSS
RANCH. WE DROVE TO THE BACK FENCE LINE AND FOUND AN OLD
PICKUP SETTING NEXT TO THE BACK GATE. WE HAD CRAWLED ACROSS
THE FENCE AND WERE GOING TO LOOK FOR THE TRESPASSERS. JIM
TOLD ME TO GO UP A COW PATH THAT LED OFF TO THE LEFT AND HE
WAS GOING ALONG THE SANDY ROAD TO LOOK FOR TRACKS. AFTER
ABOUT 300 YARDS THE COW PATH KIND OF FADED OUT AND LEFT ME IN
THE MIDDLE OF SOME THICK BEE BRUSH. I KNEW THE ROAD WAS OFF
TO MY RIGHT SO I WAS PUSHING MY WAY THROUGH THE BRUSH INSTEAD
OF BACK TRACKING TO THE GATE. BUCK WAS RIGHT BEHIND ME AND
LETTING ME PUSH THROUGH THE BRUSH TO MAKE IT EASIER FOR HIM.
I SAID HE WAS A DOG, I DIDN’T SAY HE WAS DUMB.
THAT’S WHEN A SHOT RANG OUT AND A BULLET RICOCHETED OFF A
GRANITE BOULDER NEXT TO ME. I HIT THE GROUND JUST AS THREE
MORE SHOTS SOUNDED. BUCK WAS RIGHT NEXT TO ME. I WAS TRYING
TO GET CLOSER TO THE GROUND BUT MY BELT BUCKLE WAS IN THE
WAY. I LOOKED OVER AT BUCK AND HE WAS FLATTER ON THE GROUND
THEN ME. I GUESS HE FIGURED IF HE GOT LOWER THEN ME, THEN IF
ONE OF US WAS GOING TO GET SHOT IT WASN’T GOING TO BE HIM.
THEN I HEARD THESE VOICES COMING CLOSER TO US. THEY WERE
ARGUING ABOUT SHOOTING AT SOUNDS. I REACHED BACK AND
UNSNAPPED THE STRAP ON MY HOLSTER AND PULLED OUT MY .357 MAG.
PISTOL. WHEN THE TWO MEN WERE ONLY 10 FEET FROM ME I STOOD UP
AND SAID, “GET YOUR HANDS UP. I’M A GAME WARDEN AND YOU ARE
UNDER ARREST FOR ATTEMPTED MURDER.” THE ONE CARRYING THE
RIFLE DROPPED THE RIFLE AND THREW UP HIS HANDS AND SHOUTED,
“DON’T SHOOT, I GIVE UP.” THE OTHER MAN PUT UP HIS HANDS AND
KEPT SAYING, “LORDY, LORDY IT WASN’T ME.”
I TOLD BUCK TO WATCH THEM AND HE WALKED AROUND BEHIND THEM AND
SET DOWN AND STARTED GROWLING. THE MEN KEPT LOOKING BACK OVER
THEIR SHOULDERS AT BUCK AND THEN WOULD LOOK AT ME. I DON’T
KNOW WHICH ONE OF US THEY WERE SCARED OF MOST. I WALKED UP
AND PICKED UP THE MAN’S RIFLE AND TOLD THEM TO TURN AROUND AND
WALK BACK THE WAY THEY HAD COME. IT WASN’T BUT A LITTLE WAYS
BACK TO THE ROAD AND WHEN WE CAME OUT ON THE ROAD THERE WAS
JIM. BUCK MARCHED THE MEN RIGHT UP TO JIM AND BARKED, AND THE
MEN STOPPED. “GOOD DOG BUCK, “JIM SAID, “I SEE YOU CAUGHT THE
TRESPASSERS, DID LOREN HELP YOU?” BUCK JUST SIT THERE WITH A
PLEASED LOOK ON HIS FACE.
I TOLD JIM WHAT HAD HAPPENED AND HE SAID WE WOULD TAKE THEM IN
TO THE COURT HOUSE AND FILE CHARGES ON THEM. WHEN WE GOT BACK
OUT TO OUR PICKUP, WE PUT THE TWO MEN IN THE PICKUP BED AND
TOLD BUCK TO WATCH THEM. BUCK JUMPED UP INTO THE BED WITH THE
MEN AND GROWLED AT THEM. IT WAS 16 MILES BACK INTO LLANO AND
I DON’T THINK EITHER MAN MOVED THE WHOLE TRIP. WHEN WE GOT TO
THE COURT HOUSE WE TOOK THE MEN INTO JUDGE MARTIN’S COURT ROOM
AND TALKED TO HIS CLERK, ELAINE, ABOUT FILING CHARGES. JIM
HAD ALREADY TALKED ME OUT OF FILING ATTEMPTED MURDER CHARGES
AND ALL WE WERE GOING TO CHARGE THEM WITH WAS TRESPASSING.
JIM INTRODUCED ME TO ELAINE AND SHE SAID SHE WAS PLEASED TO
MEET ME. THEN SHE LOOKED OVER THE COUNTER AT BUCK AND ASKED
WHO THIS HANDSOME LAD WAS. BUCK REARED UP ON HIS HIND LEGS
AND PUT HIS FRONT PAWS ON THE COUNTER AND SAID, ”WOLF, WOLF.”
I TOLD ELAINE THIS IS BUCK. BUCK STUCK OUT HIS PAW TO SHAKE
HANDS. ELAINE LAUGHED AND SHOOK HANDS AND SAID, “BUCK, I’M
GLAD TO MEET YOU.” BUCK HAD THIS SILLY GRIN ON HIS FACE, HIS
TONGUE WAS HANGING OUT ONE SIDE OF HIS MOUTH AND HE WAS
PANTING LIKE HE WAS IN LOVE. I CAN UNDERSTAND HOW HE FELT
BECAUSE WHEN ELAINE LAUGHED IT WAS LIKE THE TINKLING OF LITTLE
BELLS AND WHEN SHE SMILED IT WAS LIKE THE SUNSHINE HAD COME
INTO THE ROOM.
ANYWAY WE FILED CHARGES ON THESE TWO FELLOWS AND TOOK THEM
DOWN TO THE LOCK UP UNTIL THEY COULD MAKE BOND. BY THAT TIME
IT WAS LUNCH TIME AND WE WENT OVER TO NITA’S COUNTRY CAFÉ FOR
LUNCH. WE TOLD BUCK TO STAY IN THE PICKUP AND WE WOULD BRING
HIM SOMETHING. WHEN WE WENT IN AND SAT DOWN, NITA HERSELF
CAME OVER TO TAKE OUR ORDERS. “ARE YOU BOYS HAVING A BUSY
MORNING? I SAW YOUR PICKUP OVER AT THE COURT HOUSE.” NITA
ASKED. JIM TOLD HER ABOUT ME BEING SHOT AT THIS MORNING AND
HOW BUCK HAD HELPED CATCH THE HOMBRES THAT DID THE SHOOTING.
“WELL WE WILL JUST HAVE TO REWARD BUCK FOR THAT. I’VE GOT A
BIG BONE OUT IN THE KITCHEN I’LL TAKE OUT TO HIM JUST AS SOON
AS I TURN IN YOUR ORDERS.” NITA SAID.
I ORDERED A BIG JUICY HAMBURGER STEAK SMOTHERED IN ONIONS AND
BROWN GRAVY AND FRENCH FRIES WITH A SALAD AND RANCH STYLE
DRESSING. ALSO BRING ME A BIG GLASS OF ICE TEA. JIM SAID
THAT SOUNDED PRETTY GOOD TO HIM SO JUST DOUBLE THAT ORDER.
TRUE TO HER WORD NITA TOOK BUCK A BIG BONE TO GNAW ON WHILE WE
ATE OUR LUNCH. JUST AS I FINISHED MY HAMBURGER STEAK, NITA
BROUGHT A BIG SLAB OF HOT APPLE PIE WITH A SCOOP ON BLUE BELL
VANILLA ICE CREAM ON IT FOR EACH OF US. I SAID, “WE DIDN’T
ORDER THIS, WHAT’S GOING ON?” NITA SAID, “WELL AFTER GETTING
SHOT AT THIS MORNING, I THOUGHT YOU NEEDED SOMEONE TO TELL YOU
THAT WE APPRECIATE YOU, AND WE’RE GLAD YOU ARE DOWN HERE
HELPING JIM.” NOW THESE ARE MY KIND OF PEOPLE! I THOUGHT.
AFTER LUNCH JIM SAID WE WOULD TAKE A BREAK AND GO BACK OUT
AFTER DARK. HE HAD SOME REPORTS OF JACK LIGHTING ON THE
INK’S RANCH AND HE THOUGHT WE SHOULD CHECK THIS OUT. NOW
JACKING LIGHTING, FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO DON’T KNOW, IS HUNTING
DEER AT NIGHT WITH A LIGHT. IT IS ILLEGAL. THE INKS RANCH IS
A LARGE RANCH OF 20 SOME ODD THOUSAND ACRES AND IS FULL OF
DEER. THE OWNER DOES NOT LIVE ON THE RANCH AND CAN NOT
CONTROL THE COMINGS AND GOINGS OF PEOPLE AFTER DARK.
JIM IS WELL AQUATINTED WITH THE RANCH AND ALL THE ROADS ON IT
SO WE WENT IN AFTER DARK WITH JUST OUR PARKING LIGHTS ON.
THIS GAVE JIM ENOUGH LIGHT TO SEE THE ROAD JUST IN FRONT OF
THE PICKUP, BUT NO HEAD LIGHTS FOR ANYONE ELSE TO SEE. WE
DROVE UP ON KEENER PEAK, WHICH WAS THE HIGHEST POINT ON THE
RANCH TO WATCH FOR LIGHTS. IT WAS ABOUT 11:00 O’CLOCK WHEN WE
GOT THERE. AS WE SAT THERE VISITING WE COULD HEAR COYOTES
ONCE IN A WHILE. EACH TIME THEY SET UP A HOWL BUCK WOULD
WHINE LIKE HE WANTED TO JOIN THEM. I HAD TO KEEP TELLING HIM,
“NO BUCK” TO KEEP HIM IN THE PICKUP.
THEN WE SAW THE HEAD LIGHTS OF A VEHICLE WAY DOWN IN THE
VALLEY. AS WE WATCHED IT WE SAW A SPOT LIGHT COME ON AND
START SHINING ALONG THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. IN A LITTLE WHILE
THE VEHICLE STOPPED AND THERE WAS THE SOUND OF A SHOT. THEN
ALL THE LIGHTS WENT OUT. JIM SAID, “THAT’S OUR JACK LIGHTERS,
LETS GO.” HE STARTED THE TRUCK AND WE EASED DOWN OFF KEENER
AND STARTED FOR THE AREA WHERE THE SHOT HAD COME FROM. HE
TURNED ON THE HEAD LIGHTS NOW AND WAS DRIVING FAST. IT STILL
TOOK US ABOUT 20 MINUTES TO GET CLOSE TO WHERE HE WAS GOING.
BEFORE WE GOT TO THE PLACE WHERE JIM THOUGHT THE SHOT HAD COME
FROM WE MET ANOTHER PICKUP COMING TOWARD US. JIM TURNED ON
HIS RED LIGHTS AND STOPPED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD.
AS THE OTHER PICKUP GOT UP CLOSE TO US IT STOPPED AND TWO MEN
GOT OUT AND ASKED WHAT WE WANTED. JIM ASKED THEM FOR SOME I.
D. AND THEY GAVE HIM THEIR DRIVERS LICENSES. JIM ASKED THEM
WHAT THEY WERE DOING ON THE RANCH SO LATE AT NIGHT. WHILE JIM
WAS TALKING TO THE MEN BUCK AND I HAD GONE BACK TO THEIR
PICKUP AND LOOKED IT OVER. THERE WAS A WINCHESTER 30-30 IN
THE GUN RACK ON THE BACK OF THE CAB OVER THE SEAT. BUT THAT
WAS NOT UNUSUAL, IN THIS PART OF TEXAS. ABOUT 90% OF THE
PICKUPS YOU SAW HAD A GUN RACK WITH SOME KIND OF GUN IN IT. I
DIDN’T SEE ANY SPOTLIGHT AND THERE WAS NO DEER IN THE BED OF
THE TRUCK. I WALKED BACK TO JIM AND SHOOK MY HEAD NO.
WELL WITH OUT A DEAD DEER OR ANY EVIDENCE WE HAD TO LET THEM
GO. BUT JUST AS JIM HANDED THEIR DRIVERS LICENSES BACK TO
THEM BUCK LET OUT A LOUD WOLF. HE WAS STANDING AT THE FEET OF
THE DRIVER AND SNIFFING HIS BOOTS. I SHINED MY FLASH LIGHT ON
THE MANS BOOTS AND THERE WAS FRESH BLOOD ON THEM. IT WAS
STILL WET. WHEN BUCK LET OUT THAT LOUD WOLF IT SCARED THE MAN
SO BAD HE SAID, “OK, YOU GOT US, JUST DON’T LET THAT DOG BITE
ME.” I STEPPED BACK TO THEIR TRUCK AND TOOK THE 30-30 AND PUT
IT IN OUR TRUCK. JIM TOLD THEM TO TURN AROUND AND GO BACK AND
GET THE DEER. AFTER THAT WE TOOK THEM TO THE COURT HOUSE,
WHICH HAD THE JAIL IN THE BASEMENT AND LOCKED THEM UP. WE
TOOK THE DEER OVER TO THE MEAT LOCKER AND HAD THEM PUT IT IN
COLD STORAGE. BY THIS TIME IT WAS CLOSE TO 3:00 AM AND WE
WERE READY FOR SOME SHUT EYE.
AS WE PARTED FOR THE NIGHT, JIM SAID, “BUCK, THAT WAS SOME
GOOD WORK ON YOUR PART TONIGHT. GOOD DOG.” BUCK BEING THE
HAM HE IS SAID, “WOLF, WOLF, WOLF.” I DON’T KNOW WHAT HE SAID
BUT YOU COULD TELL HE WAS PLEASED. AS I DROVE BACK TO THE
LITTLE MOTEL WHERE I WAS STAYING BUCK SAT THERE WITH HIS HEAD
OUT THE WINDOW LETTING THE WIND BLOW IN HIS FACE. EVER SO
OFTEN HE WOULD LET OUT WITH A LOUD WOLF LIKE HE WAS SAYING
LOOK AT ME EVERYONE . I’M A TEXAS GAME WARDEN.
BY
LOREN
MOORE
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1999
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