JULY 2021 Blues Vol 37 No. 7

TEXAS GAME WARDENS THE

TEXAS GAME WARDENS THE FRONTIER YEARS Utilizing a variety of new techniques, teams and technology, the game wardens we know today have evolved dramatically since the first ones were commissioned in 1895. During Texas’ frontier days, most people lived in rural areas and spent their days ranching and farming; Texas became a leading producer of cotton and cattle at the time. Major oil deposits were discovered in Texas in 1894, and oil became a profitable industry. During this boom, Texans enjoyed the state’s bounty of game animals without limit. The resulting overharvesting caused pressure on the fish and wildlife populations, so the Texas Legislature established new regulations to help manage these resources. The state’s first game law in 1861 established a two-year closed season for quail. Thirteen years later, state fishing regulations were adopted on coastal seining and netting. There was an immense amount of local pushback — in 1883, 130 Texas counties claimed exemption from all game laws. The Texas Legislature stepped in to create a regulatory office, the Fish and Oyster Commission, in 1895. I.P. Kibbe was appointed commissioner by the governor; a handful of deputies became law enforcement agents to help regulate the harvesting of shrimp, fish and oysters in the Gulf of Mexico. 54 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 55 54 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 55 54 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 55