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August 12, 2016
LoneOStar Outdoor News
LSONews.com
New game wardens graduate After seven months of training, the 60th Texas game warden cadet class graduated at the Texas State Capitol. The cadet class includes 41 game warden cadets and five state park police officers. The graduates will begin their new careers stationed in counties and state parks throughout the state. The duties of a Texas game warden include the enforcement of all state laws, but primarily hunting, fishing and water safety regulations. As fully commissioned peace officers, they respond to emergencies, assist other law enforcement agencies and work to educate the public about conservation issues. State park police, also commissioned peace officers, provide law enforcement services to the visitors and users of state parks and help enforce laws within their local jurisdictions. 60th Cadet Class Texas Game Wardens Albert A. Alvarez, McKinney — Starr County Benjamin J. Andrews, Johnson City, N.Y.- Jim Wells County Stephen R. Boultinghouse, Fort Davis — Jeff Davis County Kord M. Bradshaw, Garrison — Zapata County John M. Braesicke, Georgetown — Duval County Graydon L. Cass, Reno — Reeves County Daniel Castañeda, Pasadena — Jim Hogg County Anthony W. Cimini, Wichita Falls — Reeves County Dillan W. Conley, Tuscola — Mitchell County Jacob Copeland, Boling — Maverick County Aidan W. Dietz, San Marcos — Starr County Dustin L. Favor, Amarillo — Haskell County Chad R. Goertz, Red Rock — Zapata County Michael J. Gonzalez, Harlingen — Cameron County Kegan Gould, Schertz — Webb County Hollis S. Gregory, Athens — Hall/Childress County William C. Gulsby, Fort Worth — Hudspeth County William Hackney III, Tyler —Starr County William B. Hancock, Bastrop — Presidio County Hewitt S. Holmes, Ozona — Terrell County Shane M. Horrocks, College Station — Webb County Garrison J. Howard, Lubbock — Andrews/Gaines County Lauren Iles, Brookeland — Webb County Chelsey A. Kidder, Houston — Hudspeth County Marcus L. Lowe, Angleton — Zapata County Patrick I. Merriman, Abilene — Midland/Glasscock County Andrew J. Meyer, Sylvan Grove, Kan.- Sherman/Moore County Casey E. Pentecost, Brownwood — Brewster County Mark Perez, Olney — Kinney County David A. Prieto, San Antonio — Maverick County Carter Rangel, Kemah — Hudspeth County Welden B. Rappmund, Saint Hedwig — Maverick County Thomas W. Rinn, Cameron — McMullen County Juan A. Rosendo, Brownsville —Maverick County Forrest C. Schmidt, College Station — Grimes County Britton A. Stuckey, Slaton — Scurry/Garza County Brandon L. Thacker, Alto — Polk County Marcus T. Whitworth, Kyle — Webb County Kevin R. Winters Jr., San Antonio — Webb County William K. Yoder, Loving — Pecos County Mathew Zitterich, Red Oak — Presidio County State Park Police Officers Dustin A. Bowers, Henrietta — Lake Arrowhead State Park Landon G. Cook, Throckmorton — Abilene State Park Jeremy D. Gann, Woodway — Mother Neff State Park James R. Hestilow, Del Rio — Seminole Canyon State Park Jeremy J. Velazquez, Rio Hondo — Lake Casa Blanca State Park
Brewer honored for work with wild sheep Clay Brewer received the Professional of the Year Award from the Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies. Brewer is Wild Sheep Coordinator for WAFWA and his career spans three decades of natural resource contributions across Texas and the western states. During his TPWD career, he served in various roles in the wildlife division, including as a wildlife division regional director and acting wildlife division director. He became WAFWA’s Wild Sheep Working Group Chair in 2011. Brewer’s life work to restore desert bighorn sheep extends back to 1996, when he became project leader at TPWD’s Elephant Mountain Wildlife Management Area. He reestablished eroded relationships with important landowner partners and Clay Brewer, TPWD spent countless building trust and scratching out important cooperative agreements. These efforts improved department access and enhanced working partnerships crucial to continued bighorn sheep restoration. Brewer also published the widely used, Records of Wild Sheep Translocations in the U.S. and Canada, 1922-present (2015). His communication skills and power of persuasion brought together the wild sheep managers, veterinarians and specialists on WAFWA’s Wildlife Health Committee to work collaboratively on wild sheep disease and health issues. —TPWD