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In case you missed it...Online-Edition Feature News Story

The following article ran in the Sunday, November 4, 2007 edition of the ACN.
You may read more information about the author below.

By SAM KAUFMAN
Staff Reporter

Twenty-nine-year-old Shaun Bayless had little spare time between graduation from game warden academy in Austin and his first job in that capacity.

Bayless, in fact, only had a week following the May 18 graduation to report to the Lubbock regional office for a position as a Texas Parks & Wildlife game warden in Andrews and Gaines counties.

The new game warden has hit the ground running since the whirlwind experience. From enforcing game and fish laws to helping protect conservation, Bayless has found the position fulfilling, he said.

As a state game warden, Bayless also has authority to enforce all state laws regarding the traffic code and health and safety code. But since coming on board as a state peace officer, Bayless doesn’t necessarily drive around in his pickup singling out offenders. He has issued just a single traffic citation, he said.

“It has to be something pretty flagrant,” Bayless noted.

Bayless has been busy, however, with bird season. Andrews County’s mule deer season is also set for Nov. 17-25. Dove season recently wrapped up, but hunters can still go after quail. For Bayless, the recent hunting seasons have been about establishing relationships with landowners and hunters, he said.

“Up here in this county I’ve found bird hunting is popular,” he noted. “I’ve been busy with dove and quail hunters. And with deer hunting coming up, I’ve been in contact with landowners who will have mule deer hunters on their land.

“When hunting a short season, I have to find out who I’ve got as landowners and give them the contact information,” he added. “That’s basically so I can get out and meet people and know where they are in case I get a call at 2 a.m. It’s good to have relationships with landowners in case you have to straighten out hunters, and they can help notify you of things like poachers.”

Bayless issued several minor citations during quail season, he said. The new game warden also has to enforce environmental laws. In the summer months, Bayless also assisted with fishing season enforcement at Lake Allen Henry and Colorado City Lake.

He said the cooperation has been tremendous with local law enforcement agencies. Everyone has assisted him with whatever need existed, Bayless said.

When he’s not traveling, Bayless operates his office out of his Andrews home. Covering the spacious Andrews and Gaines counties can be a challenge at times, he added.

“It’s a lot of driving,” Bayless said with a chuckle.

Reporter Sam Kaufman:

Sam came to the Andrews County News from Montana.
He has been with the ACN for 2 years.
He has a lovely wife, Tammy. The Kaufman's have
a new addition to their family, their dog Archie.
He is also the pastor of a local church.
Sam has won many awards and recognitions
from the Texas Press Association
and the West Texas Press Association.

You may comment on Sam's story here:
sam@basinbroadband.com