Game & Fish Officer fired upon

[desertbucks]

Game and Fish officer, 2 other agency employees fired upon near Mexico border
Posted in: News Media
Jun 12, 2009Digg this story!
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PHOENIX ? Three government agency employees, including an officer with the Arizona Game and Fish Department, another Game and Fish employee, and an employee with Pima County Natural Resources, Parks and Recreation, were fired upon yesterday by a group of men they encountered while scouting the area for a land access project in southern Arizona.

None of the agency employees were injured.

The three were riding all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) on a road through a small canyon area about four miles east of Arivaca Lake when they encountered a group described as at least four Hispanic males dressed in camouflage.

According to Leonard Ordway, supervisor for Game and Fish?s Tucson region, two of the individuals in camouflage immediately fled a short distance up a hill and dropped down in the grass upon the encounter, while the agency employees backed out of the immediate vicinity and regrouped.

After a few minutes, the Game and Fish officer crept up a small rise a short distance from the road to look over the scene with binoculars. He observed two other males in camouflage in the area, but in a different direction from the first two. He then started back down the hill to return to the ATVs.

?As he started back down to the quads, a gunshot coming from the direction where the first two individuals had fled impacted the ground about 10 feet behind him,? said Ordway.

The three agency employees immediately departed the area and notified Game and Fish Radio Dispatch, which in turn notified the Border Patrol, Pima County Sheriff?s Office, and the Arizona Department of Public Safety.

About 30-40 law enforcement personnel, aided by three helicopters, were on site within 45 minutes to search the area and investigate the scene. They were not able to find the suspects but did recover several fresh 9mm casings from the area where the initial shot came from, indicating subsequent shots may have been fired as the agency employees were leaving the area.

?We?re thankful no one was hurt,? said Game and Fish Director Larry Voyles. ?Our law enforcement officers and other field personnel often work in remote areas, and yesterday?s incident serves as a reminder of the potential dangers that they?and personnel from other agencies?face in areas near the border."

Voyles added that Game and Fish is reviewing its operating procedures for employees working in borderland areas.

 

[glass_eye]

WOW !!!
That's scary, I've been hunting that same area for about 15 years.

 

[m1fan]

LAST EDITED ON Jun-17-09 AT 01:36PM (MST)[p]Invasion by members of a Foreign country?

 

[bigonedown]

I was just looking thorough the Arizona posts anticipating the draw when I saw this post. I thought it was sad few members of the hunting community have posted to this. This type of activity not only endangers our country but our freedom to hunt in remote areas and enjoy our land. I think our government and available agencies should have conducted a more thorough investigation and hunted down the people who think they can shoot at our public service employees who help the hunting community and protect our freedom. I can guarantee if these people will shoot at a Law Enforcement Officer they will shoot any of us who are, "Hunters or appreciative hikers in America's Wilderness, Desert, Public or Private land." I read to often how these very people are infiltrating land and scaring rightful people away from wholesome family activities they wish to enjoy. These people range from illegal aliens/immigrants, marijuana growers, and etc. I think as hunters we believe this will not have an effect on us. I guarantee it will. For instance the illegal marijuana growers use our precious water resources to grow their marijuana. They damn the water and stop the flow to crucial areas and use it to grow marijuana and make a large sum of money. Meanwhile, it starves game animals and various other mammals of the water they need and deserve. These animals then move on to other areas or die off affecting our hunting environment. Water is precious in the western states and should not be wasted. These people also shoot Deer. Elk, and other animals for fun or food out of season and without tags. Also illegal aliens go through our hunting areas trashing our land, ILLEGALLY ENTERING OUR COUNTRY, and intruding upon areas of good hunting which we are now afraid to explore due to dangers of illegal drug trafficking and illegal aliens. As a hunting community we need to stand up for our military and public service employees and provide them with the tools and equipment to stop this activity no matter if it is with a stern punishment or death. These officers should have shot everyone of these individuals. The best way to close and investigation like this is with a dead suspect! I feel if you respect your land and hunting area you will protect it and not allow for this activity. Lets give these employees better equipment and 223 caliber rifles or whatever is needed to end activity such as this.

For me, if you shoot at my hunting partners or me while in the outdoors you will find yourself with a 30 caliber hole hopefully close to your heart.