Texas Game Wardens Arrest Night Hunters near Downtown New Braunfels

AUSTIN – Texas game wardens have arrested two adults and two juveniles for killing three deer and firing as many as 30 rifle rounds in and around New Braunfels city limits.

State involvement in the case began early Tuesday morning when wardens responded to a call for assistance from the New Braunfels Police Department. When they arrived on the scene a short time later, they learned that local officers had stopped a pickup truck in the downtown area while investigating a shots fired call.

Two dead bucks and one doe were found in the bed of the truck, which was occupied by two men and two teenage boys. When officers checked the vehicle for weapons, they discovered multiple empty shell casings on the floorboards.

“From the evidence we have developed, this appears to be a case of indiscriminate thrill killing,” said Capt. Jeff Carter, whose regional command includes Comal County. “On top of that, multiple rifle rounds were being fired at night in a populated area. The outcome of this could have been much worse.”

The game wardens arrested the four suspects and took them to the NBPD for further questioning. After receiving permission to search the vehicle they found .22 caliber rifle hidden under the rear seat.

Charged with hunting deer at night and hunting from a vehicle on a public roadway, two adults were arrested and held in the Comal County Jail with a $3,000 bond. Both of those charges are Class A misdemeanors.

The two minors were released to the custody of their parents, pending later prosecution.

Source: TPWD