11/06/2025
Behind the Badge - Shots Fired by District Game Warden Gavin Herbert
“I have just been shot at,” was how my phone call started. Keep in mind this was through a non-emergency line so that statement had quite a punch when I first heard it.
I didn’t know what to think. Why didn’t he call 911? Was he hurt? Who did this? Do I need backup?
These questions were in the back of my mind as I listened intently to the reporting party tell me what had happened minutes before.
The reporting party was a landowner, and it was deer season. There was snow on the ground, and he was working on one of his fences kneeling next to some hay bales when he heard the first shot. The shot hit the bales just feet from him, then a second shot not too far from the first.
I want to pause here and reflect on what you would do in this situation. There are so many unknown factors. Are the individuals intentionally aiming for this landowner? Do they see him at all? Do these so called “hunters” see movement from next to the bales and think that he is a deer? I couldn’t imagine being in this landowner’s shoes.
Then what should you do if bullets are coming your way and you don’t know the intent of the person shooting at you? Do you take the risk and make yourself known or is that just going to make yourself an easier target? Or do you hit the ground and hide behind cover until the shooting stops?
Luckily, the men shooting were not psychotic murderers preying on innocent landowners.
When the landowner heard the second shot he bounced to his feet and faced where the bullets were coming from. Several hundred yards away he saw a pickup, and he had an idea of who might be the driver. After he made himself known to the shooters, the shooters left down the road where they came from, driving a brown chevy pickup.
All this and a vehicle description was enough to track the shooters down.
I arrived at the property where it took place as two sheriff deputies were working their way toward the area looking for the vehicle. The landowner showed me exactly where everything had happened and told me the story in greater detail. I had a very good idea of who I was looking for and started looking in the direction where they left.
I arrived at a main paved road, and I see plenty of cars and trucks go by but not the one I am looking for. Maybe the shooters went home, knowing what they had done could get them in some serious trouble. I start heading toward the address of the suspect but as soon as I start in that direction I see it. Parked up on a hill is a brown Chevy.
I turned around to get a better look. As I approached, they turned onto the main road. I caught up to the vehicle now trailing just behind it. Shining in my headlights was a bright red shining back at me, blood dripping down the rear bumper.
These are my shooters.
The timing was perfect as I engaged my lights to pull over the vehicle, a sheriff’s deputy pulled in behind me.
Inside the truck were two adults. The deputy and I spoke with the two individuals and at first, they were not truthful with their side of the story at all. They tried to say that they were never even close to the landowner’s property but eventually they came clean.
A deer had been standing between the landowner and the shooter. They never saw him until he stood up from next to the bales.
These two adults broke the law in multiple ways that night and they lost the deer in the back of their pickup, but the most absurd action taken by the shooters was violating one of the most important rules of firearm safety. Know your target and beyond.
A few more feet and this ignorant action could have cost someone their life.
Deer season is upon us, and everyone is excited to get out and enjoy the season, but no deer is worth the cost of this type of accident. Remember through the excitement that this is a busy season for the entire landscape, be respectful of landowners and stay safe.
