Glasgow Game Wardens Offer No Help To Stranded Fishermen

Dear Editor,

My story begins on the evening of July 12 as my 13-year-old grandson, Austin and I set out to do some night fishing for walleye on Fort Peck Reservoir. After fishing for several hours, we decided to head back to our camp at Flat Lake Camping Area around 11:15 p.m.

We motored the boat about four to five hundred yards offshore as we followed the lake shoreline towards our camp when we spotted a distant light that we thought was our camp. Knowing that the light was still over      three-quarters of a mile away we headed towards the light, running the boat at about 25 miles per hour. Suddenly, our boat slammed into a small rocky area of the beach that jutted out into the main lake. The light, which we had mistaken for our distant camp, was another camp that had been set up far back from the lake shore and waters edge. Our boat was totally grounded up on shore and we were unable to move it back into the water. With no other options available to us, Austin and I began hiking towards camp.

After hiking for about 2.5 hours in the dark, we were picked up by a couple of helpful guys who work at the dam They gave us a ride to our campsite and we arrived at about 1:45 a.m., completely worn out and exhausted. I was unable to sleep at all that night, worried about my boat being grounded and the potential damage to the boat hull and motor from running aground.

At daylight I went searching for my boat and was relieved to see we were only about 750 yards from our camp and the boat ramp. At around 6:45 a.m., I was thrilled to see a Montana game warden pull into the boat ramp with a very large boat in tow. I knew at this time help had arrived, but I would soon find out that belief was completely wrong.

Warden Wyatt Pickens had his truck window rolled down as I approached him and asked him how his day was going. He said that he was waiting for two more wardens and another boat to show up so they could be present for the Montana Governor's Cup Walleye Tournament.

As I explained my situation with my grounded boat and it's near proximity to the boat ramp, I asked if he could help me get my boat off the shore and back into the water by towing it off the beach with his boat.

"Nope. Not today." was his reply.

I was in total shock and disbelief at his response. There was no offer of assistance and no questions about the well being of myself or my grandson. Warden Pickens did not follow the protocol that wardens are trained [to] ask in regards to a boating accident. He did not ask if anyone was hurt? Was there damage to the boat? Was there any alcohol involved? Did you contact the Sheriff? In fact, the only question he asked at all was, "What is your name?"

As a professional taxidermist for over 50 years, I have had nothing but respect and a great working relationship with game wardens in both Oregon and Montana. Wardens in both states have made significant convictions of poachers based on information that I provided when poachers brought their illegal animals to my shop or when I had knowledge of wildlife violations. I've known all my life that wardens have a difficult job and it is essential for sportsmen and women to assist with information as wardens protect our wildlife resources and help ensure safety and enforce the laws that govern ethical hunting and fishing.

On July 13, Warden Pickens and his three companion wardens destroyed decades of good will that I have had for game wardens as they sat and drank coffee at the boat ramp. They were too busy with their predetermined agenda of parading in front of Governor Gianforte and hundreds of fishermen at a walleye tournament to provide less than half an hour of assistance to a fisherman in need.

Even though the Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks budget and game warden's salaries are funded almost entirely by hunter's and angler's license dollars, these four wardens prioritized publicity over providing aid and assistance when it mattered most to me.

After the wardens and their two boats left to observe the walleye tournament, we ended up calling Thompson and Son's Towing in Glasgow, 22 miles away. They sent an incredibly helpful guy named Rocky to assist me. It took him less than 20 minutes to motor the 750 yards to my boat (which the wardens passed right by on their way to the tournament), hook a tow strap to the boat, pull it back into the water and return to the boat ramp.

My days of providing information or assistance to Montana game wardens are over. I am one pissed off sportsman and will never again call a warden for any violation I witness, because of the way that my grandson and I were treated by these wardens.

Sincerely,

Richard Farthing and Austin Webb

Trout Creek, Mont.