Bad Guys, Bullets, and Boat Chases: True Stories of Florida Game Wardens

by Bob H. Lee

Imagine yourself alone in the wilderness holding two lawbreaking suspects at gunpoint. No onlookers, no backup. Just you in the dark, in the middle of nowhere, with suspects who would cheerfully kill you if they thought they could get away with it.

Veteran wildlife officer Bob Lee takes readers deep into the days and nights of Florida game wardens in Bad Guys, Bullets, and Boat Chases. Some people might think that all these officers do is check fishing licenses, but this book tells a very different story, one of shoot-outs, survival, rescue, and powerboat chases. Tracking black-market gator poachers, jumping through truck windows, shredding boat propellers on underwater logs, trapping airboats in wild hog muck, ferrying crates of baby sea turtles, hunting for missing persons in remote areas, getting stuck under a 500-pound all-terrain vehicle at the bottom of a sinkhole—these are just some of the situations game wardens find themselves in.

And beyond the action and excitement, the highs and lows of a wildlife officer’s job would test the mental limits of even the bravest adventurer. In these stories, a rookie game warden works to rescue survivors after a jumbo jet crashes in a swamp; an experienced trapper leads a challenging search for a rogue gator after a tragic attack; and a dedicated lieutenant helps a deer poacher turn his life around.

From Live Oak to the Everglades, from the cattle ranches west of Lake Okeechobee to the inshore fishing grounds of Pine Island, these amazing experiences span the state. Discover the excitement, dangers, and disasters that game wardens face every day on the job.
 

272 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2017

About the author

Bob H. Lee spent over three decades as a water patrol officer on the St. Johns River and a land patrol lieutenant in Putnam, St. Johns, and Flagler Counties. Before retiring in 2007, he taught man-tracking classes through the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

Reviews

[Brogan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Author:

BOB H. LEE wrote the book called Bad guys bullets and chases. When I read this book I was looking at the stories that he told when he was a FWC officer. What I was thinking when I started to read about it was wow he went through it all. That's what I was thinking. I thought that BOB H. LEE is a cool guy because he got to experience things that people would have not gotten to. Some of those things are that the environment he was in was very good. The people that he was around most of the time seem like they are very humble people and don’t try to hurt others and make themselves feel better but they try to help others learn. The way that he wrote the book made me feel like I was there in that moment and everything around me I could see. I thought that it was cool that he made it where the reader was included in the things he talked about to make sure there was enough for people to see it the way he was. I feel that he thought back on everything he did and took the things that would explain everything in a way that people would comprehend. He also would make it like it is if you were him and it makes you think what would I have done in that situation. The way that he made me think was making me look back at the choice that I made was the right choice or the best. He has helped me to understand that I might have one second to make the right decision and will have to move on from that. The way he wrote the back helped me and possibly others understand that we have to look back and see what there is that we can learn from and we can look back on and be happy and understand. BOB H. LEE I think wants people to make sure that people who want to go into a job like FWC you would have to understand what you have to do. Also understand what it is like and the things that they would have to go through. I feel that BOB H. LEE has helped me and others look back to see the good in what we did. I think that there are thing that BOB H. LEE did what he didn’t really like to do but think that he knew that he would have had to to keep moving forward.


The book:

Why would I read this book again? Is what I try to ask myself every time I read something. The reason I would say I would read this book is because it helped me learn that there are going to be different challenges and different choices I am going to have to make as a person. I have looked at what I have had to do in seconds to make a choice that will help me or would hurt me but that has helped me to understand that I will not learn if I fail. Meaning I have to fail to learn to make sure that I will be able to to learn to not do something completely wrong. I also see that if I don’t fail I will still be able to look back and learn from that.

I will ask myself what is it that I can learn from the book? I will say that I learned that I have to look at the things that I feel that have been bad that happened to me but tend to try to look for the things that were good that happened because i will try to stay more on the positive side so that I can bring different ideas to the table for when I want to learn something new.

So the new thing that I am trying to learn about and study is what I have to do to become a FWC officer. I found this book and thought that it would give me a good idea on what I have to do and once I become a FWC officer. This book gave me a really good idea on the things I am going to have to do and the choice I will have to make as a FWC officer. I think that there are going to be things that I am not going to like to study and I will have to go through so I learn and I will help others learn. I like this book that was written by BOB H. LEE gave me and more then likely others that we will have to do things that we like to and we don’t like to. I have seen a change in myself in the past couple of months that I have noticed that I started to do once I read this book. This book has helped me see it a lot clearer and understand myself and the way I think in a better, more deeper way. I know that BOB H. LEE has helped many people like me and people who aren’t like me see themselves in a better way. I think that BOB H. LEE wanted to help people and wanted to make sure that people were trying to do their best.


The other question I ask is why is this a world changing book? I think that this book Bad guys boat chases and bullets is a book that will help people to understand that we have to be able to look back and be happy. When I think about this book I think of what is there that I haven't done but can do. I have started to think about that because as a young man who is trying to do his best in a crazy world I feel that is crazy. I do feel that way sometimes but think it has helped other people over time.

That is what I think about the Author BOB H. LEE and think about the book Bad guys Bullets and boat chases.

[Sharon L. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Once I began reading, the book was hard to put down--great story-telling, riveting tension, and thoughtful appreciation of the natural environment. I will forever look at any Florida FWC officer (game warden) with admiration, respect, and appreciation for their dedication in their service to all the citizens of Florida. This book would be a great gift for anyone who loves any outdoor experience!

[Frank · Rating 4 out of 5]

A little flavor for what FWC folks have to endure. Every day isn't "a nice day enjoying nature!"