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Sometimes it takes a second act to find your first calling. This was the case for Sergeant Derek Nalls, a Texas Game Warden and K-9 Handler who just recently retired after a rewarding 23-year career patrolling and protecting the lands, waters, wildlife, and people of Texas.
Ever since he can remember, Nalls wanted to be a Texas Game Warden, but life ultimately took him down a different path. “When I was 15, I spent my summers and weekends working for my uncle, a home builder. I became really good at it, but before you know it, 20 years had passed,” said Nalls. At 36 years old, he still couldn’t shake the dream of becoming a game warden, and with his wife’s unwavering support, he changed course. “I went back to college for my second degree, this time in criminal justice. I then applied for the Game Warden Academy. On my fourth attempt, I was accepted!"
At 40 years old, Nalls proudly earned his Texas Game Warden badge. His early assignments took him across the state, from Harrison County to Shelby County, and eventually to far West Texas and the Panhandle before he made his final move to Nolan County. Here he embarked on a new mission—becoming a K-9 handler.
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The Texas Game Warden K-9 Team is firmly entrenched within Texas Parks and Wildlife Department's (TPWD) Law Enforcement Division.
Scattered across the state, ten K-9 officers and their human partners are force multipliers for critical law enforcement operations. They not only support the work of Texas Game Wardens, but they are also key partners for other law enforcement agencies. Perhaps most importantly, these K-9s have literally saved lives in hundreds of search and rescue missions over the last dozen years. They are also instrumental in recovering victims in drownings or other unfortunate incidents, providing closure for grieving families.
The program launched in 2013, and from the very beginning, private funding from Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation (TPWF) and its donors has played a critical role in the program’s success.
“Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation was instrumental getting it off the ground,” said Capt. Christy Vales, who leads the K-9 Team. “Every single dog we’ve acquired has come from private donations, and we are very grateful for the ongoing support through the Gear Up program."
The S. Reed Morian Gear Up for Game Wardens program was launched in 2017, and the K-9 team was among its first beneficiaries. In 2020, a new K-9 fund was established within Gear Up to enable seamless program continuity when a K-9 retires.
“We know it’s going to happen, but 90 percent of the time, it’s a surprise,” said Vales. “It’s hard to budget for something when you are not sure when it might happen, and having access to these private funds to quickly to replace a dog means we don’t miss a beat in getting back up to full strength."
Besides the serious law enforcement work these tireless K-9s take on day in and day out, they are also PR ambassadors, happily wagging their tails at countless outreach events.
“We are so grateful for the support through Gear Up for Game Wardens,” said Vales. “It shows that Texans have faith in our program and believe in what we’re doing. That’s huge and means so much to all of us."
GIVE TO THE K-9 FUND
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Margaret Martin grew up on a South Texas ranch near Laredo, and that experience connected her to nature in a way that inspired her lifelong commitment to conservation. She served on many local agriculture-focused boards before Governor Rick Perry tapped her to serve on the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission in 2007, where she served until 2015.
“That changed my life,” she said. “I thought I had a good idea of what Texas Parks and Wildlife Department did, but I really had no idea of the vast scope of the Department’s purview until I served on the Commission. The incredible variety of things that TPWD does is amazing. From the network of state parks and wildlife management areas to the wildlife and fisheries biologists who help conserve our precious natural resources, and the wonderful men and women who serve as Texas Game Wardens, TPWD touches so many things that Texans hold dear."
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After a relentlessly meticulous recruitment process, 36 new cadets are hard at work learning the ins and outs of being a Texas Game Warden. They are the lucky ones—selected from a highly competitive pool of 717 applicants, they started their training on Oct. 1, 2024.
Through May 30, 2025, they will undergo a grueling regimen that will allow them to join the ranks of arguably the best-trained conservation law officers in the world.
The majority of their training will take place at the Texas Game Warden Training Center in Hamilton, along with various field locations around the state. The S. Reed Morian Gear up for Game Wardens program has provided substantial support for the training center and the necessary gear and specialized equipment to ensure the highest quality of training possible.
This year, for the first time, cadets will be training on a brand-new all-terrain utility vehicle, a customized 2025 Polaris Ranger Crew XP 1000, thanks to generous donations made to the Gear Up program.
“We have not had a dedicated UTV for cadet training before now, and this new vehicle will help us standardize training for our cadets so they are better prepared to safely handle these vehicles,” said Major Jason Bussey, training coordinator at the Texas Game Warden Training Center. “Our highest priority is safety, and we are very grateful to the generous donors who made this new piece of equipment available for our cadets to help ensure their future success as Texas Game Wardens."
GIVE TO GEAR UP
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Sustaining the S. Reed Morian Gear Up for Game Wardens program ensures TPWF can manage the program and continue purchasing the specialty equipment Texas Game Wardens need to effectively protect the lands, waters, wildlife, and people of Texas. Becoming a Friend of Texas Game Wardens helps us ensure game wardens’ safety while on the job so they can return home to their families after each and every patrol.
Become a Friend today, and you will not only feel good about supporting our Texas Game Wardens, but you will also receive some exclusive items to show your support.
BECOME A FRIEND
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