By ERIC VICCARO
bnewssports@sbcglobal.net

For Montague County Game Warden Chase McAninch, his future occupation unfolded before his very eyes.
“I rode along with game wardens while I was in college,” he said. “I was hooked.”
McAninch said being a game warden is a perfect career.
“I’ve always liked the outdoors and law enforcement,” McAninch said. “It was a perfect mix of both.”
McAninch, who lives in Bowie and married to Saint Jo Independent School District business teacher Shelly McAninch, is one of 532 game wardens patrolling all 254 counties in the Lone Star State.
A native of Lorena in McLennan County, McAninch graduated from Baylor in 2008 with a bachelor’s degree in business management.
Before taking the position of game warden here in the county, McAninch worked for the Waco Police Department.
McAninch said every day is a challenge and no two days are exactly alike.
“There’s a broad area to cover,” he said. “There’s so much to do, and there’s so few of us. There are not enough of us to go around. Every day is something different. That’s what I like the most.”
McAninch reported the amount of game wardens assigned to a county are based on factors such as population, both hunting and fishing pressure and the bodies of water – which in Montague County’s case is both Amon G. Carter Lake and Lake Nocona. Read more in the weekend Bowie News.

Chase McAninch is shown here in front of his office at the Montague County Courthouse in Montague. McAninch is one of 532 game wardens stationed throughout the state. (News photo by Eric Viccaro)