Wardens in the Mist: Bigfoot, K-9 Unit Ordy, and Me - Paperback

by James Wictum (Author)

When Jim "the Jock" graduates from Berkeley, he finds himself overqualified and unemployed. In a stroke of genius/desperation he uses his test taking skills to get a "government job" as a California Fish and Game Warden. His dreams of a well paid desk position are quickly shattered when he is assigned to a remote logging/Indian reservation as an active warden, under the tutelage of "Bigfoot" Robb and his dog Ordy. There, in this tiny little town, he comes to grips with his limited outdoor skills, and gains an appreciation for the land and nature. With his wife and newborn child, they carve out a life in this rural town where who you know is who you are, and outside law is hard to come by. This book shines with humor, pathos, and superb storytelling that declares a love of life. Whether battling the elements of nature or going against "Old Zeb, the Mountain Man", Jock has the skill, stamina and humanity to eventually gain the respect of the people who live there in the "wild west". But when one of the locals with a grudge starts to stalk his family, how far will Jim go to protect them?

Author Biography

I was born in 1927 in Santa Monica California where I grew up. My youth was spent in playing sports, surfing, fishing in the adjacent Pacific Ocean, and exploring the Santa Monica Mountains, and setting a record for truancy that still stands today. At seventeen I dropped out of high school to enter the service. I was still in training as a corpsman when WWII ended and so I found myself running the Duty Sickbay at Portsmouth Navel Prison. After discharge I did a couple of years at Santa Monica City College as penance for my misdeeds. From there I went to U.C. Berkeley to major in philosophy, where I met my wife Mavis. My first attempt at writing was the inevitable "coming of age of a sensitive teenager", which seems to be something that a would-be writer must expiate while learning their craft. Except for poetry, my writing took a backseat for the next thirty-one years as I worked as a game warden, retiring as Deputy Chief in charge of undercover operations. Several of my books are based on my experiences during these years.