Warden Tales: Master Officer Foster Harrell and Jet

During the course of my career, I have observed wildlife officers utilize many different modes of unconventional transportation to get into the areas where they need to be.  In my early days, an officer had a Honda Trail 70 that he would throw in the trunk of his car to use on gated Forest Service roads.  A few officers have given mountain bikes a spin.  ATVs have been issued for years and get a good work out.  Canoes and kayaks help in shallow water or when stealth is necessary.  Forest Harrell rode a horse.

Foster D. Harrell
from Wildlife in North Carolina - 1967

Foster D. Harrell was employed by the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission on September 1, 1961.  In February 1962, he was drafted into the U.S. Army and spent two years in the military.  He returned to work with the NCWRC in 1964 and was assigned to Swain County.  Harrell ended up in Henderson County where he was responsible for miles of trout streams, many of which required a good deal of foot-patrol.

“I remember when Foster got his horse from Trout Unlimited.  Jim Geouge, Sgt. Lloyd Higgins and I were checking fishing on the Davidson River near the hatchery [currently a part of the Pisgah Education Center].  We ran into a Pisgah TU member and he informed Lloyd that they [TU] had just bought Foster a horse to use when patrolling Turkey Pen and the South Mills River.  Sgt. Higgins wasn’t too pleased about that and took off down Hwy. 276.  He was tapping the steering wheel and saying, ‘We’ll damn see about that.’  Lloyd dropped me and Jim off before heading to Foster’s house at Mill’s River.  He was too late – Foster had already brought Jet home.”

Retired Master Officer Rick Stone

Foster Harrell ID card
Courtesy of NCWRC Lt. Ben Meyer

Members of the Land-of-Sky Chapter of Trout Unlimited in Asheville set out to help Harrell get into the backcountry areas.  Unlike the “put and take” streams where trout are stocked, those wilderness streams contain a sustainable population of wild trout.  Those remote locations contribute to the temptation for unscrupulous anglers to catch more than their share of fish.  The chapter raised funds over a two year period to purchase Harrell a horse to help him get into those wild areas.

Fosetr Harrell and Jet
photo by Jay Davies
from Wildlife in North Carolina - September 1984

Harrell described checking an angler in the September 1984 issue of Wildlife in North Carolina:

“The angler was totally engaged in trying to catch a trout,” said Harrell with just a hint of a smile.  “We were about 30 feet from that angler when my horse snorted and that fisherman nearly jumped out of his skin.  He probably thought he was about to be eaten by a bear.”

Master Officer Foster Harrell 

Master Officer Stone would sometimes accompany Harrell on Stone's personal horse.

I remember once we were riding horses in Turkey Pen, checking the South Mills River.  It was cold and the river was iced up around the banks.  My horse, Rocky, didn’t want to cross the river because the ice made a cracking sound when we tried to get in the water (Foster’s horse, Jet, never had a problem with the water).  We had to go about a mile and a half out of the way.  But, Foster didn’t complain.  I don’t remember writing any citations that day, but we let several folks know we were back there!”

Retired Master Officer Rick Stone

Foster Harrell retired in 1990 and moved back home to District 4.  He still shows up for firearms training and stays in touch with the local officers.

Innovation is a key trait for wildlife officers.  Many a plan has been hatched in a patrol vehicle late at night.  Those plans usually begin with, “You know what I bet would work…”  Some of those plans work great and others are the fodder for supervisors’ nightmares.  One back in the 1980s led to Foster Harrell patrolling on horseback.