Strange port-a-potty leads game wardens to accused poacher hiding in Texas woods

An accused poacher was able to slip away from game wardens, until they discovered a strange port-a-potty tucked away in the woods, Texas wildlife officials say.

The portable toilet was painted green and white, an attempt at camouflage, and had a large rectangular hole cut through the door, a photo shared Feb. 10 by the state Parks and Wildlife Department shows. Upon closer inspection, game wardens determined it was a port-a-potty the poacher had turned into a hunting blind.

Game wardens were searching for a suspect who had been hunting on someone else’s property without permission in Henderson County, officials said. Though wardens hadn’t caught him last deer season, and still didn’t have the man himself in their grasp, they now had his hiding spot.

Officials didn’t say if it still functioned as a toilet, but many commenters speculated.

“At least you don’t have to squat over a hole in the ground when you’re hunting and nature calls,” one commenter wrote.

“Imagine you’re walking through the woods. You’ve just made the mistake of eating a five-chalupa lunch. As the cramps hit and you double over, you spot through teary eyes a camo portapotty in the distance,” said another.

Some were simply impressed by the poacher’s resourcefulness, calling it “ingenious.” Others called it disgusting. Perhaps it’s both.

Wardens set up a game camera along the property line, then watched and waited for him to return, and he did, officials said.

“On the opening morning of deer season, the camera captured the suspect walking to his ‘toilet stand.’ Not long after, wardens confronted the hunter and he confessed to hunting without permission,” according to TPWD. “Charges were filed (on Nov. 2), and the man removed the blind and feeder from the property.”

Henderson County is a roughly 110-mile drive southeast from Fort Worth.

This story was originally published February 11, 2025 at 12:01 PM with the headline "Strange port-a-potty leads game wardens to accused poacher hiding in Texas woods."