Everglades Patrol - by Tom Shirley (Paperback)

About the Book

Experience the rough-and-tumble Glades as they once were.

Book Synopsis

As law enforcement officer and game manager for the Florida Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission, Lt. Tom Shirley was the law in one of the last true frontiers in the nation--the Florida Everglades. In Everglades Patrol, Shirley shares the stories from his beat--an ecosystem larger than the state of Rhode Island. His vivid narrative includes dangerous tales of hunting down rogue gladesmen and gators and airboat chases through the wetlands in search of illegal hunters and moonshiners. During his thirty-year career (1955-1985), Shirley saw the Glades go from frontier wilderness to "ruination" at the hands of the Army Corps of Engineers. He watched as dikes cut off the water flow and controlled floods submerged islands that had supported man and animals for 3,000 years, killing much of the wildlife he was sworn to protect.

Review Quotes

"In his 30 years patrolling the Everglades, former wildlife officer Tom Shirley saw his share of panthers and poachers. But it's his tales of tangling with alligators that really gets your skin crawling. . . . When it comes to the Everglades, few people share Shirley's knowledge and perspective."--Tampa Bay Times "Very well written and supremely engaging, yet informative at the same time. . . . If you are looking for a truly outstanding game warden memoir . . . you will not be disappointed in this one."--International Game Warden Magazine "Shirley describes the wetlands and the residents' activities with a crystal-clear memory, gently inviting his readers to enter that forgotten and mysterious world."--Florida Book Review "Packed with memories of armed confrontations, long stakeouts, tough-talking characters and frantic pursuits."--Florida Historical Quarterly