Ep 11. Gold Diggers

Wild Justice is a reality television series that shows the work of California game wardens as they patrol the state's rugged terrain and waters, enforcing fish and wildlife laws. This particular episode of Wild Justice is episode 11 from season 1 and it is titled "Gold Diggers."

The episode begins with two game wardens named David Moskat and John Carrillo cruising along the Sacramento River in a boat looking for poachers. Carrillo grew up in the area and is very familiar with the terrain, which is a bonus when it comes to apprehending poachers. The Sacramento River is home to Chinook salmon, steelhead, and sturgeon, which are all high-value fish in the black market. Poachers are taking advantage of this and harvesting these fish illegally, which is what the game wardens are trying to prevent.

Meanwhile, another team of wardens is patrolling the Yuba River. Officer Dale Erickson and his crew are patrolling the area looking for illegal gold miners. Gold mining without a permit is illegal in California state parks, and this is a prevalent issue in the Yuba River. The area is rich in gold and miners are taking advantage of it.

Erickson and his team spot some miners washing gravel in the riverbed. They approach the miners and ask for their permit. One of the miners claims to have a permit, but when Erickson checks, he discovers that the permit is fake. The miners try to argue with the wardens, but they end up confiscating their equipment and issuing a citation. The wardens warn the miners that if they continue to mine illegally, they will be fined and taken to jail.

Back on the Sacramento River, Moskat and Carrillo come across a boat with three men on board. The men try to evade the wardens, which raises Moskat's suspicion. They pursue the boat and eventually stop it. The men on board claim that they are just fishing, but when the wardens search the boat, they find a hidden compartment where they are hiding salmon. The wardens confiscate the fish and issue a citation. Carrillo suspects that the men are part of a larger poaching operation and they continue to investigate.

Meanwhile, Erickson and his team are patrolling the area when they come across another group of miners. The miners try to run away, but they are eventually caught by the wardens. The team discovers that the miners are part of a larger group of illegal miners who have been terrorizing the area. The team confiscates the miners' equipment and issues citations.

Back on the Sacramento River, Moskat and Carrillo are still investigating the poaching operation. Their investigation leads them to a nearby storage unit where they find evidence of a much larger operation. They find fish scales, filleting equipment, and a shipping label for salmon. They also discover that the men they apprehended earlier were just a small part of the operation. The wardens continue to investigate and gather evidence.

At the end of the episode, the team of wardens has successfully taken down a major poaching operation and put a stop to numerous illegal gold mining activities. The wardens have kept California's wildlife and natural resources safe by enforcing the laws that protect them.