I mainly fish (in Tx) Lake Houston, Conroe, and Livingston, along with a ton of small golf course ponds etc...

Over the past month or so, i've been seeing an alarming number of "full sized" short-nosed gar floating dead on all the above-mentioned bodies of water. Whenever possible, i examine the dead gar for signs of cause of death, but they all look intact, like a natural death. But based on the sheer numbers of these dead gar ive spotted (dead) recently, it makes me want to think that something is going on besides all these fish dying naturally at the same time..

Any thoughts??

Exhibit A.....

Unless you are seeing other dead fish, then I would say someone is on a crusade.

I agree,  sometimes people try to thin the numbers of gar by just leaving them on the bank,  see it all of the time around here.

That was my initial guess also, but like i mentioned, NONE of the gar i have gotten up close to and examined, have ANY signs of being punctured, etc..

They are probably getting them with rope, much easier than a hook

I know around here, if someone catches a gar they kill it. They look at them like they do snakehead though gar are native to this area so it always bugged me.

To me if it is not an invasive species, it is part of the ecosystem and belongs there every bit as much as the species you want to catch.

I see trout fisherman do the same thing with chubs. Beat them against a rock or toss 'em off into the woods. The irony is in the hatchery supported streams, The trout or the non native fish (except the brookies).

yeah that stinks.

When you say punctured, do you mean with an arrow or knife type punctured? Or do you mean punctured through the lip with a hook. I see it all of the time and have seen people do it in saltwater. They just leave them on the bank to die, no knives or screwdrivers.