Randy Nelson is a retired 35-year veteran of Canada’s Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO), where he became the most decorated fisheries officer in the history of British Columbia. Two years after leaving his post as director of the DFO’s Conservation and Protection Branch in BC, he was ready to write about his extraordinary and sometimes life-threatening experiences, resulting in Poachers, Polluters and Politics: A Fishery Officer’s Career. Now he joins us to discuss his second release, The Wildest Hunt – a collection of tales ranging from horrifying to hilarious from hundreds of wildlife officers across North America.
Our Sponsors:
Wildlife Heritage Foundation of NH
International Wildlife Crimestoppers
Here’s what we discuss:
- Writing the book was like doing several investigations
- Growing up in Saskatchewan
- Started running to help train
- Foot chases became common – poachers run!
- Book features at least one story from every state, province and territory
- Spoke to hundreds of officers to learn as much detail as possible
- Oklahoma: Busted on Bumble
- Alberta: When your hunting dog is a little too good
- First book was more biographical
- The Wildest Hunt was written to shine a light on domestic poaching and encourage involvement
- People often think of poaching in terms of large African animals
- “If you see something, say something”
- What is cactus poaching?
- 75x more police officers than game wardens in North America
- Ethical hunters are the best conservationists
- A poacher is not a hunter
- Poachers are often involved in other crimes
- Operation Thunderstorm
- Game wardens have a far higher chance of dying on the job than other law enforcement
- Biologists, game wardens, and management need to work together
- The economic impact and long-term effects of poaching
- A portion of the profits from The Wildest Hunt will be donated to the Game Warden Museum
- First book was never intended to be published
- Every officer has stories
- A picnic gone wrong…
- Always ready to address stakeholder groups: contact Randy
- One voice can make a difference
Credits
Hosts: Wayne Saunders and John Nores
Producer: Jay Ammann
Art & Design: Ashley Hannett
Research / Content Coordinator: Stacey DesRoches
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