154 North American Game Warden Museum – with Stephanie Lee

Tucked into a scenic corner of the International Peace Garden, and straddling the border between North Dakota and Manitoba, Canada, the North American Game Warden Museum stands as the world’s only institution fully dedicated to both educating the public and honoring fallen wildlife officers. This one-of-a-kind museum features a memorial garden, exhibits showcasing uniforms and tools of the trade from decades past, along with a library, audio/visual area, and a fascinating collection of items seized by game wardens from across North America. In this episode, we sit down with museum manager Stephanie Lee for an insightful conversation ahead of the museum’s 2025 Fallen Officer Memorial Ceremony.

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North American Game Warden Museum

Hunt Regs

SecureIt Gun Storage

XS Sights

“A Cowboy in the Woods” Book

Maine’s Operation Game Thief

International Wildlife Crimestoppers

Here’s what we discuss:

  • Background in outdoor education
  • Began a summer job at the Peace Garden gate
  • Approached by the local game warden
  • “Never looked back.”
  • The International Peace Garden
  • Memorial stones from every state and province
  • Board members from both countries
  • The museum is the only one of its kind
  • Educating the public
  • Many of the exhibits include seized items
  • Constantly changing and reimagining the space
  • Campground on site
  • Other activities include biking and kayaking
  • Open from May – September
  • “Part-time photographers”
  • The popular Visiting Officer program

Credits

Hosts: Wayne Saunders and John Nores

Producer: Jay Ammann

Warden’s Watch logo & Design: Ashley Hannett

Research / Content Coordinator: Stacey DesRoches

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153 Murder in Morgan County – with Kirk Kiefer

In July 2021, a peaceful family camping trip in Ohio’s vast Appalachian Hills Wilderness Area turned into a chilling crime scene. Two lives were lost, and a community was shaken. In this gripping episode, we sit down with ODNR Investigator Kirk Kiefer to uncover the layers of a complex and haunting double homicide.

Our Sponsors:

Thin Green Line Podcast

Don Noyes Chevrolet

North American Game Warden Museum

Hunt Regs

SecureIt Gun Storage

XS Sights

“A Cowboy in the Woods” Book

Maine’s Operation Game Thief

International Wildlife Crimestoppers

Here’s what we discuss:

  • Investigator Keifer appeared in a previous episode
  • International Game Warden Association Officer of the Year
  • ODNR’s nomination submission
  • The ‘ginseng detective’
  • Nomination was kept secret!
  • A missing persons / suspicious activity report on State land
  • The couple’s phones – and daughter – were left behind
  • Suspect claimed the couple had gone to CA and were expected back
  • A concerned camper contacted ODNR
  • The couple’s license plate had recently been checked on the Interstate
  • Suspect had a ‘tell.’
  • “He was convinced I was a human lie detector.”
  • The sudden confession: “I killed ‘em.”
  • Killings had happened 13 days prior
  • Suspect led investigators to the bodies
  • Defense attorney admitted there was no defense to be mounted
  • Claimed he was ‘rescuing’ the child
  • Body cameras were used in case the suspect did not testify
  • Appeared to feel badly about killing the female.
  • “Sometimes there is no ‘why’.”
  • Never expected to be investigating homicide
  • Attended the couple’s memorial services
  • Inter-agency cooperation was key to this case
  • Killer received two automatic life terms with no parole

Credits

Hosts: Wayne Saunders and John Nores

Producer: Jay Ammann

Warden’s Watch logo & Design: Ashley Hannett

Research / Content Coordinator: Stacey DesRoches

Subscribe:

Apple Podcasts

Spotify

Amazon

Google

Waypoint

Stitcher

TuneIn

Megaphone

Find More Here:

Website

Warden’s Watch / TGL Store

Facebook

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152 – 2025 International Game Warden Conference

For the third time, we were able to sit down at the International Game Warden Conference held this year in Erie, Pennsylvania, with Game Warden Chris Gilkey of Ohio, Game Warden Kris McCabe of the Maine Warden Service, myself, Wayne Saunders, host of the Warden’s Watch podcast, and Game Warden Andy Hueser of the Pennsylvania Game Commission who was also instrumental in the organization and implementation of this year’s conference. Tune in for a lively conversation!