In this episode of Warden’s Watch, we sit down with members of the Pennsylvania Game Commission’s Tracking Team – a rare, highly trained group of game wardens who specialize in man tracking. From grassroots beginnings and intense training standards to real‑world deployments where everything clicks, this conversation explores what it truly means to be experts in the woods. Along the way, the guys share powerful success stories, gear talk, and a reminder that camaraderie might just be the most important tool they carry.
Our Sponsors:
North American Game Warden Museum
New Hampshire Operation Game Thief
North East Conservation Law Enforcement Chiefs Association
International Wildlife Crimestoppers
Here’s what we discuss:
- How Pennsylvania’s Tracking Team grew from a small grassroots idea
- Wardens investing in their own training before the team officially existed
- The missing person search that proved the team’s value
- What it really means to be “the police in the woods”
- Why earning a tab can take two to five years
- The training required to stay on the team, from tracking to firearms to med skills
- Why trackers focus on disturbance, not perfect boot prints
- “If it was just footprints in the sand, we wouldn’t need a tracking team.”
- Learning the natural patterns of the woods – and noticing what breaks them
- How time, distance, and decision‑making shape every search
- A call‑out that led to a young boy being found and returned home
- A fugitive pursuit that unfolded just like a training scenario
- “Everything clicked – it felt like Christmas morning.”
- How tracking teams and K9 units support each other in the field
- Knowing the limits of scent work and when human tracking matters most
- The gear they carry and why preparation is everything
- A quick snack can be a small thing that makes a big difference
- How mapping and coordination happen before teams ever hit the woods
- The close‑knit camaraderie that defines the team
- What it means to wear the tab and lead by example
- The “shirt off your back” tradition
- Why so many wardens want to join the team – and why standards stay high
- How teams like this help agencies stay trusted, capable, and relevant
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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