Lt. Jason McHenry joins Wayne from Alabama for the first-ever Warden’s Watch interview from the Yellowhammer State. Jason looks back on a career path that took him from Alabama State Trooper to youth minister and back into law enforcement as a Conservation Enforcement Officer. The conversation covers Alabama’s unique hunting opportunities, year-round wildlife enforcement challenges, innovative hunter education programs, and one of the most distinctive conservation K-9 programs in North America.
Our Sponsors:
North American Game Warden Museum
New Hampshire Operation Game Thief
Conservation Officers of Pennsylvania
North East Conservation Law Enforcement Chiefs Association
International Wildlife Crimestoppers
North American Wildlife Enforcement Officers Association
Here’s what we discuss:
- Alabama becomes the latest state added to the Warden’s Watch map
- Jason’s recent promotion to Lieutenant
- Balancing administration with field work and mentoring officers
- Alabama’s law enforcement structure and conservation districts
- Hunter education returning under law enforcement oversight
- Public shooting ranges and firearms education programs
- Archery in Schools programs and state tournaments
- Mentor hunts for new deer and turkey hunters
- Fishing outreach and recruitment of new outdoorsmen
- The importance of teaching firearm safety to youth
- “I’d much rather them be familiar with a firearm so that they can be safe with it.”
- Jason’s family connection to law enforcement
- Six years as an Alabama State Trooper
- Leaving law enforcement for youth and urban ministry
- Returning to public service and joining Conservation Enforcement
- Similarities between highway patrol and game warden work
- The investigative nature of conservation law enforcement
- Long-term wildlife investigations that can take years to develop
- Alabama’s lengthy hunting seasons
- Three-buck annual limit for hunters
- A doe-a-day harvest opportunity throughout much of the season
- Alabama’s successful whitetail deer restoration history
- Year-round enforcement responsibilities
- Feral hog and coyote hunting permits
- Turkey, dove, waterfowl, fishing, and alligator seasons
- “We stay busy year round.”
- Search and rescue support operations
- Assisting with tornado recovery and disaster response
- Rural operations and trauma medicine training
- Cottonmouths, alligators, and other southern wildlife challenges
- Alabama’s record-setting alligator harvest
- Alligator tag lotteries and hunting opportunities
- Resident-only alligator permits
- The challenge of constantly changing wildlife regulations
- Trail camera restrictions and fair chase discussions
- Modern hunting technology and hunter “hit lists”
- Growing use of thermal optics and night vision devices
- Investigating illegal thermal hunting cases
- The impact of technology on wildlife law enforcement
- Drones and the future of wildlife enforcement challenges
- The importance of public tips and cooperation
- Alabama’s unique conservation K-9 program
- Beagles used to track wildlife violators
- Partnership with the Alabama Department of Corrections
- Finding non-barking beagles ideal for conservation work
- Meet Jason’s tracking dog, Poundcake
- A turkey poaching case solved with K-9 tracking
- Tracking a suspect from the scene back to his hunting camp
- A turkey hunter accidentally shot while using a decoy
- Another successful beagle-assisted investigation
- Tracking and apprehending night hunters
- Recovering firearms and locating fleeing suspects
- The public relations benefits of using beagles
- “It’s hard to have a bad day.”
- The rewards of a career as a game warden
- The bond shared between conservation officers across North America
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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