Category: Uncategorized

Maine Operation Game Thief

New Hampshire Operation Game Thief

North East Conservation Law Enforcement Chiefs Association

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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166 Badges on the Bayou

Posted on February 26, 2026February 26, 2026 by nhfishcop10

On this episode of Warden’s Watch, we head deep into Louisiana with Captain Will Roberts and Sergeant Terry Hicks — two wildlife agents who bring the state’s culture, cases, and Cajun humor to life. From crawfish wars and cooking secrets to big-game patrols, wild night‑hunting busts, and the state’s legendary boat poker runs, Will and Terry share stories that reveal a Louisiana most of us have only imagined. It’s part culture lesson, part law‑enforcement adventure, and entirely Louisiana.

Our Sponsors:

Maine Operation Game Thief

New Hampshire Operation Game Thief

North East Conservation Law Enforcement Chiefs Association

Here’s what we discuss:

Cajun cooking traditions, heavy seasoning, and why the roux matters.
“You season everything two or three times.”
Crawfish culture, regional boil methods, and the friendly “crawfish wars.”
How Louisiana farms, regulates, and harvests crawfish — and how dry weather affects production.
Wildlife across the state: deer, turkey, black bears, and tightly regulated alligator seasons.
Long deer seasons, electronic tagging, and how multiple hunting seasons overlap.
Busy waterways, boating safety, and enforcing alcohol laws on the water.
“A DWI on the water is the same as on the highway.”
The Tickfaw 200 poker run, big boats, long routes, and how safety has evolved.
Career paths, teamwork, and how Operation Game Thief works behind the scenes.
Memorable trespass, baiting, and night‑hunting cases, including turkey hunters caught sitting on cracked corn.
Decoy operations and the mix of funny, tense, and unpredictable encounters.
Working small communities where they often know the people they catch.
Strong landowner relationships and why most hunters follow the rules.
Cajun identity, accents, and local names like sac‑a‑lait and pull‑dues.
What keeps them in the job — the adventure, the outdoors, and the humor.
“I’m surprised they pay us for a lot of the stuff we do.”

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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⁠Thin Green Line Podcast⁠

156 The Killing Krew Klan – With Patrick Kiely

Posted on September 27, 2025September 27, 2025 by nhfishcop10

In late 2018, the Connecticut Environmental Conservation Police uncovered a chilling case involving a group of young trophy hunters. Over just a few months, they had illegally taken at least 19 deer – often during nighttime hunts near residential neighborhoods. What started as a routine investigation quickly unraveled into something far more disturbing: secret planning sessions, a manifesto detailing their exploits, and a twisted tribute to the grandfather who taught them to night hunt. Join Investigator Patrick Kiely as he recounts the unbelievable story of the “Killing Krew Klan.”

Our Sponsors:

⁠Don Noyes Chevrolet⁠

⁠North American Game Warden Museum⁠

⁠Hunt Regs⁠

⁠WiseEye⁠

⁠SecureIt Gun Storage⁠

⁠XS Sights⁠

⁠“A Cowboy in the Woods” Book⁠

⁠Maine’s Operation Game Thief⁠

⁠International Wildlife Crimestoppers⁠

Here’s what we discuss:

· An area known for night hunting

· Spotting night hunters requires patience and timing

· The state’s healthy deer population is tempting for poachers

· A patrol officer spots suspicious signs

· The initial arrest leads to more questions

· Cell phones: everyone documents everything

· “I wouldn’t even call them hunters; they were trophy poachers.”

· It definitely wasn’t squirrels

· The group is released but phones are seized

· A stunning discovery

· “It was an every-night occurrence.”

· The group frequently hunted near houses

· None of 19 deer were registered

· The puzzle pieces: pictures, locations and times

· The serial poaching had gone on for years, and had grown

· Group relied on thinly stretched law enforcement

· A specific 16-point buck and an unlikely story

· US Fish and Wildlife joins the investigation

· Cell phone metadata pinpoints locations and times

· “Not a care in the world.”

· A handwritten manifesto is found

· The ‘zombie’ deer

· Timing was perfect – and lucky

· Even illegal roadkill wasn’t off limits to the ‘Klan’

· $100 does for sale, and banquet hall venison

· Multiple deer were taken nightly

· Managing investigations and public perception

· Hunters had noticed a decline

· “It was a joke to them.”

· Many state charges were misdemeanors

· Local hunters weigh in

· Technology has changed investigation strategies

· Limitation statutes prevented even more charges

· Getting buy-in from other agencies

· Balancing criminal and wildlife investigations can be a challenge

· The cell phones were crucial

· Rising bear population has led to conflicts

· Educating the public

· Staffing numbers are on the rise

· “It was a learning experience for all of us.”

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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⁠Website⁠

⁠Warden’s Watch / TGL Store⁠

152 – 2025 International Game Warden Conference

Posted on August 4, 2025August 4, 2025 by nhfishcop10

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!

151 – The Game Warden Channel

Posted on July 24, 2025July 24, 2025 by nhfishcop10

Introducing The Game Warden Channel! From the creators of smash hits North Woods Law and Lone Star Law, TGWC is now streaming exclusively on YouTube – bringing you even more real-life stories from game wardens across the US. In this episode, we go behind the scenes with Steve Engel and Ben Shank of Engel Entertainment, Director of Photography Jamie Azar, and New Hampshire’s own Col. Kevin Jordan and Conservation Officers Jon Demler, Austin Valladares, Kevin Bronson, and Josiah Towne. Subscribe now for an even closer look into the world of conservation law enforcement.

Our Sponsors:

Hunt Regs

SecureIt Gun Storage

XS Sights

Here’s what we discuss:

“We’re back!”
The first call was to New Hampshire
YouTube allows more flexibility
Episodes will feature NH, then move to Texas, Nevada, and other states
NH Fish & Game staff voted unanimously to participate
Carrying the torch for conservation and conservation officers
“I’d rather be doing this than probably anything else in television.”
Officers and camera crew become good friends
A turkey poacher in the wrong neighborhood
New show features a smaller crew than network television
Camera crew helped tend CO Towne’s animals after work
“It’s on the interwebs!”

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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150 Tony Rigoli – New York

Posted on July 2, 2025 by nhfishcop10

Lt. Anthony Rigoli is an Environmental Conservation Officer (ECO) who works for the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC). In this episode, he takes us through his time as an ECO based in the last place anyone would expect to run into a game warden – New York City!

Our Sponsors:

Hunt Regs

SecureIt Gun Storage

XS Sights

Here’s what we discuss:

The Great American Outdoor Show
Many new officers begin in New York City
“It’s a unique experience.”
Assigned to Marine Enforcement Unit
Specialized training at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC)
Encountering high-end watercraft
“Being a cop is dangerous. Being out on the ocean is dangerous.”
Many people are unaware there are game wardens in NYC
Checking fish markets for prohibited goods
The not-so-secret signal for illegal turtles
City-dwelling coyotes
Piloting a brand new 44-foot jet boat
The challenges of living and working in the city
“You’ll come away with experiences that no other game warden is going to get.”
Working with highly experienced and talented officers
Shoreline fishing in Manhattan and crafty hiding spots
Tips from the public matter
17 conservation officers policing 8 million people
An outrageous illegal chemical dumping case

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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128 Father & Sons – with Bill, Wayne, and Aaron Saunders

Posted on June 25, 2024June 25, 2024 by nhfishcop10

Bill Saunders’ legacy is a testament to the enduring bond between family and nature. His love for the wilderness, deeply instilled in his sons, has blossomed into a tradition that transcends generations. This Father’s Day, we explore their story; it’s a legacy of living off the land, teaching the next generation to hunt ethically, and nurturing a passion that would one day set a young man on a familiar career path. A family’s tradition, flourishing under the canopy of the great outdoors.

Our Sponsors:

Sovereign Sportsman Solutions

Hunt of a Lifetime

Wildlife Heritage Foundation of NH

Here’s what we discuss:

Dad grew up fishing and hunting
Snakes!
The story of the cowboy in the woods
Growing up on roadkill
“I’d arrest Mom if I had to.”
Adventures with Uncle Warren
Learning never to waste a resource
The deer that kept standing up
Aaron’s first deer
Bonding with your kids in the outdoors
Hunting hazards: hand injuries and dented tailgates
The duck that crash landed
Walking through the woods with your kids; it’s about the experience
Wildlife populations have changed over the years
“If you’re gonna shoot it, you’re gonna eat it.”
Porcupines and perch eggs
Being related to a game warden can sometimes change your point of view
The outdoor legacy continues in Wayne and Aaron’s children

Credits

Hosts: Wayne Saunders and John Nores

Producer: Jay Ammann

Art & Design: Ashley Hannett

Research / Content Coordinator: Stacey DesRoches

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https://www.fox43.com/article/news/local/lancaster-county/pa-man-first-cited-recovering-deer-drone-lawmaker-proposes-change/521-001ae710-0f20-488e-88b2-baca39e45f36

Warden News – February 2024

Posted on February 29, 2024April 17, 2024 by staceydesroches

Warden News is a collection of current game warden-related stories gathered from news sources worldwide. These stories are compiled and read by Warden’s Watch podcast producer Jay Scott.

Warden News – January 2024

Posted on January 26, 2024January 26, 2024 by nhfishcop10

Warden News – January 2024

Pennsylvania: Drone case

Alaska: Hunters Pay ‘Deerly’ for Violations

Alaska Wildlife Troopers, along with assistance from US Forest Service Law Enforcement, increased their enforcement presence during the Southern Southeast Sitka Blacktail deer “rut” in early November of 2023. This operation included the use of increased manpower, 12 patrol vehicles, 4 patrol vessels, 5 artificial wildlife, and a lot of rain gear. The program targeted two main areas of concern that the public has made complaints about over the last couple of years: Spotlighting and shooting from the roadway, and resulted in multiple charges.

Southeast hunters pay deerly for violations in large-scale joint state-federal operation | Juneau Empire

New Hampshire: Hiker Recovered from Mount Guyot

Hiker Recovered from Mount Guyot – NH Fish and Game Department (nhfishgame.com)

Montana: Eagle investigation

https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2023/12/14/montana-bald-eagles-killed-simon-paul-travis-branson/

Wyoming: Retired US Forest Service officer convicted of six felonies.

Powell man convicted for defrauding US Forest Service

Virginia: Duck Poachers Caught After Posting to Social Media

Poachers Who Shot 100-Plus Ducks Over Bait Posted Pile Pics, Got Caught (outdoorlife.com)

Georgia: Officials searching for people wanted for questioning after fish hatchery damaged

https://www.wsbtv.com/news/officials-searching-people-wanted-questioning-after-georgia-fish-hatchery-damaged/75OAKR3XPNC53J6Q7MI3SIYNTY/

97 Brock Hoyt – Georgia

Posted on December 8, 2022 by nhfishcop10

Despite having been a member of the Georgia DNR for just five years, Game Warden First Class Brock Hoyt is already a standout officer. The recipient of both the 2022 NAWEOA Torch Award and the 2022 Georgia Game Warden of the Year, he’s also been recognized as Game Warden of the Year by International Wildlife Crimestoppers. We caught up for a quick chat with this rising star back in July at NAWEOA – join us!

Our Sponsors:

Sovereign Sportsman Solutions

Hunt of a Lifetime

Wildlife Heritage Foundation of NH