Warden's Watch

174 Chris Egan - With Tayton Keezer This episode brings us a fresh perspective as Conservation Law student Tayton Keezer steps behind the mic to interview retired New Hampshire CO Chris Egan. What starts as a simple student-to-officer conversation turns into a mix of mentorship, hard truths, and wild field stories, as Tayton connects what he’s learning in school to what the job really looks like i...

173 Etienne Daigle – Quebec, Canada If you’ve ever wondered what game wardens deal with north of the border, this one delivers. From bear decoy busts to baby crocodiles in a bunker, “Agent de la faune” Etienne Daigle gives us a front row seat to wildlife enforcement in Quebec, Canada - and it’s anything but predictable. Our Sponsors: Thin Green Line Podcast Don Noyes Chevrolet North American Game...

W09 New England Naturals - With Jake DeBow Jake DeBow didn’t just grow up around trapping; he grew into it, built a life around it, and somehow turned frozen beaver ponds, late nights, and a sewing machine into a thriving business. In this episode, Wayne sits down in Jake’s trapping shed to talk about New England Naturals, the art of fur, and why more people are starting to care about where their...

In this National Police Week memorial episode, Wayne sits down with two men who lived through an unimaginable moment when a training exercise turned into a fight for survival. Retired Indiana DNR Lieutenant Colonel Terry Hyndman and First Sgt. Tom Jahn revisit the day they lost their friend and teammate, First Sgt. Karl Kelley, in a swift water incident that still shapes them decades later. It’s a...

On this episode of Warden’s Watch, we sit down again with Ohio’s Kevin Behr - this time joined by his wife, Kathy - to talk about survival, recovery, and the purpose they’ve found after Kevin was shot in the line of duty. Recorded at the International Game Warden Conference, this conversation goes beyond the incident itself and into what happens after - for officers, spouses, families, and anyone...

In this episode of Warden’s Watch, we’re introducing a new sponsor to the show - Iron Skillet Seasonings - and sitting down with the people behind the product. Founder Dennis Dedek and new owner Cody Baciuska join us to talk about how Iron Skillet got its start, why their seasonings are developed specifically for wild game, and what makes them different from anything else on the shelf. From decade...

What began as a baffling discovery in a Washington State clearcut quickly turned into one of the most significant wildlife cases in the region – mainly because of the sentence that followed. Officers Lanny McOmber and Sergeant Brian Alexander walk us through a long, technical investigation involving multiple poached elk, complex necropsies, geofence warrants, cutting-edge tech and a suspect who ju...

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 s...

Spring might still be a snow-covered dream up north, but down in Georgia the dogwoods are thinking about blooming – and that means the turkeys are waking up. This week, Georgia Game Warden Patrick Gibbs and Ben Martin of HuntRegs join Wayne for a closer look into the southern turkey season, the surprising quirks of Georgia’s big‑game rules, and why the HuntRegs app is becoming one of the most powe...

It’s Women’s History Month, and there’s no better time to highlight CPO Amanda McKune - Illinois officer, new mom, and the 2025 NWTF Officer of the Year. Amanda shares the behind‑the‑scenes reality of the job: the long hours, the high‑stakes turkey and deer cases, the instincts that guide her, and the determination that has already defined her first six years in the field. Humble and relentless, s...

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 onl...

After more than 30 years with Georgia DNR, Sgt. Shawn Elmore joins Warden’s Watch for a long‑awaited conversation filled with humor, hard lessons, and unforgettable cases. From hunting alongside his dad as a child to becoming one of Georgia’s leading boating‑incident investigators, Shawn shares a mix of heartfelt family stories, outrageous poaching cases, and high‑stakes investigations that helped...

In this episode, Wayne sits down with Nevada Game Warden James Mortimore from the floor of the Sheep Show® in Reno, NV - complete with bugling elk echoing in the background! From rescuing kayakers in monsoon swells on Lake Mead to blow-darting mountain lions and tracking illegal alligator sales on Facebook, James has lived the full spectrum of wildlife policing in one of the most diverse law enfor...

From growing up with a game warden father to leading investigations, Staff Sergeant and canine handler Larry Hergenroeder has seen it all—and loved every minute of it. In this episode, Larry shares why he believes being a game warden is “the coolest job on earth,” how his canine partners have cracked cases in record time, and why networking through NAWEOA matters more than ever.   Our Sponsors: Th...

In this powerful episode of The Thin Green Line Podcast, we sit down with Andy Huynh, a conservation professional whose career has taken him from global conflict zones to the front lines of wildlife protection. Andy shares his journey from growing up in Southern California, to military service, to nearly a decade working overseas combating illegal wildlife trade, environmental crime, and transnati...

From patrolling on sea ice and responding to polar bear calls to managing wildlife in remote communities, Conservation Officer Jack Skillings takes us deep into the Canadian Arctic. Offering a rare glimpse into wildlife enforcement in the far north, Jack shares the rewards and realities of protecting the environment in some of the most isolated places on Earth.   Our Sponsors: Thin Green Line Podc...

What happens when a game warden takes on one of the toughest survival challenges on TV? West Virginia's Isaiah Tuck joins Wayne to share his incredible journey from enforcing wildlife laws to braving complete isolation on the hit series Alone. Discover the mental grit, survival skills, and life lessons that come from living off the land - and why solitude can be the ultimate teacher.   Our Sponsor...

In this episode of Warden’s Watch, Wayne sits down with Ben Martin, founder of the Hunt Regs app, and Hayden Cook, a Tennessee Wildlife Officer, for a deep dive into warden-hunter interactions, safety in the field, and the story behind one of Tennessee’s most infamous poaching cases - the Maserati Buck. From practical advice for hunters to insights on wildlife law enforcement, this conversation is...

In this powerful episode of Warden’s Watch, Pennsylvania Game Wardens Phil Bietsch & TJ Knash share the story of a career-defining poaching case tied to the tragic death of fellow officer David Grove on Veteran’s Day 2010. From building trust to securing confessions, this case is a masterclass in investigative work and emotional resilience. Listen now to hear how justice was served, and a legacy h...

Ricardo Grisolini, a New York State Environmental Conservation Officer with roots in northern Italy, brings a sharp eye and a sharp wit to wildlife law enforcement. From chasing down poachers to setting up decoy deer that even landowners can’t resist, his stories are packed with twists, laughs, and lessons. In this episode, Ricardo shares some of his most unforgettable and entertaining cases from...

After the chilling revelations of Episode 156’s “Killing Krew Klan,” the question remained: how would the justice system respond? What consequences did these young trophy hunters face, and did the punishment fit the crime? In this episode, Investigator Patrick Kiely returns to walk us through the penalty phase of the case. Join us as we uncover the final chapter in one of Connecticut’s most distur...

On this podcast, we sat down. Two dynamic individuals, Chase Hardage and Jason Ray from the Wise Eye technology company, talk about WiseEye's beginnings. What they're doing and how they're doing things differently and better. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 detail...

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 f...

In this episode, we talk with Sgt. Blake Patterson, a Conservation Officer from Swan River, Manitoba, and President of the North American Game Warden Museum. Blake shares insights from his 17 years in the field and discusses the museum’s role in honoring game wardens and conservation officers across North America. Located at the International Peace Garden, the museum highlights the challenges of t...