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Warden's Watch

Warden's Watch

By: Wayne Saunders / John Nores
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This podcast brings you stories from Game Wardens across the world. Listen to their favorite cases, worst cases, what led them to their career, and what makes their job unique. Hosted by retired game wardens Wayne Saunders and John Nores.2022 Warden's Watch Biographies & Memoirs Biological Sciences Science True Crime
Episodes
  • 178 The Turtle Trap – With Zach Abrahamsson

    178 The Turtle Trap – With Zach Abrahamsson
    Sep 14 2026
    178 The Turtle Trap – With Zach Abrahamsson A quiet back road, a string of dead turtles, and a community determined to protect local wildlife. Conservation Officer Zach Abrahamsson joins Warden's Watch to tell the incredible story behind "The Turtle Trap," an investigation that used a toy turtle decoy to catch a suspect responsible for a shocking act of wildlife cruelty. From citizen observations to undercover surveillance, this episode highlights the challenges of proving wildlife crimes and the importance of protecting vulnerable species. Our Sponsors: Thin Green Line Podcast Don Noyes Chevrolet North American Game Warden Museum Hunt Regs WiseEye SecureIt Gun Storage XS Sights “A Cowboy in the Woods” Book Iron Skillet Seasonings Maine Operation Game Thief 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:  Wayne welcomes Zach Abrahamsson from New Hampshire Fish and Game.  The case begins on Bog Road in Hillsboro, New Hampshire.  Residents install turtle crossing signs to protect nesting turtles.  The signs begin disappearing.  Someone leaves a handwritten message demanding the signs be removed.  Witnesses notice a local resident repeatedly driving a side-by-side up and down the road.  Dead turtles begin appearing along a short stretch of roadway.  Concerned citizens carefully track the number of turtles being found.  Fifteen turtles are found dead over a short period.  A nesting turtle catches the attention of nearby residents.  Witnesses watch as a man picks up the turtle, places it in the road, and stomps on it.  The injured turtle survives and is rushed to a licensed rehabilitator.  The turtle is expected to make a full recovery.  Hillsboro Police contact Fish and Game to investigate.  Zach discusses New Hampshire's wildlife cruelty law.  Officers begin planning a proactive operation.  Fellow officer James Benvenuti suggests using a toy turtle as a decoy.  "My son has this toy turtle."  The realistic decoy is placed along the road.  Officers hide nearby and wait.  A passing vehicle unintentionally disrupts part of the operation.  Zach spends several tense moments hiding behind a large boulder.  "My heart was pounding."  The suspect spots the decoy turtle.  He turns around and deliberately drives over it.  The action is captured on video.  The suspect immediately heads home afterward.  Officers explain the difference between circumstantial evidence and proof beyond a reasonable doubt.  Zach breaks down how wildlife cases are built for court.  The chargeable offense centers on the turtle that witnesses observed being stomped.  The decoy operation helps reinforce the investigative findings.  Zach explains the difference between felony and misdemeanor wildlife cruelty charges.  The discussion turns to officer discretion and appropriate punishment.  "The most important thing is getting this guy to stop doing this."  The suspect pleads guilty to the charges.  The case results in fines and a criminal record.  Public reaction to the case is intense.  Balancing accountability with changing behavior.  The importance of reporting suspicious wildlife activity.  Zach explains the conservation impact of losing multiple turtles.  Remarkably, the famous turtle decoy survives the operation with only a cracked shell.  The battle-scarred decoy earns permanent trophy status among the officers. 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 Facebook Fan Page Instagram Threads YouTube RSS Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    50 mins
  • W10 Lisa Feener & Kelly Irwin – Pack Life

    W10 Lisa Feener & Kelly Irwin – Pack Life
    Aug 28 2026
    W10 Lisa Feener & Kelly Irwin – Pack Life Kelly Irwin and Lisa Feener join the podcast to share their experiences in the world of hound hunting, from raising generations of bear dogs to navigating a traditionally male-dominated sport. This conversation explores memorable hunts, dog breeding, wildlife behavior, mentorship, and the deep bond between houndsmen and their dogs. More than anything, this episode is about the dogs, the people who love them, and the traditions that keep the sport alive. Our Sponsors: Thin Green Line Podcast Don Noyes Chevrolet North American Game Warden Museum Hunt Regs WiseEye SecureIt Gun Storage XS Sights “A Cowboy in the Woods” Book Iron Skillet Seasonings Maine Operation Game Thief 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:  Meeting through New Hampshire Bear Hunters Association field trials  Why women are still relatively uncommon in hound hunting  The term houndsmen and why neither guest worries much about labels  Keeping things simple and focusing on the dogs  Kelly's introduction to hunting with hounds after meeting her husband  Falling in love with the sport almost immediately  Building a family bloodline that now stretches six generations  Lisa's first exposure to hound hunting while working on bear research  Using hounds to capture and study radio-collared bears  Discovering that hounds are more than just tools  "Of course they're dogs. They're going to want to play, they're going to want to snuggle, and they just have this really intense job."  Driving hours to learn more about dogs and hound hunting  Mentorship, friendship, and learning the craft together  "I want you to have a real bear dog."  Trial and error while building a successful pack  Learning to manage different dog personalities and abilities  The differences men and women can bring to dog training  Reading dogs through their voices, behavior, and body language  Understanding each dog's strengths and weaknesses  Memorable hunts in steep mountains and rugged terrain  Recovering dogs from cliffs and navigating difficult country  A successful bear hunt that led to an unexpected encounter with hikers  Turning curiosity into a positive educational experience  Common misconceptions about hunting with hounds  "The strongest relationship you can have with an animal is to hunt with it."  Why most houndsmen are motivated by the dogs, not the harvest  "It's not about how many bears you can kill. For most houndsmen, it's about the dogs."  Watching young dogs develop and gain confidence  The excitement of a puppy figuring things out for the first time  "Some of the most memorable hunts are when the puppies learn a thing."  Catch-and-release bear hunting during training season  Understanding bear behavior and seasonal food sources  Following clues from what bears are eating  Studying movement patterns and habitat use  Building bloodlines and preserving desirable traits  The role genetics plays in creating successful hunting dogs  "You have full ownership over the outcome of that dog."  Why local bloodlines often perform best in local conditions  Hunting differences between northern New Hampshire and northern Maine  Water crossings, cold trailing, and challenging terrain  How regional conditions shape dogs over generations  Hunting with children and introducing the next generation  The teamwork required to manage a successful hound hunt  Working together through guide camps and outdoor adventures  Processing bears in the woods rather than rushing back to camp  Slowing down and appreciating the entire experience  "Take time to smell the roses."  Why the journey matters more than the harvest  Looking ahead to another season with the dogs 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 Facebook Fan Page Instagram Threads YouTube RSS Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    1 hr and 18 mins
  • 177 The Creek Kings Case – With Mark Williams

    177 The Creek Kings Case – With Mark Williams
    Aug 20 2026
    177 The Creek Kings Case – With Mark Williams What happens when modern poaching meets social media fame? Ohio Wildlife Officer Mark Williams shares the story of the Creek Kings case, an investigation that exposed years of illegal deer hunting hidden behind a successful YouTube channel. What began with a park visitor finding hunting equipment in a metro park quickly grew into a massive digital investigation involving trail cameras, cell phone data, deleted evidence, fake hunting locations, sponsorship money, and some very ambitious trophy hunters. Mark takes us through the case from the first clue to the final sentencing and explains how technology helped both the offenders and the officers who caught them. Our Sponsors: Thin Green Line Podcast Don Noyes Chevrolet North American Game Warden Museum Hunt Regs WiseEye SecureIt Gun Storage XS Sights “A Cowboy in the Woods” Book Iron Skillet Seasonings Maine Operation Game Thief 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:  Meet Ohio Wildlife Officer Mark Williams  Why Mark calls this a "21st century poaching case"  The rise of wildlife commercialization through social media  The Creek Kings Outdoors YouTube channel  Hunting for views, sponsorships, and online fame  A park visitor discovers hunting equipment in Three Creeks Metro Park  Metro Park Ranger Stefan Brook gets involved  Building partnerships before a major case pays off  Trail cameras, tree stands, and ATV trails in the park  Investigators identify two cousins as suspects  Zach Bethel and Justin Booth become the focus  How cellular trail cameras changed the investigation  "It would have been impossible for them to do what they did without technology, and impossible for us to stop them without ours."  Rangers document repeated hunting activity  Officers begin monitoring the YouTube channel  Hunting equipment, filming gear, and surveillance cameras  The challenge of predicting suspect movements  Rangers catch the suspects entering the park  Excuses about lost dogs and accidental hunting  Contradictions begin piling up  Hidden cameras and deleted messages  Evidence tampering enters the picture  "The only lesson they learned was not to hunt it with equipment they couldn't carry out."  Search warrants for phones and digital devices  Suspects underestimate the investigation  Recovering deleted information  Discovering years of illegal activity  Investigators realize the case is much bigger than expected  Illegal deer linked to YouTube content  Prodigy, Turkeyfoot, Wide 10, and other named bucks  Hunting places they had no permission to hunt  Recovering deer across multiple properties  The fake Kentucky hunts  Deer allegedly harvested in Kentucky were actually killed in Ohio  Manipulating videos to create a false story  Property owners misled by the suspects  Sponsors unknowingly backing illegal hunting content  "These guys made tens of thousands in material and monetary wealth from illegally killing wildlife."  Investigators spend months analyzing phones, computers, drones, and photos  Five years of documented activity uncovered  The Metro Park becomes their "cheat code"  Conversations about avoiding detection  Planning future fake Kentucky hunts  Using drones to locate deer  Hunting-related drone violations  Evidence from podcasts, texts, videos, and photos  How social media became a treasure trove of evidence  The decision to focus on the strongest charges  Cooperation between wildlife officers, park rangers, prosecutors, and tech specialists  76 total charges filed  Plea agreements and guilty pleas  Over $29,000 in wildlife restitution  More than $37,000 in total financial penalties  Nine days of jail time  Five-year revocation of hunting, fishing, and trapping privileges  Wildlife Violator Compact consequences across North America  Ban from Metro Parks and Alum Creek State Park  Restrictions on possessing hunting equipment  "They treated it like their own private preserve."  The damage done to sponsors and supporters  Hunters who felt betrayed by the channel  The dangers of chasing fame and online success  Lessons for conservation officers facing digital-era wildlife crimes  Why Mark believes more cases like this are coming  The importance of protecting public resources  Final thoughts on greed, accountability, and conservation 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 ...
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    1 hr and 44 mins
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Wayne is the best!!!! You can literally feel his passion in every podcast. keep it up

Wayne!!!!!

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Best podcast about game Wardens and the work they do that is out there awesome job!

Best podcast available

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I love hearing the stories from wardens across the country. Keep up the great work!

My favorite podcast!

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Good episode. I wouldn't have thought ginseng poaching was a thing but not really surprising either. Very informative.
First time I was able to leave a rating and review (Spotify does not allow me to for some reason). I'll continue listening on Audible in the future.

Interesting

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4 episodes in and no intention of stopping. Found my new podcast! I'm a hunter on the east coast and love hearing these stories. Episodes 52 and 53 hit home. There are no almost no box turtles left in our area of Southern NJ. 20 years ago there were literally hundreds visible throughout the year each spring. Keep at it!

Awesome stories, great Podcaster

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