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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 Biological Sciences Science True Crime
Episodes
  • 168 Talking Turkey - With Patrick Gibbs & Ben Martin

    168 Talking Turkey - With Patrick Gibbs & Ben Martin
    Mar 20 2026
    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 powerful tools in the field. From license mistakes to a Thanksgiving turkey story involving a dog with questionable morals, this one’s packed with practical advice and classic game warden comedy. Our Sponsors: Thin Green Line Podcast Don Noyes Chevrolet North American Game Warden Museum HuntRegs WiseEye SecureIt Gun Storage XS Sights “A Cowboy in the Woods” Book Maine Operation Game Thief New Hampshire Operation Game Thief North East Conservation Law Enforcement Chiefs Association International Wildlife Crimestoppers Here’s what we discuss: · Spring turkey talk and the north–south difference in season timing · Patrick’s 13 years as a Georgia game warden · Working the Georgia coast: shrimping, crabbing, oysters, and commercial fisheries · Moving inland and “traditional” game‑warden work · HuntRegs’ goal of improving public understanding of what wardens actually do · “There’s not enough game wardens” - why follow‑up matters · What wardens look for on a turkey hunter check · Licensing requirements for turkey · Bag limit changes: two per season, one per day · “Leave one to keep the population going” · Printed harvest records vs app check‑ins · You can game‑check without service and upload later · Requirements: record before moving the bird, game‑check within 24 hours · Turkeys as the most‑poached species and why tagging matters · Patrick’s approach with inexperienced hunters and juveniles · Why turkey hunters tend to be more seasoned · Public‑land turkeys: “No inexperienced hunter is killing a Georgia public bird” · Florida, early spring weather, and turkey chatter starting up · “When the dogwoods bloom, the turkeys gobble” · Common mistakes: assuming WMAs follow statewide turkey dates · Miss the quota? “You’re definitely getting a ticket.” · HuntRegs app: geolocation, pin drops, license requirements, special rules · Archery‑only zones, no‑camping rules, and property‑specific notes · Game wardens using the app themselves before checks · Printed regs and rules: “They call it the digest… not very digestible!” · Growth of HuntRegs and its state‑by‑state customization · A turkey tossed out a car window, then snatched and hidden by a dog · “Did you charge the dog - aiding and assisting?” · No fall turkey season in Georgia; hens always protected · HuntRegs‑generated cases: night hunting, baited duck ponds, hunting without permission · Duck pond baited with molasses and corn, caught on Thanksgiving morning · Why community tips matter · Focus on catching blatant violations: night hunting, baiting, hunting under the influence · Anonymous reporting, optional follow‑ups, and confidentiality · Georgia’s monetary rewards for tips leading to convictions · Improving the system based on warden feedback · “Already a good day when you learn something new.” 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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    39 mins
  • 167 Amanda McKune – Illinois

    167 Amanda McKune – Illinois
    Mar 6 2026
    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, she’s exactly the kind of story this month is made to celebrate. 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 Maine Operation Game Thief New Hampshire Operation Game Thief North East Conservation Law Enforcement Chiefs Association International Wildlife Crimestoppers Here’s what we discuss: · Stepping onto the NWTF stage and realizing the scale: “I had no idea going into that… wow.” · Working turkey and deer hunters in southern Illinois - being “in the right place at the right time.” · The habitual turkey poacher and the tip that set everything in motion. · Working 3 AM mornings through April until she finally caught him. · Charging him with 8 birds she could prove, knowing the real count was far higher. · Spending another April up before dawn to catch him again during suspension. · The rush when officers from another district caught him a third time. · Why turkey cases are so tough: long hours, staying still, waiting. · “Sometimes it doesn’t add up… but 90% of the time it leads to something.” · The strain of April on her young family - “They put up with me the whole month of April.” · A wild deer case: a shot at dark, a suspect in Long Johns, and three huge bags of illegal deer corn. · Interviews stretching for hours as he claimed he was “just looking.” · Finding his gun buried in a creekbed, wrapped in his unworn camo: “We were all amped up… we got him.” · Growing up fishing, discovering her interviewing superpower — “People just like to talk to me.” · The importance of catching a single word out of place. · Illinois’ massive deer - with 26‑pointers becoming normal in some counties. · Ongoing cases involving 30+ illegally killed deer. · Starting her career in the same county she grew up in. · Knowing the land, families, and history. · Tips and informants as the backbone of most big cases. · Balancing motherhood, a state‑trooper husband, and long hours: “I’m taking advantage now and trying to catch these guys while I can.” · The rise of night road hunting and non‑residents chasing big Midwest deer. · October–December feeling like another April. · A new era of poaching — thermal optics and crossbows with thermals. · Working across the Missouri border and the challenges of multi‑state cases. · District teamwork: “It takes all of us to make these big cases.” · The impact of heavy illegal take on local populations — especially in concentrated areas. 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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    41 mins
  • 166 Badges on the Bayou

    166 Badges on the Bayou
    Feb 26 2026
    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: 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 Maine Operation Game Thief New Hampshire Operation Game Thief North East Conservation Law Enforcement Chiefs Association International Wildlife Crimestoppers 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 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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    52 mins
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