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 honored.

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Here’s what we discuss:

·       Phil and TJ were classmates at the Ross Leffler School of Conservation

·       Working as neighboring officers for four years, they’ve developed a strong investigative partnership

·       Emphasis on teamwork, rhythm in interviews, and rapport-building

·       Ryan Laumann is a known habitual game law offender

·       The case ties back to the tragic death of Game Warden Dave Grove in 2010, who was murdered by Chris Johnson during a poaching incident

·       Laumann was a passenger in the vehicle

·       Laumann “just went home.”

·       Johnson is now on death row

·       Equipment and training were improved

·       Laumann received a five-year license revocation

·       A tip from a former violator turned informant via Operation Game Thief

·       “I got away with it once, I can do it again.”

·       TJ took the lead

·       Keeping emotions in check

·       “Take your time.”

·       Officers conducted surveillance near Laumann’s residence

·       Multiple deer carcasses, gut piles, and antlers

·       Officers used rapport and strategic interviewing to gain Laumann’s trust

·       Jeff Baile’s interview and interrogation techniques were critical

·       Allowing the suspect to tell their version of the story

·       Laumann eventually confesses to killing multiple deer

·       From a good case to a great case

·       “Rapport is the foundation of everything.”

·       Laumann was charged with:

·       Final penalties: 5-year hunting license revocation and $2,800 in fines

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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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 two decades on the job.

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Here’s what we discuss:

·       Growing up in Northern Italy’s “laces”

·       Raised and hunted birds from an early age

·       Slow cooked pulled turkey

·       “This job is not a job; it's a career.”

·       Working in Madison County is “a game warden’s dream.”

·       The charter captain’s Christmas fish and the Salvation Army police

·       Donating confiscated fish and meat

·       A VERY convincing decoy setup nets multiple charges

·       A substantial illegal baiting operation on private property

·       Poacher insists he used a crossbow

·       Trail cams tell a different story

·       “The point was out of respect for the animal.”

·       Social media can be a warden’s best friend

·       New York ECOs don’t wear a traditional badge

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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After the chilling revelations of Episode 156’s “Killing Krew Klan,” the question remained: how would the justice system respond?

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Here’s what we discuss:

·       Convictions for wildlife crime aren’t always a slam dunk

·       The prosecutor in the case was an outdoorsman

·       Original roadside stop netted only a suspended sentence

·       Paring down up to 30 charges: what will stick?

·       Group pled guilty to jacklighting

·       $500 fines and three years’ probation

·       Banned from hunting for ten years

·       Conspiracy to sell wildlife and a probation violation

·       Getting support from judges and prosecutors

·       “Any time you serve a warrant … you’re opening a Pandora’s Box.”

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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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.

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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.”

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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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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 from decades past, along with a library, audio/visual area, and a fascinating collection of items seized by game wardens from across North America. In this episode, we sit down with museum manager Stephanie Lee for an insightful conversation ahead of the museum’s 2025 Fallen Officer Memorial Ceremony.

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Here’s what we discuss:

·       Background in outdoor education

·       Began a summer job at the Peace Garden gate

·       Approached by the local game warden

·    “Never looked back.”

·       The International Peace Garden

·       Memorial stones from every state and province

·       Board members from both countries

·       The museum is the only one of its kind

·       Educating the public

·       Many of the exhibits include seized items

·       Constantly changing and reimagining the space

·       Campground on site

·       Other activities include biking and kayaking

·       Open from May – September

·     “Part-time photographers”

·       The popular Visiting Officer program

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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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.

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Here’s what we discuss:

·       The museum is a place every game warden should visit

·       Joined board in 2010

·       It’s elk hunting season in Manitoba!

·       A unique moose lottery fundraiser

·       Manitoba moose population decline

·       “I’ve seen those game warden shows. I know I’m done.”

·       Fun regional expressions

·       The Fallen Officer Memorial Service

·       Many museum exhibits feature seized items

·       Antique snow machines and hand-powered rail cars

·       Always looking for older tools of the trade, uniforms and paraphernalia

·       Potential interactive exhibit featuring fallen officer biographies

·       A night hunting helicopter chase

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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In July 2021, a peaceful family camping trip in Ohio’s vast Appalachian Hills Wilderness Area turned into a chilling crime scene. Two lives were lost, and a community was shaken. In this gripping episode, we sit down with ODNR Investigator Kirk Kiefer to uncover the layers of a complex and haunting double homicide.

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Here’s what we discuss:

·        Investigator Keifer appeared in a previous episode

·        International Game Warden Association Officer of the Year

·        ODNR’s nomination submission

·        The ‘ginseng detective’

·        Nomination was kept secret!

·        A missing persons / suspicious activity report on State land

·        The couple’s phones - and daughter - were left behind

·        Suspect claimed the couple had gone to CA and were expected back

·        A concerned camper contacted ODNR

·        The couple’s license plate had recently been checked on the Interstate

·        Suspect had a ‘tell.’

·        “He was convinced I was a human lie detector.”

·        The sudden confession: “I killed ‘em.”

·        Killings had happened 13 days prior

·        Suspect led investigators to the bodies

·        Defense attorney admitted there was no defense to be mounted

·        Claimed he was ‘rescuing’ the child

·        Body cameras were used in case the suspect did not testify

·        Appeared to feel badly about killing the female.

 ·       “Sometimes there is no ‘why’.”

·        Never expected to be investigating homicide

·        Attended the couple’s memorial services

·        Inter-agency cooperation was key to this case

·        Killer received two automatic life terms with no parole

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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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 game warden conference. 

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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.

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International Wildlife Crimestoppers

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

·      "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

Subscribe:

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