Mustafa Speaks is an American actor, writer, and producer, known for his roles in the Netflix series "Seven Seconds," the USA Network series "Unsolved," and the Spectrum original series "Joe Pickett." He played Nate Romanowski in "Joe Pickett," a master falconer and special forces officer. In addition to his acting career, Speaks is also known for his work as a producer and writer. He has a background in marine and environmental science, having earned a B.S. in the field from Hampton University, and was recognized for his groundbreaking work with shark behavior before transitioning to show business. Speaks also had a brief stint in football before moving on to pursue acting, where he found success and a passion for the arts. He has been in the entertainment industry for over fifteen years and sees himself as a creator, hustler, and entrepreneur, with plans to expand his career into directing.

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Roy Brown was a Federal Conservation Law Enforcement officer for over 30 years, most of which he spent as a Special Agent Criminal Investigator with postings in Montana, Tennessee, Alabama, Utah and finally Wyoming. Working with a variety of state, local, and federal agencies to fight wildlife crime, he has been a certified firearms instructor and armorer, criminal investigator, and taught crime scene investigation techniques both at home and in Southern Africa.

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Wildlife Heritage Foundation of NH

International Wildlife Crimestoppers

Here’s what we discuss:

·        Launched career on a Montana wildlife refuge

·        Preserving the white bison

·        “Cowboy stuff” and a shrewd horse

·        Waterfowl enforcement in Tennessee

·        The dirty dozen

·        Not all marijuana growers are clever…

·        Sticks should never slither

·        5000 applications for ten positions

·        Rooting out illegal snake dealers in Southern Utah

·        A dream job in Wyoming

·        Reintroducing the gray wolf to Yellowstone created conflict with ranchers

·        Mysterious wildlife deaths: things are often not what they seem

·        Some uncomfortably close grizzly encounters

·        Grizzlies hear well, but their eyesight is not great

·        Non-residents must have a guide to hunt in Wyoming

·        Teaching crime scene investigation in Africa

·        Some experiences stay with you

Credits

Hosts: Wayne Saunders and John Nores

Producer: Jay Ammann

Art & Design: Ashley Hannett

Research / Content Coordinator: Stacey DesRoches

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Warden’s News November 2023

Upstate NY hunters charged with illegally spotlighting deer - newyorkupstate.com

https://billingsgazette.com/outdoors/wyoming-warden-report-violations-wyoming-game-and-fish-hunting-fishing/article_b114e0c8-737d-11ee-815b-37f3b98cf263.html

https://www.themeateater.com/conservation/wildlife-management/walleye-tournament-cheater-is-also-a-deer-poacher

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Ben Shank is a trailblazer in the world of television production and the Chief Content Officer at Engel Entertainment. With a career highlighted by co-founding York and Wilder Studios and his innovative work on "Casey Anthony’s Parents Speak" for the A&E Network, Ben has been a driving force in the industry. His career spans over 200 hours of content for networks like Discovery and Animal Planet, with standout work on series such as "Lone Star Law" and "North Woods Law."

At Engel Entertainment, Ben is leading the charge on a range of new projects. These include a design challenge show, a docu-soap about expats living in Lisbon, Portugal, and a factual series on US government agencies. Additionally, he's overseeing the development of "Women on Death Row," a sober reality series set to premiere on A&E. This project reflects his commitment to creating content that is not only engaging but also socially relevant.

Join us in this episode as we explore Ben Shank's journey, his vision for the future of television production, and the innovative projects that are shaping the industry.

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For twenty years, Bill Livezey led a double life rubbing shoulders with some of Maine’s worst wildlife offenders; the kinds of people who not only live by the poacher’s mantra “if it’s brown, it’s down,” but many who were dangerously unstable felons, alcoholics, and drug abusers - his success at putting bad guys out of business stemming largely from his early years as one of them. Since retiring in 2020 as the Maine Warden Service’s longest-tenured covert operative, he has co-written Let’s Go For a Ride, a captivating chronicle of both a life undercover, and a life transformed.

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International Wildlife Crimestoppers

Here’s what we discuss:

·        “Let’s go for a ride” - the universal bad guy code

·        Desire for wealth sent his father down a dark road

·        From successful businessman to meth dealer

·        Hired a hit man to kill his own brother

·        Ultimately died in a confrontation with police

·        Young Bill loved sports and the outdoors, but was using drugs regularly by 15

·        Spiraling out of control: “I was broken.”

·        Positive influences and an invitation from a teammate changed everything

·        Unity college and riding with the game warden

·        An extra-long warden service polygraph

·        Applying as many times as it takes

·        The young game warden who knew all the tricks

·        Experience as a juvenile lent itself to undercover work

·        Befriending, then arresting poachers was a psychological struggle

·        “Pull over! I’m an undercover game warden!”

·        Relationships have to feel real; some were easy, some not so much

·        Undercover work was difficult to step away from

·        Some cases were especially taxing

·        The fear of being discovered

·        The book brings the reader into each case

Credits

Hosts: Wayne Saunders and John Nores

Producer: Jay Ammann

Art & Design: Ashley Hannett

Research / Content Coordinator: Stacey DesRoches

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

October 2023

"In addition to being illegal to take in Missouri wildlife by the Wildlife Code of Missouri without the proper permits, it’s not good for the animal either."

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In Appalachian Ohio and beyond, ginseng hunting is a centuries-old tradition. Prized for its medicinal value and prestige, American ginseng was one of America’s first exports to the Far East. Today, highly regulated but harvested to near extinction, its value has only increased, setting the stage for a black market that often results in arrests, prison time, and tragedy.

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Wildlife Heritage Foundation of NH

International Wildlife Crimestoppers

Here’s what we discuss:

Credits

Hosts: Wayne Saunders and John Nores

Producer: Jay Ammann

Art & Design: Ashley Hannett

Research / Content Coordinator: Stacey DesRoches

Subscribe:

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The North American Game Warden Museum could not be in a more perfect spot. Nestled amid the pristine forest, prairie, and floral gardens of the US/Canada International Peace Garden, it is the only space in the world dedicated to educating the public, celebrating natural resource protection, and honoring the fallen heroes who lost their lives in the line of duty. In this episode, we speak with board members Tom Caifa and Sheila Paquette about this incredible one-of-a-kind facility.  

Our Sponsors: 

Thin Green Line Podcast

Don Noyes Chevrolet

Sovereign Sportsman Solutions

“A Cowboy in the Woods” Book

Hunt of a Lifetime

Maine's Operation Game Thief

Wildlife Heritage Foundation of NH

International Wildlife Crimestoppers

Here’s what we discuss:

Credits

Hosts: Wayne Saunders and John Nores

Producer: Jay Ammann

Art & Design: Ashley Hannett

Research / Content Coordinator: Stacey DesRoches

Subscribe:

Apple Podcasts

Spotify

Amazon

Google

Waypoint

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TuneIn

Megaphone

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Kirk Kiefer has been a wildlife investigator with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources for the past 15 years. In this episode, he walks us through Operation “Root of All Evil,” a lengthy and complex investigation into the illegal ginseng trade that spanned multiple states, included unmarked vehicles, extended surveillance, buys and sales by undercover officers, and even a fake business.

Our Sponsors:

Thin Green Line Podcast

Don Noyes Chevrolet

Sovereign Sportsman Solutions

“A Cowboy in the Woods” Book

Hunt of a Lifetime

Maine's Operation Game Thief

Wildlife Heritage Foundation of NH

International Wildlife Crimestoppers

Here’s what we discuss:

·       Wild ginseng root is highly valued for its perceived medicinal properties

·       Grows very slowly, taking up to five years to reach maturity

·       One pound can be worth up to $1000

·       Seeds take over a year to germinate

·       Information campaign helped educate stakeholders on the damage caused by poaching

·       Many poachers are involved in other illegal activities

·       Legal ginseng plants must have three leaf sets, or ‘prongs’

·       Case also had multiple prongs

·       Prong 1: Undercover officers sold ginseng to licensed dealers

·       Compared the amount sold to the amount reported

·       Officers then sold ginseng outside the buying season to confirm illegal intent

·       Prong 2: Coordinated with US Fish & Wildlife Service to create a fake business

·       Business would receive inquiries from those looking to buy and sell illegal product

·       Prong 3: Obtain offenders’ assistance in exchange for a reduced penalty

·       Task force worked in multiple states

·       One offender had been featured on a popular reality show

·       The television show actually helped educate the public about ginseng poaching

·       Many countries overseas have decimated indigenous flora and fauna, creating a black market

·       110 defendants received multiple charges

·       Nearly six years of jail time served, $77,000 in fines

·       Kirk’s background; jack of all trades

·       Trapping academy

·       State officers were made aware of the ginseng operation

·       “Giving a little bit, we received a lot.”

·       Not all states have Wildlife Investigators

·       State of Ohio has done some major operations

·       Ginseng awareness for stakeholders training began in 2015

·       Operation takedown day finally arrived in 2022

Credits

Hosts: Wayne Saunders and John Nores

Producer: Jay Ammann

Art & 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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Facebook

Facebook Fan Page

Instagram

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The National Wildlife Federation (NWF), founded in 1936, stands as a prominent nonprofit conservation organization in the U.S. With a membership exceeding six million, its mission revolves around the conservation of wildlife and their habitats. The NWF actively addresses critical environmental challenges, notably climate change and sustainable wildlife management, and offers educational resources like the "National Wildlife" magazine.

In this context, we're privileged to have Aaron Kindle and Bill Cooksey from the NWF join us. They co-host the "National Wildlife Federation Outdoors" podcast, a platform that bridges sportsmen and women, advocating for fish, wildlife habitat, and ensuring access to fishing and hunting in the wild expanses of public lands and waters.

Aaron Kindle, the Director of Sporting Advocacy at the NWF, hails from Wyoming. His previous tenure at Trout Unlimited saw him deeply involved in public lands issues. A graduate from Gunnison, Colorado, with an M.S. from the University of Montana, Aaron, now based in Salida, CO, is an ardent outdoor lover. His role at the Federation zeroes in on hunter/angler conservation efforts, emphasizing the preservation of public lands, endorsing responsible energy practices, and fostering pro hunting and angling directives.

Bill Cooksey, the Sportsmen Outreach Coordinator for the NWF, has his roots in the river bottoms of West Tennessee. His early years were marked by a fervor for hunting and fishing, having explored duck hunting across all flyways and fishing from East Tennessee to the Pacific. His hunting escapades as an adult spanned from prairie Canada to the Gulf of Mexico and from the Chesapeake to the California Delta, with the Mississippi Flyway holding a special place in his heart. Bill's professional journey in the outdoor sector saw him evolve from selling duck calls to being the Marketing Director at Avery Outdoors, and subsequently, the Managing Editor of the Mid-South Hunting & Fishing News. His knack for communicating effectively with sportsmen has been a cornerstone of his professional trajectory.

Enjoy!

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