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Warden's Watch

Warden's Watch

Written 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
  • 165 Shawn Elmore – Georgia DNR

    165 Shawn Elmore – Georgia DNR
    Feb 13 2026
    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 change state law. Join us for a candid, funny, and deeply human look at life behind the badge. 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: · Finally recording after four years of trying · Shawn’s 30+ year career with Georgia DNR · Growing up hunting with his dad · “That’s what I’m gonna do for a living.” · His son becoming interested in law enforcement · Catching multiple in‑laws over the years · “It takes you a long time to build your credibility… and a snap of a finger to lose it.” · People claiming to “know” wardens to get out of trouble · Losing friends after catching them or their kids · Multi‑year landfill hunter case with warnings, tickets, then arrest · A later case involving another family connection · Hunting traditions, beagles, rabbits, and swamp rabbits · Southern sayings and the “Lost in Translation” team · The convicted felon firearm case: “Let me guess - the bullet fairy put this in your pocket.” · Reading body language as a critical warden skill · “Our mouths can get us into trouble, and they can keep us out of trouble.” · The 501‑charge poaching investigation · Conspiracy, false statements, and multi‑year suspensions · Charging only what can be won in court · Identifying violators based on decades of local knowledge · His role with Georgia’s boating reconstruction team · Early fatal boating cases and long‑lasting emotional impact · High‑profile boating incident involving police officers · The Jake and Griffin Prince case and Georgia’s BUI law change · Challenges unique to boating investigations: sinking, drifting, disappearing evidence · Teaching reconstruction and impaired‑operation detection nationwide · The Georgia Outdoor News “Hall of Shame” bait case 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 9 mins
  • 164 James Mortimore - Nevada

    164 James Mortimore - Nevada
    Jan 29 2026
    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 enforcement landscapes in the country. His stories from Las Vegas to Reno show the grit, humor, and sheer unpredictability of being a modern Nevada warden. 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: · The “Las Vegas warden” · Crowded urban ponds and busy boat patrols made every day unpredictable · Watching for the folks who pack up quickly when a warden shows up · A wild monsoon rescue in six‑foot swells · For Colorado River wardens, rescue calls are everyday business · Low water levels reveal old mob‑era secrets - and the jokes that came with it · “I think that’s why we got our water back.” · An illegal alligator seller learns the meaning of “take a bite out of crime.” · Blow-darting mountain lions in neighborhoods and on golf courses · Dealing with a sedated mountain lion while a homeowner complains through their doorbell cam · Moving from Vegas to Reno and learning the world of bears and mountain lions · The importance of biologists and cross-team collaboration · Nevada’s pay and retention challenges · Covering massive patrol areas — sometimes thousands of square miles during vacancies · Poaching investigations built using GPS dog collar data · Odd urban cases: “dinosaur bones,” sea turtles, and surprisingly realistic bald eagle replicas · Working with the Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Fish & Wildlife, and other federal partners · Learn more about Nevada wardens in the new Animal Planet series, Nevada Wild! 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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    47 mins
  • 163 Larry Hergenroeder – Pennsylvania

    163 Larry Hergenroeder – Pennsylvania
    Jan 16 2026
    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: 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: · Growing up in western Pennsylvania and finding his calling · “I had game warden blood in my blood.” · From Montana guide school to the academy · “My only regret is losing those years I could have been doing this full-time.” · Why being a game warden is more than a job · “I live, eat, sleep, breathe this profession… I just want to be a game warden.” · The power of NAWEOA networking and lifelong friendships · “I haven’t had a month go by without a call from another state or province.” · K9 program success stories: Storm and Rio crack tough cases · “In 33 seconds, Storm found the evidence that solved a fatal shooting.” · Challenge coins and the stories behind them · Inspiring the next generation of wardens through conferences and mentorship · Hunting-related shooting incidents and the emotional side of the job · “One is one too many.” · Family, sacrifice, and the brotherhood of game wardens · “A profession sought by many, held by few, and only made possible by those family members that know the true meaning of sacrifice.” 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 12 mins
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