To Catch a Poacher

By Kale O’Leary

I first began writing articles for the Northwoods Sporting Journal in 2020. Over the years I have written a variety of articles covering the work of Wardens in the North Woods. My goal has always been to give a “behind the scene” look into the work and job that I am so privileged to get to do. I have always been honored whenever I encounter a sportsman in the woods who asks “are you the guy who writes in the magazine?” They often follow it up with kind words about always looking forward to reading my monthly submission. Why would they say anything different when getting checked right?

My favorite articles to write are always the cases and investigations that fellow Wardens and I have solved throughout the years and how we sorted out the puzzle pieces to paint the picture of what happened. Over the years, I have had many members of the public, active Game Wardens and retired Wardens ask “why do you share the details of how you solved those cases? Are you not worried that someone reading the magazine might be learning the trade secrets of how to catch people?”

The Mission

Obviously, my mission is and always will be protecting natural resources and holding intentional violators accountable, but here are the reasons why writing about cases doesn’t effect the effectiveness of future investigations. Number one, for almost one hundred and fifty years Game Wardens have played cat and mouse with those intent on violating fish and game laws. Everyone has heard the deer camp stories or heard about the time grandpa outsmarted the Warden. We have also all heard the stories about “that one time” the local Warden did catch grampa with a “robot deer” and the details of how this all went down, albeit often stretched, changed and twisted over time. My point here is that the strategies and tactics used to catch violators are well known. It is no secret that the Wardens either watch you commit the act or follow evidence, which leads them back to your doorstep. We don’t have a top secret playbook of tricks that can be reviewed whenever we reach a dead end.

Over the years many advancements have changed the game between poacher and Warden. Technological changes have brought cell cameras, thermal imaging scopes and a slew of other changes to the hands of some that may use this to their advantage. With these advancements have come many changes that make the job of Warden easier as well. DNA testing, metal detectors and a variety of scientific tools have kept the playing field relatively level. Which brings me to my last point.

Locard’s Principle

I remember being a young college student at the University of Maine at Fort Kent when I first heard of “Locard’s Principle” in a forensic science class. Little did I know how applicable this scientific principle would be to my everyday work years later as a Warden. Locard’s Principle can be summarized as anytime two objects come into contact with each other, they transfer material between each surface. A part of object 1 is left on object 2, and vice versa. When investigating a wildlife crime, there is nearly infinite amounts of times that Locard’s Principle plays out. The moment a firing pin hits the primer, sending the projectile down a rifled barrel to the point where the bullet strikes an animal and comes to final rest. Locard’s Principle has occurred multiple times over. Factor in the tires of the shooter’s vehicle on the gravel road, bootprints being left behind, anything he or he touches or even things that may fall out in the course of spending time at the scene. You now have a tremendous amount of evidence at your disposal as a Warden. It just takes tenacity and hard work now to put the pieces together. I had a Warden say to me before “don’t tell them in the articles that bullets and shell casings are huge pieces of physical evidence to solve these crimes.” I always counter with everyone knows that, but if they want to spend the extra time looking around for casings or digging a bullet out of the animal, let them. That makes them spend much more time at the scene, more time to be spotted by witnesses, more time letting Locard’s principle play out in real time. Once the bullet is fired the proverbial snowball has already been set in motion and is rolling down the hill with no stopping now.

There are no secrets about the work I do. As I said earlier, it isn’t shrouded in mystery how Wardens work. My articles cover some of the unique cases like using a single tooth to get a DNA match which led us to our suspects or how a single reloaded .243 shell was the break that solved 4 moose being shot and left by two hunters on a moose hunt. Its not magic or CIA level trickery, its hard work, ingenuity, thinking outside the box and never giving up until the gavel drops.

 For more articles about hunting, fishing and the great outdoors, be sure to subscribe to the Northwoods Sporting Journal.