Behind the Badge

In this Behind the Badge, Game Warden Paige Swanson takes us on her journey to becoming a game warden.

Sometimes when on patrol, game wardens encounter some rather farcical situations. Read this week’s Behind the Badge for a few examples from game warden Keenan Snyder.

Giving credit where credit is due is a value most learn early in life, but sometimes that lesson requires a little reinforcement…

A game warden just never knows what they'll encounter on any given call and of all the possibilities, Santa Clause in a bathtub just doesn't make the list...until he does...

The end of an era and beginning of a new one - Stories from Drayton Dam.

Have you ever been on a snipe hunt? Some refer to a snipe hunt as a prank, but snipe hunting can be an enjoyable pastime. Learn more in this post from Warden Greg Hastings.

 Spotting “shiners” is relatively easy, catching them...sometimes not so much. Read Warden Phalen’s story in this week’s Behind the Badge.

The solo hunter is only so effective, yet when paired with a good bird dog, the success rate for the team can be substantial. This holds true when hunting game and when looking for poachers. Read Warden Pilot Jeffery Sieger story in this Behind the Badge.

The job of a game warden is multifaceted, pulling heavily on skills common to other careers such as communications and education. Learn more in this Behind the Badge with Warden Michael Sedlacek.

From Iowa to North Dakota, one game warden’s journey.

When teaching kids, it is easy to wonder just how much of what you say sticks in their minds, and sometimes you can be happily surprised by just what they do retain. Read one warden’s experience in this week’s Behind the Badge.

Sometimes when a RAP call comes in the case is solved and perpetrators held to account quickly. Sometimes it takes time and a little luck to solve a case. Read one warden’s story in this week’s Behind the Badge.

So is it possible to hide an adult deer in the trunk of a Buick? Lamentably, one less than principled fellow decided to find out. Read the story in this Behind the Badge with Warden Jon Peterson.

When a neighbor asked for a ride-along with Warden Corey Erck, Erck was concerned the ride might be boring. It wasn't. Read the story in this week's Behind the Badge.

Taking some simple precautions when hunting with a dog can make the difference between a satisfying hunt and a regrettable one. Learn more in this Behind the Badge with Game Warden Josh Hedstrom.

For many working regular hours is desirable. But others, like our game wardens, prefer a little more variety in their lives as is evidenced by this post from Game Warden Corey Erck.
 

Some people just don't think that game and fish laws apply to them, as Warden Michael Raasakka shows in this Behind the Badge.

While enforcement is a large part of a game warden's job, sometimes it is the side duties that have the most impact. Learn more in this Behind the Badge by Game Warden Zane Manhart.

In this Behind the Badge, Warden Kenneth Skuza offers some simple tips to smooth your summer boating experience.

The link between actions and probable consequences sometimes escapes us when we’re young as was the case with the young gentlemen in this Behind the Badge by Warden Shawn Sperling.

Paddlefish season in North Dakota generally lasts just 2-3 weeks each spring and is never boring for game wardens. Read some of their stories in this post by Warden Keenan Snyder.

Game wardens Jerad Bluem and Jeff Sieger have been awarded the North Dakota Peace Officers Association Lifesaving Award for their role in saving the life of a boater. 

Technology, as is so often the case, is a double-edged sword both for those who hunt and fish and for those tasked with enforcing hunting and fishing laws, as is evidenced by this post by Game Warden Erik Schmidt.

Sometimes it is the little things you remember most as demonstrated in this post by Game Warden Michael Sedlacek.
 

The McLean County States Attorney’s office has charged Gordon Boutilier, Hazen, with exploitation of wildlife, a class C felony. Boutilier is accused of repeatedly hunting and fishing when his hunting, fishing and trapping privileges were under suspension.

Getting hired is just the first step in becoming a game warden. Learn more about the extensive training new wardens receive in this post by Game Warden Blake Riewer.