Behind the Badge

Mistakes happen. So what do you do if you are waterfowl hunting, botch a shot and find yourself over the limit on a species? Not what these folks did. Read more in this week's Behind the Badge with warden Joe Lucas.

Just because the game warden is “off duty” doesn’t mean that he isn't still watching. Read this week's Behind the Badge by warden Jonathan Peterson.

If you're new to hunting a particular species, first learn the differences between it and similar species least you find yourself mightily embarrassed as in this Behind the Badge by warden Greg Hastings.

Combines aren't the speediest machinery out there nor, sadly for some unwary creatures, are they the most manuverable. Learn more in this week's Behind the Badge by warden Alan Howard.

Twenty years ago, game warden Corey Erck got a call reporting a possible poaching incident involving two men and one deer. Turns out, the case was a wee bit more extensive than the original report. Read Corey's account in this week's Behind the Badge.

Raccoon kits may appear cute and cuddley, but in reality they can be little menaces as warden Zachary Biberdorf shows in this week's Behind the Badge.

For some, honesty comes naturally. For others, it can require a little encouragement. Read this week's Behind the Badge with warden Riley Gerding.

Sometimes a casual reminder of the laws and regulations turns into something you never expected would happen. Read this week's Behind the Badge by warden Clayton Edstrom.

The American coot is a very distinctive bird, hard to mistake for anything else, but sometimes, somehow mistakes still happen. Read this week's Behind the Badge by warden Erik Schmidt.

The job of a game warden requires a very diverse set of skills and a willingness to try new things under pressure as shown in this Behind the Badge by warden Gage Muench.

Have you ever gotten that sneaking suspicion a tale you've been told isn't quite aboveboard? When that happens, a little fact checking can be quite enlightening. Read this week's Behind the Badge by warden Andrew Dahlgren.

For a game warden, protecting our fish and wildlife resources provides a sense of accomplishment, but it is the people met along the way that can make the job especially rewarding. Read this week's Behind the Badge by warden Dan Hoenke.

While time can seem to speed and slow, often simultaneously, the speed of change only ever seems to increase, often leaving one surprised at how different simple tasks are today from yesterday. In this Behind the Badge, take a look back at a few of these changes across the career of game warden Mark Pollert.

When someone mentions “poaching” what comes to mind for you? A question considered in this week’s Behind the Badge with game warden Zachary Schuchard. 

When boating accidents happen, they generally happen fast. Some simple precautions can help keep you and your passengers safe. Read this week's Behind the Badge by warden Noah Raitz.

While every poaching case is unique, some are just downright weird. Read this week's Behind the Badge by warden Greg Hastings.
 

Sometimes a little innovation can go a long way towards improving your job. Read this week's Behind the Badge by warden Drew Johnson.
 

Have you ever had that nagging feeling that you forgot something...maybe something kind of important? Warden Mike Raasakka knows that feeling. Read his story in this week's Behind the Badge.

Poachers often attempt to cover up their less than legal activities, sometimes even layering on additional crimes in the attempt. Add to that a little overconfident risk tolerance and you get people like the anglers in this week's Behind the Badge by warden Sam Feldmann.

A game warden’s job is anything but predictable and can go from monotonous to rewarding in the time it takes to drive over the next hill. Read more in this week’s Behind the Badge by warden Kylor Johnston.

What happens when you combine poor decision making, boats and alcohol? Find out in this week's Behind the Badge with warden Mike Sedlacek.

Job shadowing is a great way to show people the realities of a profession, including the good, the bad and the really...well, let's say unappetizing. In this week's Behind the Badge, warden Courtney Sprenger tells the story of a job shadow that didn't stint on reality.

In this week's Behind the Badge, warden Jonathan Tofteland recalls a case where honest mistake and intentional misconduct intermix.

In this week's Behind the Badge, warden Joshua Hedstrom gives some simple tips for being a conscientious steward of the land.

So what do you do when that foolproof plan to find a lawbreaker turns out to be rather less than foolproof? You improvise. Read one such story in this week's Behind the Badge by warden Corey Erck.

Sometimes the impulse to indulge in unmindful small talk can lead down unexpected paths as in this Behind the Badge by warden Zane Manhart.

A district game warden often serves as the go-to person for wildlife concerns in their community. An incident in 2020 highlighted this when a moose, stuck in a muddy wetland, was assisted by warden Erik Schmidt and a local veterinarian.