Career game wardens are never at a loss for stories to tell.
A number of Maine game wardens have recounted their career adventures in book form. The late John Ford, a wonderful storyteller with an amazing gift of humor, managed to parlay his work experiences into a number of highly successful books.
Another book, “Let’s Go For a Ride,” published by Down East books, chronicles undercover Maine Game Warden Bill Livezey’s incredible 20-year career working undercover as Bill Freed. Livesey skillfully worked his way into the good graces of the most unbelievable nests of maladjusted career night hunters and hardcore poachers from all corners of Maine.
That book left me astonished to learn about what goes on in the fall when the sun goes down in some pockets of rural Maine.
Now, fresh off the press, there is a new book of this game-warden-in-action genre that you won’t want to miss: “Night Killers: Blood Lusting Poachers” by retired Pennsylvania wildlife conservation officer Timothy C. Flanigan.
Flanigan, who I have known as a talented wildlife photographer, spent 30 years of his early life chasing deer night hunters in rural Pennsylvania.
In “Night Killers,” the retired warden takes you along on night patrol as he investigates, pursues, arrests and prosecutes some of the most reckless and dangerous blood-lusting night hunters you can imagine.
Here’s an excerpt: “The few minutes seemed to occur in slow motion as my finger tightened on the magnum’s trigger and the assailant’s finger rested menacingly on the rifle’s trigger. Eventually, I noticed the rifle’s muzzle begin to shake, and I again ordered the wild-eyed hulk to place his gun on the ground. Thankfully he slowly complied.”
Flanigan says that he has been shot at, held at gunpoint, clubbed, punched, kicked, choked ,hit with motor vehicles and had his family and property repeatedly threatened. He says that all of this only served to harden his resolve to protect and conserve his state’s wildlife resources.
Upon his retirement, a local defense attorney told him that he never thought Flanigan would live to retire. “Nearly everyone that I dealt with over the years swore they were going to kill you,” said the attorney.
“Night Killers: Blood Lusting Poachers” is composed of 18 chapters, each one a recollection from events that happened over Flanigan’s 30-year career. As the author reminds us, “Night patrol for wildlife killers can be tedious, tiring, exciting, thrilling, fascinating, challenging, dangerous and strangely addictive. When darkness falls, the curtain rises on a sinister world of alcohol-fueled, drug-influenced poachers armed with high-powered rifles, shotguns, handguns, crossbows, clubs and knives, consumed with the desire and intent to kill something.”
Flanigan writes well, and the combination of his uncanny recall capacity and insights into human behavior, make for high-energy entertainment.
“Night Killers” is independently published and is available from Amazon.com for $14.95.
V. Paul Reynolds is editor of the Northwoods Sporting Journal. He is also a Maine Guide and host of a weekly radio program “Maine Outdoors” heard Sundays at 7 p.m. on The Voice of Maine News-Talk Network.
