For those of you who read Poachers Cranberries & Snowshoes, my first book you will recognize this introduction. Little has changed, the stories are as interesting and varied as before.

If all this works out the way it is supposed to you will have a collection of stories about the life and times of an Alberta Fish and Wildlife Officer (game warden, fish cop, fish fuzz, fins and feathers). All the events took place from 1963 through to 1995, between Strathmore to the south and High Level in the north. Where appropriate names have been changed, if only to by pass any ill-conceived lawsuits and to avoid embarrassment to anyone, especially the author.

Strathmore was the beginning of an odyssey that lasted for the next thirty-two years. My career commenced on December 16, 1963, at the Strathmore Fish and Wildlife office. For me, the prospect of any new job had always been exciting; this one proved to be a real dandy! I was one of the lucky 400 applicants for only 10 vacant positions. May of 1964 saw my wife and I move north to Barrhead, the move occurring between stints of in-service training at the Forestry Training School in Hinton.

The stay in Barrhead lasted until 1966 when I was transferred to High Level. North we went. My wife, one infant daughter and myself. High Level was home until 1970, then off to High Prairie for five years, this time with a second infant daughter in tow. By the time we were transferred to Edmonton for a further five years, our now not-so-infant daughters were not so sure about all this moving stuff. In 1980 we saw one further transfer to Rocky Mountain House, this one would see me through till buyout and retirement in 1995.

When you start a job like this, it always SOUNDS interesting, but I had no idea of the problems, compromising situations, and the pure adrenalin rushes it would produce over a span of thirty-two years. A boat chase. An out of control aircraft. Bears after dark. Flying lead in court. A human anchor. A sting. A snared bear. Flaming Nostrils. Ticklish Fish. Cantankerous hunters. Obnoxious poachers Chicanery and devilment abound through out when animals and people mix. Intriguing stories experienced by few enjoyed by many. Stories that represent a colorful world known by few that are sure to grab your attention.

My time in Strathmore was interesting enough particularly in terms of meeting many of the people who were actually doing the job I aspired to. All of them bar none had the most fascinating stories to tell and I began to wonder if I would ever become involved in such incredible situations myself. It was all a far cry from writing my first ticket for unattended trap lines. I was more than just a little nervous. Although it was not very exciting but it was a milestone, and a prelude to a great adventure.

The stories that follow are not in chronological order. Rather they are a collection of memories that I put on paper for my grandchildren, family and anybody else who might enjoy them. They recount actual events without any glamour and glitz. Fancy that now I have stories to tell. So read and enjoy.

If you ever sit down and put your memories on paper, you soon find out those memories are not really yours, they belong to everyone involved you met along the way. This book would not have been possible without the wit and the wisdom of all the people I encountered. My thirty-two years in the Fish and Wildlife Division allowed me to work with a never-ending stream of fascinating people. Couple this with no day the same as any other and you have the recipe for this book - my recollection of some extraordinary events and incredible people. Supported and encouraged along the way by family, I dedicate these stories to them and to all the people who were part of my adventure.

I am told this one is even better.

Would you like your book signed by the author?

We accept the following payment methods: