About this episode

The episode discusses the Ray Anderson case, a significant wildlife poaching incident in Washington State involving multiple elk and advanced investigative techniques.

What began as a baffling discovery in a Washington State clearcut quickly turned into one of the most significant wildlife cases in the region – mainly because of the sentence that followed. Officers Lanny McOmber and Sergeant Brian Alexander walk us through a long, technical investigation involving multiple poached elk, complex necropsies, geofence warrants, cutting-edge tech and a suspect who just couldn’t stay away. Our Sponsors: Thin Green Line Podcast Don Noyes Chevrolet North American Game Warden Museum Hunt Regs WiseEye SecureIt Gun Storage XS Sights “A Cowboy in the Woods” Book Iron Skillet Seasonings Maine Operation Game Thief New Hampshire Operation Game Thief Conservation Officers of Pennsylvania North East Conservation Law Enforcement Chiefs Association International Wildlife Crimestoppers North American Wildlife Enforcement Officers Association Here’s what we discuss: · Why officers called it the Ray Anderson case · Four elk found dead in a clearcut · “There was no question - this was a poaching incident.” · Necropsies on multiple elk in field conditions · No bullets or brass recovered · A fifth elk tied to the incident · Early frustration with limited evidence ·…

People in this episode

Hosts: Wayne Saunders, John Nores

Guests: Lanny McOmber, Brian Alexander

Topics covered

• wildlife crime
• poaching
• investigation
• necropsy
• geofence warrants
• elk

Keywords

• Washington State
• wildlife enforcement
• technology in investigations

Mentioned in this episode

Products: XS, Waypoint, Thin Green Line Podcast, Don Noyes Chevrolet, North American Game Warden Museum, Hunt Regs, WiseEye, SecureIt Gun Storage, XS Sights, A Cowboy in the Woods Book

Books & works: Thin Green Line, A Cowboy in the Woods

Places: Washington State, Maine, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, Washington

More episodes of Warden's Watch

• Field to Fork - Wild Game Cooking with Iron Skillet · April 23, 2026 · 42 min
• 169 – PAGC Tracking Team · April 3, 2026 · 39 min
• 168 Talking Turkey - With Patrick Gibbs & Ben Martin · March 20, 2026 · 39 min
• 167 Amanda McKune – Illinois · March 6, 2026 · 41 min
• 166 Badges on the Bayou · February 26, 2026 · 52 min
• 165 Shawn Elmore – Georgia DNR · February 13, 2026 · 1h 9m

Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Warden's Watch podcast page.