Our license fees, tag purchases and conservation stamp funds pay most of the bills for managing wildlife and enforcing regulations. In some cases, it also locates lost toddlers and saves innocent lives.
A Babe in the Woods
In early May a child and her mother were together outside their home in the city of Jay, Maine. At one point, while doing chores outside, the mother noticed the toddler was missing.
After a quick search of the immediate area by family members failed to locate the child, the mother called 911. Due to the child’s age, multiple agencies immediately responded, including Franklin Sheriff’s Office, Jay Police Department, Jay Fire Department, Northstar EMS and 14 Maine Game Wardens including two Warden K9s.
A search of the buildings and woods quickly commenced. Roughly two hours later Game Warden Jake Voter and K9 Koda located the child in thick brush about 300 yards northwest of the house. The child was healthy, alert and had only minor scrapes, despite covering quite a distance for small legs in a short time. The child was quickly examined and released by emergency medical personnel and reunited with family.
“Warden Voter and K9 Koda did an excellent job locating this young toddler in the thick woods where she was hidden by the brush,” said Maine Game Warden Sergeant Scott Thrasher. “Given the child’s age, it was important to get multiple searchers here quickly and get them searching. It was great teamwork by multiple agencies that made for a very happy ending for the toddler and her family.”
The story is an elegant reminder that game and fish personnel across the nation may be laser focused on conserving our natural resources, including wildlife, but when someone gets in trouble they eagerly put their outdoor skills to work—fast. Maintaining that willingness can be a challenge, though, a fact made obvious by a recent call for help in New York.
Hallucinatory Twist
On May 24th a New York Forest Ranger responded when two hikers called 911 to report the third member of their hiking party had died of a heart attack. When the hikers encountered the Cascade Summit Steward, the pair also advised that they were lost.
The steward determined the hikers were in an altered mental state. The third member of their party called later, a pretty good hint he wasn’t dead. In fact, he’d wasn’t even injured.
The ranger escorted the two hikers, who had ingested hallucinogenic mushrooms, to a waiting ambulance and New York State Police unit. He also escorted the third hiker back to their campsite.
No word on whether he stayed or broke camp and headed back to town to post bail for his buddies.
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