1 00:00:05,559 --> 00:00:07,680 Speaker 1: And leard loading me on the stretcher to put me 2 00:00:07,720 --> 00:00:10,680 Speaker 1: in the back of the amulets. And I looked up 3 00:00:11,080 --> 00:00:14,160 Speaker 1: and the guy attended me. I'd had in federal court before, 4 00:00:14,800 --> 00:00:18,160 Speaker 1: and I remember looking at my boss. I remember grabbing 5 00:00:18,239 --> 00:00:21,080 Speaker 1: him by the shirt and pulling him down, and I said, 6 00:00:21,079 --> 00:00:22,040 Speaker 1: don't leave me. 7 00:00:24,760 --> 00:00:28,120 Speaker 2: On this episode, we'll be peeking behind the veil of 8 00:00:28,200 --> 00:00:31,160 Speaker 2: the same world as we hear a wild story of 9 00:00:31,200 --> 00:00:35,559 Speaker 2: attempted murder, a high speed chase, illegal drugs, and steaming 10 00:00:35,640 --> 00:00:40,199 Speaker 2: hot irony, all on America's public lands. The host of 11 00:00:40,240 --> 00:00:43,360 Speaker 2: our story is an old Bear Grease friend who spent 12 00:00:43,440 --> 00:00:46,440 Speaker 2: his career as a special agent with the United States 13 00:00:46,479 --> 00:00:49,519 Speaker 2: Forest Service. He spent time under cover, and in a 14 00:00:49,600 --> 00:00:53,120 Speaker 2: past life, he was a bricklayer from Southeast Tennessee. His 15 00:00:53,240 --> 00:00:56,920 Speaker 2: name is Russ Arthur. We first heard snippets from his 16 00:00:57,040 --> 00:01:01,360 Speaker 2: career in our Genuine Outlaws series on Bear Grease, which 17 00:01:01,360 --> 00:01:05,280 Speaker 2: started at episode fifty two. In this Russ described his 18 00:01:05,480 --> 00:01:09,760 Speaker 2: memorable covert interactions with Louis Dale Edwards in Polk County, 19 00:01:09,880 --> 00:01:14,399 Speaker 2: Arkansas in the nineteen nineties. But in Russ's real life, 20 00:01:14,440 --> 00:01:17,280 Speaker 2: he's a real turkey hunter and a good one and 21 00:01:17,319 --> 00:01:20,880 Speaker 2: he told two gobbler chasing stories on our Spring twenty 22 00:01:20,920 --> 00:01:24,920 Speaker 2: twenty four Turkey Story series. You might remember him finding 23 00:01:25,040 --> 00:01:28,720 Speaker 2: his father's journal on the day of his dad's funeral. 24 00:01:29,680 --> 00:01:34,920 Speaker 2: Russ has lived an adventurous, interesting and rich life embedded 25 00:01:34,920 --> 00:01:38,080 Speaker 2: in the hunting community of Appalachia, bringing law and order 26 00:01:38,120 --> 00:01:42,440 Speaker 2: to public lands, but he's also worked all across America 27 00:01:42,840 --> 00:01:45,800 Speaker 2: and in the latter years even into the far reaches 28 00:01:45,840 --> 00:01:50,240 Speaker 2: of Southeast Asia. We'll learn where that passion came from 29 00:01:50,600 --> 00:01:55,200 Speaker 2: on this podcast, and hear the story of attempted murder 30 00:01:55,360 --> 00:01:58,680 Speaker 2: on his life. I really doubt that you're gonna want 31 00:01:58,680 --> 00:02:01,760 Speaker 2: to miss this one. And hey, folks, remember that you 32 00:02:01,800 --> 00:02:05,280 Speaker 2: can watch The Bear Grease Render, our every other week 33 00:02:05,400 --> 00:02:09,760 Speaker 2: roundtable discussion podcasts on Meat Eater's new podcast YouTube channel. 34 00:02:10,280 --> 00:02:10,760 Speaker 2: Check it out. 35 00:02:11,480 --> 00:02:13,280 Speaker 1: And I said, why would you be telling me this, 36 00:02:14,000 --> 00:02:16,320 Speaker 1: and a true Appalachian spirit, he just said, you know 37 00:02:16,840 --> 00:02:19,160 Speaker 1: you didn't do anything wrong. It was boys in prison 38 00:02:19,200 --> 00:02:21,040 Speaker 1: are the one that did something wrong. And I can't 39 00:02:21,080 --> 00:02:23,799 Speaker 1: convince some of these members of the community that you've 40 00:02:23,800 --> 00:02:24,640 Speaker 1: done nothing wrong. 41 00:02:33,919 --> 00:02:36,560 Speaker 2: My name is Klay Nukem and this is the Bear 42 00:02:36,639 --> 00:02:41,600 Speaker 2: Grease Podcast where we'll explore things forgotten but relevant search 43 00:02:41,680 --> 00:02:45,359 Speaker 2: for insight and unlikely places and where we'll tell the 44 00:02:45,400 --> 00:02:49,519 Speaker 2: story of Americans who live their lives close to the land, 45 00:02:50,200 --> 00:02:55,880 Speaker 2: presented by FHF gear, American made purpose built hunting and 46 00:02:55,960 --> 00:02:59,400 Speaker 2: fishing gear as designed to be as rugged as the 47 00:02:59,440 --> 00:03:00,720 Speaker 2: places explored. 48 00:03:09,120 --> 00:03:11,640 Speaker 1: I'll never forget it. I was on the passioner's side 49 00:03:11,720 --> 00:03:14,679 Speaker 1: front and it was in a sedan. The agents Drew 50 00:03:14,880 --> 00:03:17,840 Speaker 1: drove Crown Vicks then and they laid the seat back 51 00:03:17,880 --> 00:03:21,120 Speaker 1: and the agent from Georgia got in the back and 52 00:03:21,160 --> 00:03:22,480 Speaker 1: it tore his shirt off. 53 00:03:22,800 --> 00:03:25,440 Speaker 3: It's down to his T shirt and would wrap my head. 54 00:03:25,520 --> 00:03:28,720 Speaker 1: My head was bleeding, and it's funny how your mind 55 00:03:28,360 --> 00:03:33,920 Speaker 1: will drift. And I reached up and I felt this 56 00:03:34,160 --> 00:03:40,400 Speaker 1: real warmth in my ear. This may sound a little crude, 57 00:03:41,120 --> 00:03:44,560 Speaker 1: but it's funny how your mind works. I'm coming and going. 58 00:03:44,760 --> 00:03:46,480 Speaker 1: I don't know if I'm gonna pass out or not, 59 00:03:47,400 --> 00:03:51,120 Speaker 1: but I'll never forget my thoughts were if I'm bleeding 60 00:03:51,160 --> 00:03:55,040 Speaker 1: out my ear. This is not good. I've seen Daddy 61 00:03:55,080 --> 00:03:59,080 Speaker 1: put down too many dogs, and you know, Son, this 62 00:03:59,200 --> 00:04:01,200 Speaker 1: dog has been hit by car, is bleeding out the here. 63 00:04:01,240 --> 00:04:02,119 Speaker 1: We gotta put it down. 64 00:04:02,800 --> 00:04:07,440 Speaker 3: Yeah, I mean you know, you grow up in the 65 00:04:07,480 --> 00:04:08,800 Speaker 3: South and a round dogs. 66 00:04:08,880 --> 00:04:11,440 Speaker 2: I mean, bleeding out the ear is a bad sign. 67 00:04:12,240 --> 00:04:15,920 Speaker 1: I mean, I don't mean to make light of that, 68 00:04:16,000 --> 00:04:18,720 Speaker 1: but that's what was going through my mind at that time. 69 00:04:19,400 --> 00:04:21,480 Speaker 2: How fast do you think the truck was going when 70 00:04:21,480 --> 00:04:21,960 Speaker 2: it hit you? 71 00:04:22,160 --> 00:04:25,720 Speaker 1: It probably wasn't going, but I'm gonna say when it 72 00:04:25,839 --> 00:04:28,000 Speaker 1: excel because it slowed down like it's gonna stop, and 73 00:04:28,080 --> 00:04:29,680 Speaker 1: it just immediately turned and gassed it. 74 00:04:29,720 --> 00:04:32,400 Speaker 3: And I can remember hearing the gravels. I can remember seeing, you. 75 00:04:32,360 --> 00:04:34,640 Speaker 1: Know, and it just that that front end and that 76 00:04:34,680 --> 00:04:38,240 Speaker 1: front tire just clipped me and flip me and it 77 00:04:38,440 --> 00:04:39,400 Speaker 1: and it raced off. 78 00:04:42,480 --> 00:04:45,479 Speaker 2: After that truck hit Russ, it would bust through a 79 00:04:45,600 --> 00:04:49,320 Speaker 2: roadblock and lead officers on a high speed chase through 80 00:04:49,320 --> 00:04:52,960 Speaker 2: the smoky mountains of North Carolina, leading into a three 81 00:04:53,120 --> 00:04:57,279 Speaker 2: day man hunt. What twists and turns in a man's 82 00:04:57,320 --> 00:05:01,200 Speaker 2: life would lead him into a scenario like this. I 83 00:05:01,240 --> 00:05:04,160 Speaker 2: think we need to go back to the very beginning. 84 00:05:07,040 --> 00:05:08,200 Speaker 3: My name is Russ Arthur. 85 00:05:08,920 --> 00:05:12,839 Speaker 1: I was born in nineteen fifty nine in Southeast Tennessee. 86 00:05:13,480 --> 00:05:17,440 Speaker 1: My parents raised me and two sisters in the Hickson 87 00:05:17,520 --> 00:05:22,159 Speaker 1: Red Bank area of Tennessee and graduated high school in 88 00:05:22,279 --> 00:05:26,120 Speaker 1: seventy seven. I did a lot of construction work during 89 00:05:26,200 --> 00:05:30,760 Speaker 1: high school and during my few years in college did 90 00:05:30,800 --> 00:05:35,560 Speaker 1: brick block work and always was a passionate turkey hunter. 91 00:05:35,839 --> 00:05:39,359 Speaker 1: My dad was always a passionate turkey hunter. He was 92 00:05:39,480 --> 00:05:43,480 Speaker 1: turkey hunting when turkey hunting wasn't cool, and he would 93 00:05:43,480 --> 00:05:46,920 Speaker 1: always go to the mountains and turkey hunt. And when 94 00:05:46,920 --> 00:05:50,120 Speaker 1: I got about ten eleven years old, he started taking 95 00:05:50,160 --> 00:05:53,440 Speaker 1: me and he always camped in an area up there 96 00:05:53,480 --> 00:05:57,200 Speaker 1: close to where our ancestors were born, which is now 97 00:05:57,320 --> 00:06:01,880 Speaker 1: National Forest. And there's Arthur Cemetery right there next to 98 00:06:01,920 --> 00:06:07,280 Speaker 1: that campground where goes back to five generations of Arthur's 99 00:06:07,279 --> 00:06:08,080 Speaker 1: that's buried there. 100 00:06:09,760 --> 00:06:13,760 Speaker 2: This camp would be the philosophical cradle of Russ's life's work. 101 00:06:14,400 --> 00:06:17,800 Speaker 2: He was enamored with the men that hunted there, their conversations, 102 00:06:18,320 --> 00:06:20,880 Speaker 2: and like the bedrock forming at the bottom of an 103 00:06:20,880 --> 00:06:25,719 Speaker 2: ancient ocean, he developed a foundational appreciation for the land. 104 00:06:26,640 --> 00:06:29,640 Speaker 2: But I want to go even deeper into Russ's foundations. 105 00:06:33,240 --> 00:06:37,480 Speaker 1: My dad was very well respected in the community. He 106 00:06:37,560 --> 00:06:43,240 Speaker 1: respected the law enforcement. He was a philosopher son, always 107 00:06:43,279 --> 00:06:47,039 Speaker 1: do the right thing when nobody's looking. He was all 108 00:06:47,080 --> 00:06:51,320 Speaker 1: about honor, all about integrity. He was a man of 109 00:06:51,360 --> 00:06:55,560 Speaker 1: many talents. He was a beekeeper, he was a housman 110 00:06:55,600 --> 00:06:58,600 Speaker 1: at one time with beagles, and rabbit hunting was his thing. 111 00:06:59,320 --> 00:07:01,400 Speaker 3: He loved the art of shooting. 112 00:07:02,160 --> 00:07:05,120 Speaker 1: And he was a very good father to our family. 113 00:07:05,839 --> 00:07:09,840 Speaker 1: Anybody who was around he would grain their respect. But 114 00:07:09,920 --> 00:07:13,680 Speaker 1: he was a true woodsman. He knew everything there was 115 00:07:13,720 --> 00:07:17,560 Speaker 1: to know about the mountains, not only their history, but 116 00:07:17,640 --> 00:07:19,440 Speaker 1: he knew every plant species. 117 00:07:19,840 --> 00:07:21,320 Speaker 3: He really took. 118 00:07:21,160 --> 00:07:24,520 Speaker 1: In everything in those mountains, and he was a self 119 00:07:24,560 --> 00:07:25,440 Speaker 1: taught naturalist. 120 00:07:28,080 --> 00:07:31,640 Speaker 2: At Russ's core, I think you can perceive a genuine 121 00:07:31,880 --> 00:07:35,320 Speaker 2: and deep appreciation for wild places, stretching a net of 122 00:07:35,360 --> 00:07:40,120 Speaker 2: knowledge that supersedes a veneer of simply knowing about and 123 00:07:40,240 --> 00:07:44,880 Speaker 2: hunting on some land. His appreciation is informed by a 124 00:07:45,000 --> 00:07:47,560 Speaker 2: complex sequence of data points. 125 00:07:47,960 --> 00:07:48,520 Speaker 3: It was real. 126 00:07:49,400 --> 00:07:52,240 Speaker 2: As this story unfolds, you'll see the extent to which 127 00:07:52,320 --> 00:07:55,080 Speaker 2: Russ will go to do his job with the Forest Service, 128 00:07:55,480 --> 00:07:58,040 Speaker 2: and at the heart of it, going back to his father, 129 00:07:58,600 --> 00:08:01,000 Speaker 2: is a sacred respect wild places. 130 00:08:02,200 --> 00:08:06,520 Speaker 1: And I was just infactuated by by their skills, by 131 00:08:06,560 --> 00:08:10,040 Speaker 1: their turkey call making skills, by the types of tactics 132 00:08:10,080 --> 00:08:13,320 Speaker 1: they used, and uh just love the mountains. 133 00:08:13,720 --> 00:08:16,840 Speaker 3: And I always uh would interact. 134 00:08:16,400 --> 00:08:20,760 Speaker 1: With the forest Service as they came through, really admired them, 135 00:08:20,880 --> 00:08:24,080 Speaker 1: really respected them, and I would always ask them, how 136 00:08:24,080 --> 00:08:25,120 Speaker 1: did I get a job with you? 137 00:08:25,720 --> 00:08:27,280 Speaker 3: How did I get a job with you? Even as 138 00:08:27,280 --> 00:08:30,200 Speaker 3: a little kid, And they would just always talk to 139 00:08:30,280 --> 00:08:31,520 Speaker 3: me and be cordial. 140 00:08:31,560 --> 00:08:35,800 Speaker 1: And when I got on up in high school, one 141 00:08:35,840 --> 00:08:36,880 Speaker 1: of them told me, said. 142 00:08:36,720 --> 00:08:37,960 Speaker 3: You need to get in college. 143 00:08:38,000 --> 00:08:38,200 Speaker 2: Son. 144 00:08:38,960 --> 00:08:41,720 Speaker 1: My dad wasn't very high on this, but when I 145 00:08:41,760 --> 00:08:43,840 Speaker 1: told him I wanted to get a degree in forestry, 146 00:08:43,920 --> 00:08:46,520 Speaker 1: he he said, son, if I not told you and 147 00:08:46,600 --> 00:08:51,160 Speaker 1: talk to you enough about trees, so uh, but I'll 148 00:08:51,160 --> 00:08:52,920 Speaker 1: never forget that. I said, well, day, it's a little 149 00:08:52,960 --> 00:08:55,040 Speaker 1: more than that. It's a it's a I think it 150 00:08:55,080 --> 00:08:57,679 Speaker 1: would be a good profession. I just knew I wanted. 151 00:08:57,840 --> 00:09:00,080 Speaker 1: I want to ride around those green trucks, and I 152 00:09:00,120 --> 00:09:03,600 Speaker 1: wanted to be part of managing that land that I cared. 153 00:09:03,400 --> 00:09:04,360 Speaker 3: So much about. 154 00:09:06,040 --> 00:09:09,359 Speaker 2: The things that catch our eyes children, and the decisions 155 00:09:09,360 --> 00:09:12,599 Speaker 2: we make early in life are critical, often determined the 156 00:09:12,679 --> 00:09:16,559 Speaker 2: out comes far beyond the site of the time. When 157 00:09:16,559 --> 00:09:19,559 Speaker 2: I meet people that I respect, I find their formative 158 00:09:19,800 --> 00:09:24,520 Speaker 2: influences interesting and Russ would never turn his gaze from 159 00:09:24,559 --> 00:09:28,400 Speaker 2: these early directions that he was looking. But I don't 160 00:09:28,559 --> 00:09:31,280 Speaker 2: think that it played out the way that he would 161 00:09:31,320 --> 00:09:36,040 Speaker 2: have predicted. Russ would end up graduating from the University 162 00:09:36,080 --> 00:09:38,520 Speaker 2: of Tennessee with a forestry degree in the spring of 163 00:09:38,600 --> 00:09:41,720 Speaker 2: nineteen eighty two, and his first job was a volunteer 164 00:09:41,760 --> 00:09:44,320 Speaker 2: position as an intern for the Forest Service, where he 165 00:09:44,360 --> 00:09:48,160 Speaker 2: lived in a camper without electricity. Then they offered him 166 00:09:48,160 --> 00:09:49,400 Speaker 2: some seasonal work. 167 00:09:50,000 --> 00:09:52,000 Speaker 3: For the next two or three years. 168 00:09:52,720 --> 00:09:56,600 Speaker 1: Mark Timber with firefighter held the dumb end of an 169 00:09:56,600 --> 00:10:00,520 Speaker 1: engineer tape on laying out, you know, logging roads, just 170 00:10:00,800 --> 00:10:04,920 Speaker 1: anything that they had at the lowest grade level. I 171 00:10:05,000 --> 00:10:08,000 Speaker 1: took it all the time, not knowing which direction my 172 00:10:08,120 --> 00:10:11,400 Speaker 1: career was going to go. I just enjoyed the diversity 173 00:10:11,440 --> 00:10:14,560 Speaker 1: of the work. I enjoyed the people, I enjoyed the environment. 174 00:10:14,640 --> 00:10:17,280 Speaker 1: It was just a I was articled to death. 175 00:10:18,320 --> 00:10:21,760 Speaker 2: Then one day Russ literally got a knock on the 176 00:10:21,840 --> 00:10:25,439 Speaker 2: door from two Forest Service agents from North Carolina. 177 00:10:26,320 --> 00:10:29,160 Speaker 1: They said, look, we've got a job opening coming into 178 00:10:29,160 --> 00:10:33,240 Speaker 1: North Carolina. We want you to apply. And I said, well, guys, 179 00:10:33,280 --> 00:10:34,840 Speaker 1: what is it? And they said it's a full time 180 00:10:34,920 --> 00:10:38,080 Speaker 1: law enforcement officer job, and for service is just now 181 00:10:38,160 --> 00:10:42,880 Speaker 1: getting into these positions. Most of the positions are you know, 182 00:10:42,960 --> 00:10:46,000 Speaker 1: you'll do ten percent law and ten percent fire and 183 00:10:46,040 --> 00:10:50,120 Speaker 1: twenty percent recreation, and you know, thirty percent temper marking. 184 00:10:50,360 --> 00:10:53,560 Speaker 1: But this one's full time law enforcement, and we think 185 00:10:53,600 --> 00:10:54,400 Speaker 1: you'd be a good fit. 186 00:10:57,040 --> 00:10:59,880 Speaker 2: Prior to this, the Forest Service hadn't heavily dealt in 187 00:11:00,080 --> 00:11:03,320 Speaker 2: law enforcement, but the need was now rising from full 188 00:11:03,360 --> 00:11:07,360 Speaker 2: time officers. He applied for the job and got it. 189 00:11:08,280 --> 00:11:11,240 Speaker 1: I've always wondered who I beat out for that job, 190 00:11:11,960 --> 00:11:15,680 Speaker 1: because man, I didn't have that much experience, And. 191 00:11:15,960 --> 00:11:19,000 Speaker 3: They finally told me I was the only applicant. 192 00:11:20,520 --> 00:11:23,079 Speaker 1: That made you feel good, That made me feel real good. 193 00:11:25,000 --> 00:11:28,560 Speaker 2: Sometimes just showing up is all that it takes. And 194 00:11:28,640 --> 00:11:30,960 Speaker 2: to go back to the guys that told him to apply. 195 00:11:31,640 --> 00:11:34,760 Speaker 2: Sometimes we aren't able to see the potential in ourselves 196 00:11:35,040 --> 00:11:38,400 Speaker 2: and it takes someone else to spot it. That's why 197 00:11:38,400 --> 00:11:44,040 Speaker 2: it's critical to surround yourself with selfless, honest people. In 198 00:11:44,160 --> 00:11:47,640 Speaker 2: July nineteen eighty five, Russ would relocate to the mountains 199 00:11:47,640 --> 00:11:51,319 Speaker 2: of rural western North Carolina, but he had no way 200 00:11:51,480 --> 00:11:54,040 Speaker 2: to predict the direction of his career would go. 201 00:11:56,720 --> 00:12:00,320 Speaker 3: That duty station in North Carolina. It was pretty remote area. 202 00:12:00,760 --> 00:12:01,760 Speaker 3: It is in Robbinsville. 203 00:12:02,520 --> 00:12:05,720 Speaker 1: I think at the time Robinsville was seventy or something 204 00:12:05,760 --> 00:12:09,240 Speaker 1: percent US for service and the rest of it was private. 205 00:12:09,760 --> 00:12:12,720 Speaker 1: So there there was a lot of animosity there against 206 00:12:12,760 --> 00:12:15,000 Speaker 1: the Forest Service, and that goes back to some of 207 00:12:15,040 --> 00:12:19,360 Speaker 1: the things that TVA did with Fontana in the flooding 208 00:12:19,720 --> 00:12:23,200 Speaker 1: of homes and things. But they just weren't a good 209 00:12:23,200 --> 00:12:28,280 Speaker 1: fan of the government back in the eighties. 210 00:12:29,600 --> 00:12:33,319 Speaker 2: This is the perfect entry point to understanding the full 211 00:12:33,400 --> 00:12:37,160 Speaker 2: story and all its twists and turns of Russ with 212 00:12:37,320 --> 00:12:41,319 Speaker 2: the bleeding ear in the crown vic you're gonna want 213 00:12:41,320 --> 00:12:44,920 Speaker 2: to pay attention and don't get too comfortable. Here's the 214 00:12:44,960 --> 00:12:46,160 Speaker 2: whole story. 215 00:12:46,720 --> 00:12:52,280 Speaker 1: Back in nineteen eighty six, while working in Robinsville, North Carolina, 216 00:12:52,720 --> 00:12:55,720 Speaker 1: you know, again with a Forest Service law enforcement my 217 00:12:55,840 --> 00:13:00,480 Speaker 1: first position. There was an unusual group came to the 218 00:13:00,600 --> 00:13:07,439 Speaker 1: National Forest and Robinsville was a very quiet, very calm, 219 00:13:07,920 --> 00:13:11,920 Speaker 1: very southern type small town. You know, one red light, 220 00:13:12,280 --> 00:13:16,880 Speaker 1: two places to eat, one small hotel, just good, easy living, 221 00:13:18,360 --> 00:13:21,640 Speaker 1: very proud. People loved their community, loved their National Forest. 222 00:13:22,240 --> 00:13:25,200 Speaker 1: Most everybody there had some type of a tide of 223 00:13:25,200 --> 00:13:27,800 Speaker 1: the National Forest, whether it was hunting or working in 224 00:13:27,840 --> 00:13:31,719 Speaker 1: the logging business. And one day we got notified for 225 00:13:32,000 --> 00:13:34,600 Speaker 1: service did that there was a group going to set 226 00:13:34,679 --> 00:13:39,400 Speaker 1: up a camp in a place called Maple Springs, which 227 00:13:39,520 --> 00:13:41,800 Speaker 1: was one of the most remote areas you could drive 228 00:13:41,880 --> 00:13:44,319 Speaker 1: to in that county, and there was going to be 229 00:13:44,360 --> 00:13:48,360 Speaker 1: a national gathering there called the Rainbow Living of Light, 230 00:13:49,920 --> 00:13:53,120 Speaker 1: and said there's going to be about ten thousand people 231 00:13:53,760 --> 00:13:54,240 Speaker 1: come in here. 232 00:13:54,320 --> 00:13:55,000 Speaker 3: This community. 233 00:13:56,360 --> 00:13:59,040 Speaker 2: This group had become well known in the nineteen seventies, 234 00:13:59,120 --> 00:14:03,880 Speaker 2: traveling across the country gathering in the name of world peace. However, 235 00:14:04,280 --> 00:14:07,680 Speaker 2: every place they went to they'd set up in national forest, 236 00:14:08,200 --> 00:14:11,480 Speaker 2: intending to protest the government through their right to gather 237 00:14:11,600 --> 00:14:15,719 Speaker 2: without a permit. However, the Forest Service required gatherings of 238 00:14:15,760 --> 00:14:19,040 Speaker 2: over seventy five people to have a permit, and thousands 239 00:14:19,040 --> 00:14:21,840 Speaker 2: were coming, so there was some head button with the 240 00:14:21,840 --> 00:14:26,040 Speaker 2: Forest Service. However, it wouldn't be the Rainbow people that 241 00:14:26,280 --> 00:14:28,400 Speaker 2: wanted to kill Russ Arthur. 242 00:14:30,440 --> 00:14:33,320 Speaker 1: It was kind of like a freak show, if you will. 243 00:14:33,440 --> 00:14:35,480 Speaker 1: For the locals. They hear about it, they don't want 244 00:14:35,480 --> 00:14:35,920 Speaker 1: to drive. 245 00:14:35,840 --> 00:14:36,400 Speaker 3: Up and see it. 246 00:14:37,480 --> 00:14:43,760 Speaker 1: Well, one Friday night, we for Service along with the state, 247 00:14:43,920 --> 00:14:48,320 Speaker 1: set up a roadblock just to check for DUI DOI 248 00:14:48,480 --> 00:14:52,160 Speaker 1: checkpoint and one of the curves that went up and 249 00:14:52,160 --> 00:14:54,440 Speaker 1: down there because we were now allowing vehicles to drive 250 00:14:54,520 --> 00:14:56,840 Speaker 1: up and down, but they couldn't take equipment in and 251 00:14:56,880 --> 00:15:01,120 Speaker 1: out now, So we've got a roadblock going on, and 252 00:15:01,200 --> 00:15:05,000 Speaker 1: I'll digress a little bit. The fall before that, I 253 00:15:05,040 --> 00:15:08,920 Speaker 1: had a run in with a young man up there 254 00:15:09,000 --> 00:15:12,440 Speaker 1: that suspected of hunting berry legal. 255 00:15:12,840 --> 00:15:15,360 Speaker 3: And when I got up. 256 00:15:15,240 --> 00:15:18,720 Speaker 1: With him in a remote area up there, he had 257 00:15:18,960 --> 00:15:22,440 Speaker 1: a rifle, but it wasn't a large caliber and he 258 00:15:22,480 --> 00:15:26,480 Speaker 1: claimed he was only squirrel hunting, so I cited him. 259 00:15:26,960 --> 00:15:30,160 Speaker 1: I think it was a forty or fifty dollars collateral 260 00:15:30,520 --> 00:15:34,760 Speaker 1: citation for hunting squirrels out of season on Wildlife Managinary, 261 00:15:35,160 --> 00:15:39,240 Speaker 1: And that type of collateral ticket was the lowest level 262 00:15:39,280 --> 00:15:42,040 Speaker 1: of enforcement action that you can take other than a warning, 263 00:15:42,760 --> 00:15:46,240 Speaker 1: and he can mail it in if it's paid on time, 264 00:15:46,400 --> 00:15:48,760 Speaker 1: it don't even go on your record, so it wasn't 265 00:15:48,800 --> 00:15:53,360 Speaker 1: a big deal to me. Well, time passes were back 266 00:15:53,400 --> 00:15:55,960 Speaker 1: to the national gathering and we're at a road check 267 00:15:56,360 --> 00:15:59,080 Speaker 1: and it's starting to get a little bit dark. And 268 00:15:59,120 --> 00:16:02,440 Speaker 1: this truck comes down down the road and it was 269 00:16:02,600 --> 00:16:05,520 Speaker 1: I'll never forget it was a seventy seven forward one 270 00:16:06,040 --> 00:16:09,120 Speaker 1: because I've got a seventy eight still got it. It's 271 00:16:09,160 --> 00:16:12,360 Speaker 1: trucks coming down the hill. And I recognized the truck 272 00:16:12,440 --> 00:16:16,000 Speaker 1: of being tied to that family of that boy. I 273 00:16:16,080 --> 00:16:19,040 Speaker 1: wrote the ticket to you live in a small community, 274 00:16:19,080 --> 00:16:21,480 Speaker 1: you get to know everybody's vehicle, what they drive. 275 00:16:22,120 --> 00:16:24,160 Speaker 3: And I was what called the point. 276 00:16:23,920 --> 00:16:26,920 Speaker 1: Person, and I turned my flashlight on and stepped out, 277 00:16:27,040 --> 00:16:30,600 Speaker 1: held my hand up to stop the vehicle, and it 278 00:16:30,720 --> 00:16:36,800 Speaker 1: immediately accelerated and turned toward me and ran over me, 279 00:16:38,640 --> 00:16:41,440 Speaker 1: and it caught right side of my leg, flipped me 280 00:16:41,480 --> 00:16:44,640 Speaker 1: over in the ditch, head hit the hit the gravel road, 281 00:16:45,120 --> 00:16:48,480 Speaker 1: and I just I went out for a few few seconds. 282 00:16:48,600 --> 00:16:49,640 Speaker 3: The vehicle's gone. 283 00:16:52,520 --> 00:16:55,920 Speaker 1: The next thing I know, the agent out of Ashville 284 00:16:55,960 --> 00:16:58,240 Speaker 1: and when the agents out of Georgia that was there 285 00:16:59,080 --> 00:17:01,840 Speaker 1: loaded me up in the back their vehicle was taking 286 00:17:01,880 --> 00:17:07,800 Speaker 1: me trying to get me to the hospital. Of course, immediately, 287 00:17:07,840 --> 00:17:11,160 Speaker 1: you know, we had five or six marked units at 288 00:17:11,160 --> 00:17:15,159 Speaker 1: that roadblock, and I can remember in that ditch, laying 289 00:17:15,200 --> 00:17:20,760 Speaker 1: there just seeing them go by, blue lights blazing where 290 00:17:20,800 --> 00:17:26,359 Speaker 1: this happened was probably running wide open more than an 291 00:17:26,400 --> 00:17:29,639 Speaker 1: hour of the closest hospital, and it's back for the 292 00:17:29,720 --> 00:17:33,840 Speaker 1: days of medevac. And I remember the agent getting on 293 00:17:33,880 --> 00:17:38,480 Speaker 1: the radio any radioing to the amulets meet me. I'm 294 00:17:38,520 --> 00:17:41,320 Speaker 1: going to be headed to town where the hospital wasn't 295 00:17:41,320 --> 00:17:42,080 Speaker 1: in the town. 296 00:17:42,160 --> 00:17:43,720 Speaker 3: The hospital was in Bryson City. 297 00:17:44,320 --> 00:17:46,359 Speaker 1: You know, if you know anything about Western Carolina, and 298 00:17:46,440 --> 00:17:49,080 Speaker 1: that's you know, that's a pretty long way from Robbinsville. 299 00:17:49,800 --> 00:17:53,040 Speaker 1: But they did have ammelet service in Robinsville. So he's 300 00:17:53,080 --> 00:17:57,040 Speaker 1: communicating with the ambulets. I'm coming up one twenty nine. 301 00:17:57,680 --> 00:17:59,960 Speaker 1: They almost met each other, and it was almost erected 302 00:18:00,160 --> 00:18:04,000 Speaker 1: meeting each other. And I'm still just in it, just 303 00:18:04,040 --> 00:18:07,280 Speaker 1: can't figure out what's going on. And they're loading me 304 00:18:07,359 --> 00:18:09,560 Speaker 1: on this stretcher to put me in the back of 305 00:18:09,600 --> 00:18:13,600 Speaker 1: the amulets. Only this can happen in a small town now. 306 00:18:15,359 --> 00:18:19,080 Speaker 1: And I looked up and the guy tended me. I'd 307 00:18:19,119 --> 00:18:22,960 Speaker 1: had in federal court before, and I remember looking at 308 00:18:23,000 --> 00:18:25,800 Speaker 1: my boss and I did go out after this is 309 00:18:25,840 --> 00:18:29,080 Speaker 1: I remember grabbing him by the shirt and pulling him 310 00:18:29,119 --> 00:18:35,720 Speaker 1: down and I said, don't leave me. So next thing 311 00:18:35,760 --> 00:18:37,600 Speaker 1: I know, I wake up and I'm in the hospital 312 00:18:37,800 --> 00:18:42,879 Speaker 1: and praise God, I'm good. I had had concussions, I 313 00:18:42,880 --> 00:18:47,200 Speaker 1: had stitches in my knees, I had stitches and half 314 00:18:47,280 --> 00:18:50,560 Speaker 1: to hide off my back of my head, and they 315 00:18:50,560 --> 00:18:52,359 Speaker 1: had to wait awhile for they could give me the 316 00:18:53,080 --> 00:18:56,719 Speaker 1: pain medication cause of the concussions or whatever that process was. 317 00:18:57,359 --> 00:19:00,760 Speaker 1: But when they finally I was able to sleep for 318 00:19:01,160 --> 00:19:04,360 Speaker 1: eight or ten hours. I know what the feeling is 319 00:19:05,200 --> 00:19:10,200 Speaker 1: of bet right over by truck, and I just couldn't hardly. 320 00:19:10,000 --> 00:19:10,920 Speaker 3: Move all over. 321 00:19:13,720 --> 00:19:16,600 Speaker 2: I think the main thing keeping Russ's injuries from being 322 00:19:16,680 --> 00:19:19,800 Speaker 2: much worse was simple. He was six foot two in 323 00:19:19,800 --> 00:19:21,679 Speaker 2: the neighborhood of two hundred and forty pounds in his 324 00:19:21,800 --> 00:19:25,400 Speaker 2: late twenties. He was tough, but he was bleeding out 325 00:19:25,440 --> 00:19:28,720 Speaker 2: his ear, and that's never good. But an even more 326 00:19:28,800 --> 00:19:33,960 Speaker 2: interesting question is what madness would cause someone to think 327 00:19:34,080 --> 00:19:36,600 Speaker 2: that they could get away with this or even want 328 00:19:36,640 --> 00:19:41,280 Speaker 2: to do it. But then the situation escalated even more. 329 00:19:42,240 --> 00:19:45,480 Speaker 1: They came and took statements from me. The State Borough 330 00:19:45,520 --> 00:19:49,280 Speaker 1: Investigation got involved, and that's when I learned that there 331 00:19:49,320 --> 00:19:49,880 Speaker 1: was still. 332 00:19:49,640 --> 00:19:52,800 Speaker 3: A man hunt. There are three people in that truck, 333 00:19:53,560 --> 00:19:55,359 Speaker 3: and if you know anything about that area. 334 00:19:55,920 --> 00:19:59,200 Speaker 1: Highway one twenty nine goes from Maryville all the way 335 00:19:59,240 --> 00:20:03,679 Speaker 1: up through the mountain around by the Smokies, comes around 336 00:20:03,720 --> 00:20:07,399 Speaker 1: the bottom of Fontana Dam and people call it the 337 00:20:07,480 --> 00:20:12,760 Speaker 1: Dragon's Tail. It's a very windy road, but that's where 338 00:20:12,760 --> 00:20:13,639 Speaker 1: they were fleeing to. 339 00:20:14,880 --> 00:20:17,080 Speaker 3: And it was ironic. 340 00:20:17,200 --> 00:20:21,239 Speaker 1: My old boss, the one that first men towards me 341 00:20:21,320 --> 00:20:25,119 Speaker 1: into getting into law enforcement, was the one right behind them. 342 00:20:25,720 --> 00:20:27,800 Speaker 3: And if you knew less, you'd know that they're probably 343 00:20:27,840 --> 00:20:31,040 Speaker 3: not going to get away from him. And I learned 344 00:20:31,080 --> 00:20:32,560 Speaker 3: all this, of course after the fact. 345 00:20:33,160 --> 00:20:37,439 Speaker 1: The truck went around so many of those curves, it 346 00:20:37,440 --> 00:20:40,800 Speaker 1: couldn't hold a curve like a crown vick. Literally he 347 00:20:40,960 --> 00:20:45,080 Speaker 1: was pushing them all accounts that I heard later. So 348 00:20:45,880 --> 00:20:48,879 Speaker 1: these guys knew what they were doing. All three of 349 00:20:48,920 --> 00:20:51,639 Speaker 1: them were locals from that area, very avid. 350 00:20:51,440 --> 00:20:54,000 Speaker 3: Hunters, and it all of. 351 00:20:54,000 --> 00:20:56,960 Speaker 1: A sudden ditched and they all three jumped out and 352 00:20:57,040 --> 00:20:58,320 Speaker 1: ran into the smokies. 353 00:20:59,520 --> 00:21:02,800 Speaker 3: He was able to catch one. It was a juvenile. 354 00:21:03,640 --> 00:21:07,760 Speaker 3: It was just a passenger. So you've got one call 355 00:21:07,880 --> 00:21:10,960 Speaker 3: that's a juvenile that you can't prosecute. And there was 356 00:21:11,000 --> 00:21:11,960 Speaker 3: a huge man hunt. 357 00:21:12,600 --> 00:21:15,520 Speaker 1: Stay of Tennessee got involved because This was closest Tennessee 358 00:21:15,560 --> 00:21:18,320 Speaker 1: state line. State of North Carolina got involved with their 359 00:21:18,400 --> 00:21:21,960 Speaker 1: highway patrols and they set up roadblocks trying to catch 360 00:21:22,000 --> 00:21:27,280 Speaker 1: these guys. So three days hadn't caught them. And let 361 00:21:27,359 --> 00:21:29,800 Speaker 1: me get this straight. It was one of the guys 362 00:21:29,960 --> 00:21:33,960 Speaker 1: who was still in there. Dad came to the authorities 363 00:21:34,480 --> 00:21:36,240 Speaker 1: and said, need to talk. 364 00:21:37,080 --> 00:21:37,960 Speaker 3: I know where they're at. 365 00:21:39,240 --> 00:21:40,840 Speaker 1: I'll get them to come out on their own, if 366 00:21:40,880 --> 00:21:42,080 Speaker 1: you'll get rid of everybody. 367 00:21:43,240 --> 00:21:45,159 Speaker 3: They've got a spot. 368 00:21:45,000 --> 00:21:47,920 Speaker 1: Over there to the illegal hunt camp in the smokies 369 00:21:48,680 --> 00:21:51,520 Speaker 1: that they're holed up in, and only I know where 370 00:21:51,560 --> 00:21:55,399 Speaker 1: it's at. Y'all back out of here. I don't want 371 00:21:55,480 --> 00:21:58,880 Speaker 1: them shot, I don't want them hurt. I'll go get 372 00:21:58,920 --> 00:22:03,400 Speaker 1: them within two days, they'll they'll turn himself in. And 373 00:22:03,440 --> 00:22:06,879 Speaker 1: evidently this man did a good job of convincing the 374 00:22:06,920 --> 00:22:09,360 Speaker 1: authorities that that that would happen, and he held true 375 00:22:09,400 --> 00:22:12,199 Speaker 1: to his word and they brought the guys out, and 376 00:22:12,280 --> 00:22:12,640 Speaker 1: one of. 377 00:22:12,640 --> 00:22:14,840 Speaker 3: Them was the guy that I had written the squirrel 378 00:22:14,880 --> 00:22:16,600 Speaker 3: hunting ticket with m M. 379 00:22:18,080 --> 00:22:22,159 Speaker 2: The squirrel hunter. Why did he do this? They were 380 00:22:22,200 --> 00:22:24,280 Speaker 2: about to find out why in federal court. 381 00:22:25,320 --> 00:22:30,440 Speaker 1: Him and his brother were prosecuted and he got three years. 382 00:22:30,640 --> 00:22:34,360 Speaker 1: He was not the driver, he was the passenger. His 383 00:22:34,400 --> 00:22:36,720 Speaker 1: brother was the driver, and he got three years in 384 00:22:36,800 --> 00:22:37,560 Speaker 1: federal prison. 385 00:22:38,240 --> 00:22:41,760 Speaker 2: And the brother that was the driver or the past the. 386 00:22:41,720 --> 00:22:43,000 Speaker 3: Paler hunter, the squirrel hunter. 387 00:22:43,040 --> 00:22:44,480 Speaker 2: The squirrel hunter got three years. 388 00:22:44,520 --> 00:22:46,199 Speaker 3: He got three years in federal prison. 389 00:22:46,840 --> 00:22:50,639 Speaker 1: We were able to find a person in that encampment 390 00:22:51,080 --> 00:22:53,400 Speaker 1: that actually came to the courts and testified. 391 00:22:54,400 --> 00:22:55,640 Speaker 3: They were on their way up. 392 00:22:56,359 --> 00:22:59,119 Speaker 1: They stopped that truck as that truck was coming down 393 00:22:59,240 --> 00:23:03,920 Speaker 1: to the roadblock, and they told the driver, you all need. 394 00:23:03,680 --> 00:23:04,480 Speaker 3: To be careful. 395 00:23:05,359 --> 00:23:08,240 Speaker 1: The Forest Service has a roadblock set up down there, 396 00:23:08,760 --> 00:23:12,000 Speaker 1: and I don't want anybody get in trouble. The passenger, 397 00:23:12,440 --> 00:23:15,639 Speaker 1: which was the scraw hunter, leaned over the driver and 398 00:23:15,680 --> 00:23:18,639 Speaker 1: looked at the guy and said, do you know Russ 399 00:23:18,760 --> 00:23:21,360 Speaker 1: Arthur And this guy said yeah, said. 400 00:23:21,160 --> 00:23:21,920 Speaker 3: Is he down there? 401 00:23:22,560 --> 00:23:26,959 Speaker 1: And they said he said yeah, And he then got back, 402 00:23:27,240 --> 00:23:28,920 Speaker 1: you know, leaned back in and got in the middle 403 00:23:29,280 --> 00:23:31,359 Speaker 1: of the seat and told his brother said come on, 404 00:23:31,480 --> 00:23:32,600 Speaker 1: it's time for him to die. 405 00:23:33,080 --> 00:23:33,560 Speaker 3: Wow. 406 00:23:33,600 --> 00:23:34,800 Speaker 2: This came out in federal courts. 407 00:23:34,800 --> 00:23:36,000 Speaker 3: This came out in the testimony. 408 00:23:36,680 --> 00:23:41,480 Speaker 1: So both found guilty, they go to prison, and well 409 00:23:42,280 --> 00:23:44,240 Speaker 1: that was a very tough time in my life and 410 00:23:44,320 --> 00:23:48,239 Speaker 1: my career. I mean, it really was, because he just 411 00:23:48,280 --> 00:23:53,840 Speaker 1: didn't know what would happen next. And about six months 412 00:23:53,880 --> 00:23:57,320 Speaker 1: after that, one of the members that family called me 413 00:23:57,359 --> 00:23:59,800 Speaker 1: at one o'clock in the morning, and these guys are 414 00:23:59,800 --> 00:24:02,280 Speaker 1: both in prison. He said, need to talk to you. 415 00:24:03,320 --> 00:24:05,160 Speaker 1: And I knew this guy and I called him my name. 416 00:24:05,240 --> 00:24:07,399 Speaker 1: I said, man, it's one o'clock in the morning. I said, 417 00:24:07,640 --> 00:24:11,000 Speaker 1: are you drunk and he said no. He said, but 418 00:24:11,040 --> 00:24:13,600 Speaker 1: there's some talk down here in this community that you 419 00:24:13,640 --> 00:24:17,440 Speaker 1: need to know about. I said, okay, and I'm thinking 420 00:24:17,520 --> 00:24:20,240 Speaker 1: this a setup. And I said, well listen, I'll talk 421 00:24:20,280 --> 00:24:21,800 Speaker 1: to you, but it's gonna be where I want to 422 00:24:21,840 --> 00:24:24,040 Speaker 1: meet you. And I told him to meet me in 423 00:24:24,119 --> 00:24:28,640 Speaker 1: the parking lot of the Forest Service. Well, I called 424 00:24:28,680 --> 00:24:31,320 Speaker 1: my boss, who was a district ranger then and assistant 425 00:24:31,400 --> 00:24:34,400 Speaker 1: ranger and let them both know what was going on. 426 00:24:34,520 --> 00:24:37,520 Speaker 3: And they didn't like it. They were not law enforcement. 427 00:24:37,680 --> 00:24:41,320 Speaker 1: They were very, very supportive of everything, and I mean 428 00:24:41,400 --> 00:24:44,439 Speaker 1: two of the best guys you've ever ever known, and 429 00:24:44,520 --> 00:24:48,919 Speaker 1: they they had my back anytime. He said, well, just 430 00:24:48,960 --> 00:24:51,880 Speaker 1: be careful and let us know when you clear from there. 431 00:24:52,160 --> 00:24:54,200 Speaker 3: And again this is back before cell phones. 432 00:24:54,240 --> 00:24:57,800 Speaker 1: And you know, so I got there fifteen minutes before 433 00:24:57,840 --> 00:25:00,080 Speaker 1: I told him i'd be there, part my truck a 434 00:25:00,160 --> 00:25:03,600 Speaker 1: different place where I told him my park and walked 435 00:25:03,640 --> 00:25:06,199 Speaker 1: around and did surveillance of that area before he pulled in. 436 00:25:06,680 --> 00:25:06,879 Speaker 3: You know. 437 00:25:07,680 --> 00:25:10,520 Speaker 1: So he pulls in, gets out, we have a conversation 438 00:25:10,680 --> 00:25:13,920 Speaker 1: and it was he was sober. He just said, there's 439 00:25:13,920 --> 00:25:17,000 Speaker 1: a couple of guys down there that's talking about, you know, 440 00:25:17,080 --> 00:25:19,480 Speaker 1: does some harm to you. I just want to warn 441 00:25:19,520 --> 00:25:21,200 Speaker 1: you you need to be careful if you get any 442 00:25:21,240 --> 00:25:23,800 Speaker 1: calls at night. And I said, why would you be 443 00:25:23,880 --> 00:25:28,160 Speaker 1: telling me this, and true Appalachian spirit, he just said, 444 00:25:28,200 --> 00:25:30,200 Speaker 1: you know, you didn't do anything wrong. 445 00:25:30,720 --> 00:25:33,080 Speaker 3: These boys in prison are the ones that did something wrong. 446 00:25:33,160 --> 00:25:35,560 Speaker 1: And I can't convince some of these members of the 447 00:25:35,560 --> 00:25:38,879 Speaker 1: community that you've done nothing wrong. So a lot of 448 00:25:38,960 --> 00:25:44,680 Speaker 1: respect up for that gentleman. And we talked for about 449 00:25:44,680 --> 00:25:47,800 Speaker 1: an hour there. Then he went on his way, and 450 00:25:47,800 --> 00:25:51,160 Speaker 1: when he got in the truck and left, my two 451 00:25:51,200 --> 00:25:54,960 Speaker 1: supervisors I heard a rustle in the bushes came out 452 00:25:54,960 --> 00:25:57,200 Speaker 1: and they each had their personal shotguns. 453 00:25:58,720 --> 00:26:00,640 Speaker 3: Said just want to let you know we had you back. 454 00:26:01,560 --> 00:26:02,520 Speaker 2: You didn't know they were there. 455 00:26:02,600 --> 00:26:03,800 Speaker 3: No, Wow. 456 00:26:04,440 --> 00:26:07,920 Speaker 2: No, So those guys weren't the bosses at that time, 457 00:26:07,960 --> 00:26:08,760 Speaker 2: weren't lawn. 458 00:26:08,560 --> 00:26:11,520 Speaker 1: Form No, they were just they were They were professional 459 00:26:11,520 --> 00:26:13,600 Speaker 1: foresters and running running the district. 460 00:26:13,680 --> 00:26:15,840 Speaker 3: They just wanted to make sure that Wow, that I 461 00:26:15,960 --> 00:26:21,480 Speaker 3: was covered. They would lose their job today. 462 00:26:22,440 --> 00:26:25,959 Speaker 2: There's an old saying about true friendship, stating there's no 463 00:26:26,160 --> 00:26:29,560 Speaker 2: greater love than someone who's willing to lay their life 464 00:26:29,560 --> 00:26:32,800 Speaker 2: down for a friend. These guys didn't have to do that, 465 00:26:33,359 --> 00:26:35,840 Speaker 2: but it sure seems like they were willing to defend 466 00:26:36,080 --> 00:26:43,359 Speaker 2: Russ at all costs. Time passes, things settled down, and 467 00:26:43,440 --> 00:26:47,760 Speaker 2: Russ's career moves on. He's actually relocated to another state, 468 00:26:47,920 --> 00:26:51,240 Speaker 2: back to Tennessee. But then one day he gets a 469 00:26:51,280 --> 00:26:54,399 Speaker 2: call from his old boss. And one more thing we 470 00:26:54,480 --> 00:26:58,560 Speaker 2: haven't mentioned about Forest Service law enforcement in the eighties, nineties, 471 00:26:58,600 --> 00:27:01,960 Speaker 2: two thousands, and even today was all the drug work 472 00:27:02,040 --> 00:27:07,160 Speaker 2: that they did with marijuana being illegally grown on the forest. 473 00:27:08,560 --> 00:27:09,440 Speaker 3: The guy was just mean. 474 00:27:10,160 --> 00:27:12,320 Speaker 1: So he goes on to prison and him and his 475 00:27:12,359 --> 00:27:16,080 Speaker 1: brother both Then I fast forward and I moved to Tennessee, 476 00:27:16,840 --> 00:27:19,880 Speaker 1: and you know, I'm sitting in Tennessee and I get 477 00:27:19,920 --> 00:27:22,880 Speaker 1: a call from the authorities over there that said they 478 00:27:22,920 --> 00:27:25,200 Speaker 1: need my help. They had not yet hired a new 479 00:27:25,240 --> 00:27:28,560 Speaker 1: officer to fill my place in Robbinsville. Can I come 480 00:27:28,600 --> 00:27:32,560 Speaker 1: over and help them with this huge marijuana operation? You know, 481 00:27:32,640 --> 00:27:34,480 Speaker 1: you know the area and you know the players. 482 00:27:34,880 --> 00:27:38,720 Speaker 3: Can you do this? I said, yeah, that'd be me fun. 483 00:27:39,720 --> 00:27:42,560 Speaker 1: So me and the agent from Carolina went over there 484 00:27:42,560 --> 00:27:43,720 Speaker 1: and we did a recon of. 485 00:27:43,720 --> 00:27:47,520 Speaker 3: The area and we found a huge operation in a clear. 486 00:27:47,320 --> 00:27:49,280 Speaker 2: Cut huge How did you find it? 487 00:27:49,640 --> 00:27:54,280 Speaker 1: One of our timber markers checking some timber inventory had 488 00:27:54,520 --> 00:27:58,760 Speaker 1: had found it and it was in a pretty remote area. 489 00:27:59,440 --> 00:28:02,600 Speaker 1: So we laid a plan to surveil it, and he said, 490 00:28:02,680 --> 00:28:05,040 Speaker 1: you know what we'll do. We can do this with 491 00:28:05,119 --> 00:28:09,120 Speaker 1: four people. He said, if you can get another officer, 492 00:28:09,520 --> 00:28:11,800 Speaker 1: we'll drop you off and off. We found ad vantage 493 00:28:11,800 --> 00:28:14,240 Speaker 1: point where I could watch the side of that hill 494 00:28:14,640 --> 00:28:17,719 Speaker 1: with binoculars and a camera of the zoom lens. You 495 00:28:17,800 --> 00:28:20,760 Speaker 1: take notes as they come in. They've got a park 496 00:28:20,760 --> 00:28:24,800 Speaker 1: a vehicle somewhere, and we're just going to completely clear 497 00:28:24,840 --> 00:28:28,959 Speaker 1: the area. Then once they're in there, we'll send an 498 00:28:29,040 --> 00:28:31,719 Speaker 1: under cover truck in there to try to find their vehicle, 499 00:28:31,760 --> 00:28:34,480 Speaker 1: and we'll arrest them at their vehicle that way, there's 500 00:28:34,520 --> 00:28:37,760 Speaker 1: not a confrontation in a chase in the woods if we. 501 00:28:37,840 --> 00:28:40,680 Speaker 2: Wait till they all go in there and then catch 502 00:28:40,720 --> 00:28:41,600 Speaker 2: them on the way. 503 00:28:41,400 --> 00:28:42,280 Speaker 3: Out, exactly. 504 00:28:42,480 --> 00:28:45,480 Speaker 2: And you just figured you could find the vehicles a 505 00:28:45,480 --> 00:28:46,960 Speaker 2: lot of roads around or something. 506 00:28:47,120 --> 00:28:49,120 Speaker 3: Yeah, not that many roads. Yeah. 507 00:28:49,160 --> 00:28:52,440 Speaker 1: So me and another officer were sitting there watching and 508 00:28:53,000 --> 00:28:56,240 Speaker 1: three guys come in. I'm looking at them through binoclars 509 00:28:56,240 --> 00:28:58,160 Speaker 1: and I'm watching them and they're picking up plants and 510 00:28:58,160 --> 00:28:58,840 Speaker 1: they're putting it. 511 00:28:58,840 --> 00:29:00,800 Speaker 3: It's like they went to work. You know. 512 00:29:01,200 --> 00:29:04,880 Speaker 1: They had a huge potting area that they had the 513 00:29:04,880 --> 00:29:08,040 Speaker 1: plants and pots, and the plants were eight to ten inches. 514 00:29:07,800 --> 00:29:08,920 Speaker 3: Tall or taller. 515 00:29:09,040 --> 00:29:11,200 Speaker 1: And they would take a plant they had already had 516 00:29:11,440 --> 00:29:13,480 Speaker 1: pre dug holes and they'd put it in there and 517 00:29:13,480 --> 00:29:15,280 Speaker 1: they'd water and they'd go get another on that right, 518 00:29:15,520 --> 00:29:17,959 Speaker 1: and they had I think it's fifteen hundred plants they 519 00:29:17,960 --> 00:29:20,520 Speaker 1: were going to do this way. And I'm watching these 520 00:29:20,560 --> 00:29:24,160 Speaker 1: guys and I don't recognize any of them, and I 521 00:29:24,240 --> 00:29:27,360 Speaker 1: radiod my boss. I said, he said, we found the vehicle, 522 00:29:27,720 --> 00:29:30,480 Speaker 1: and we're going to set a surveillance on their vehicle. 523 00:29:30,520 --> 00:29:32,640 Speaker 1: So when they're leaving, you tell us when they're leaving 524 00:29:32,680 --> 00:29:35,000 Speaker 1: and we'll rest them as soon as they get in 525 00:29:35,040 --> 00:29:35,560 Speaker 1: the vehicle. 526 00:29:35,840 --> 00:29:36,040 Speaker 3: You know. 527 00:29:37,000 --> 00:29:41,239 Speaker 1: So those three have worked about an hour now, and 528 00:29:41,320 --> 00:29:42,239 Speaker 1: three more show up. 529 00:29:42,960 --> 00:29:43,960 Speaker 3: So now we got six. 530 00:29:44,680 --> 00:29:47,400 Speaker 1: Well, I started logging in and we started naming them all. 531 00:29:47,720 --> 00:29:50,280 Speaker 3: You know, number one wearing. 532 00:29:49,960 --> 00:29:53,160 Speaker 1: This type of ball hat, this shirt, these pants, and 533 00:29:53,400 --> 00:29:56,280 Speaker 1: so I gave a good description. Boss, he's writing that 534 00:29:56,320 --> 00:29:59,960 Speaker 1: same description down, so when I'm talking, we can chronologe 535 00:30:00,440 --> 00:30:00,920 Speaker 1: keep up with. 536 00:30:01,040 --> 00:30:02,720 Speaker 3: Okay, number one is going to get water. 537 00:30:03,240 --> 00:30:06,920 Speaker 1: Number seven or number six is now putting fertilizer. 538 00:30:07,320 --> 00:30:07,680 Speaker 3: Number you know. 539 00:30:07,920 --> 00:30:10,800 Speaker 1: So we confirmed what the descriptions of and had them 540 00:30:10,840 --> 00:30:15,640 Speaker 1: all one through six, and I still was so frustrated 541 00:30:15,680 --> 00:30:20,240 Speaker 1: because I didn't know any of them. So they'd been 542 00:30:20,280 --> 00:30:23,560 Speaker 1: working in there about four hours, been there some of 543 00:30:23,640 --> 00:30:26,440 Speaker 1: them since I Right at daylight and I look up 544 00:30:26,480 --> 00:30:29,240 Speaker 1: and here comes another one and I put the binoclars 545 00:30:29,320 --> 00:30:32,560 Speaker 1: up and it was the old boy that ran over me. 546 00:30:34,680 --> 00:30:38,680 Speaker 1: And I thought, I cannot believe two things. Number one, 547 00:30:38,720 --> 00:30:39,480 Speaker 1: he's out of prison. 548 00:30:40,240 --> 00:30:41,440 Speaker 2: You didn't know he was out of prison. 549 00:30:41,600 --> 00:30:44,080 Speaker 3: Well I knew, I hadn't even really thought about it. 550 00:30:44,160 --> 00:30:47,200 Speaker 1: But you know, how long is this after about three 551 00:30:47,280 --> 00:30:51,400 Speaker 1: years and always as recognizable, I mean boom, there he 552 00:30:51,520 --> 00:30:55,400 Speaker 1: is well. In the meantime, the agent out of the 553 00:30:55,480 --> 00:30:58,120 Speaker 1: road had to call in for other help because now 554 00:30:58,160 --> 00:31:00,720 Speaker 1: not only did we have one vehicle to do surveillance 555 00:31:00,760 --> 00:31:01,600 Speaker 1: I want to take down. 556 00:31:02,040 --> 00:31:02,720 Speaker 3: We had two. 557 00:31:02,720 --> 00:31:05,680 Speaker 1: Vehicles and we just had a third, and they all 558 00:31:05,720 --> 00:31:09,000 Speaker 1: parked about a half a mile from each other. So 559 00:31:09,680 --> 00:31:13,440 Speaker 1: they set teams, got teams, got other law enforcement personnel 560 00:31:13,800 --> 00:31:16,360 Speaker 1: around where we could take them down at the vehicle. 561 00:31:16,880 --> 00:31:18,280 Speaker 3: They finished their work. 562 00:31:18,800 --> 00:31:21,239 Speaker 1: And they packed up their stuff and they started down 563 00:31:21,320 --> 00:31:23,440 Speaker 1: this trail back down to the main road, and I 564 00:31:23,600 --> 00:31:24,320 Speaker 1: radio down. 565 00:31:24,640 --> 00:31:26,320 Speaker 3: You know, they're coming out. 566 00:31:26,400 --> 00:31:29,880 Speaker 1: So we're basically following them, but at a distance where 567 00:31:29,880 --> 00:31:34,640 Speaker 1: we can't be obviously heard or seen. And they start 568 00:31:34,880 --> 00:31:37,880 Speaker 1: to hear them on the radio. Hey, we've got two here, 569 00:31:38,160 --> 00:31:41,360 Speaker 1: we got three here. I got two more here. And 570 00:31:41,400 --> 00:31:42,440 Speaker 1: then I'm. 571 00:31:42,240 --> 00:31:45,280 Speaker 3: Waiting to hear the one. And then I hear his name. 572 00:31:46,160 --> 00:31:48,840 Speaker 1: It was a wildlife officer, great friend of mine, still 573 00:31:48,880 --> 00:31:53,320 Speaker 1: friends with him, that actually arrested him at his vehicle. 574 00:31:54,240 --> 00:31:57,200 Speaker 1: And I come out of the woods and my boss 575 00:31:57,280 --> 00:32:01,160 Speaker 1: is there with the other six, and I said, can 576 00:32:01,200 --> 00:32:03,240 Speaker 1: I go up and see this gentleman? 577 00:32:03,640 --> 00:32:07,120 Speaker 3: He looked at me, he said, you sure can't. So 578 00:32:07,800 --> 00:32:08,800 Speaker 3: the Wildlife. 579 00:32:08,400 --> 00:32:11,920 Speaker 1: Officered radio down and said, just to let you know, 580 00:32:12,960 --> 00:32:15,760 Speaker 1: I've read him his rights on the miranda, and he's 581 00:32:15,800 --> 00:32:18,600 Speaker 1: telling me that he was turkey scouting, that he don't 582 00:32:18,640 --> 00:32:21,160 Speaker 1: know why he's being arrested, and he wants. 583 00:32:20,960 --> 00:32:24,400 Speaker 3: To be turned loose. So I walk up to where 584 00:32:24,440 --> 00:32:24,840 Speaker 3: he's at. 585 00:32:25,560 --> 00:32:28,400 Speaker 1: Keep in mind, I've got full cameo gear on, face 586 00:32:28,440 --> 00:32:32,160 Speaker 1: paint on, I've got a camera with a thirty five 587 00:32:32,200 --> 00:32:33,600 Speaker 1: millimeters zoom. 588 00:32:34,240 --> 00:32:35,120 Speaker 3: And I walked up there. 589 00:32:35,120 --> 00:32:36,520 Speaker 1: And when I walked up there and looked at him, 590 00:32:36,560 --> 00:32:38,600 Speaker 1: he's handcuffed behind the back and he looked at me, 591 00:32:40,040 --> 00:32:42,160 Speaker 1: and I just just I could kill you look in 592 00:32:42,200 --> 00:32:45,160 Speaker 1: his eye and he grinned, and he says, I was 593 00:32:45,240 --> 00:32:48,360 Speaker 1: turkey hunting and you can't prove anything different for us. 594 00:32:49,600 --> 00:32:52,080 Speaker 1: And I just sat down and I said, well, Bud, 595 00:32:52,200 --> 00:32:54,880 Speaker 1: I said, it's going to be a long day for you. 596 00:32:55,800 --> 00:32:58,000 Speaker 1: I set my pack down and I pulled the camera 597 00:32:58,000 --> 00:32:59,480 Speaker 1: out and I set it down on the hood of 598 00:32:59,480 --> 00:33:02,560 Speaker 1: the car. I said, you're going to be a movie star. 599 00:33:02,680 --> 00:33:05,000 Speaker 1: I said, I've probably got three rolls of film of you. 600 00:33:05,840 --> 00:33:07,800 Speaker 1: And his lips started quivering. 601 00:33:08,080 --> 00:33:11,000 Speaker 2: And so wow. 602 00:33:11,840 --> 00:33:16,000 Speaker 1: And it turns out those other six, he met in 603 00:33:16,080 --> 00:33:18,920 Speaker 1: prison in Florida and e convinced them he had a 604 00:33:18,920 --> 00:33:24,120 Speaker 1: good place to grow marijuana. So he goes to prison again. 605 00:33:25,200 --> 00:33:31,320 Speaker 1: And he had a very very criminal lived life. When 606 00:33:31,360 --> 00:33:34,600 Speaker 1: he got out of prison, he was trying convicted for 607 00:33:34,680 --> 00:33:40,200 Speaker 1: some child molestation, uh murder, and was convicted. 608 00:33:40,800 --> 00:33:43,840 Speaker 2: Wait a minute after he got a prison first time. 609 00:33:43,800 --> 00:33:47,760 Speaker 1: No, the second time from the from the marijuana charge 610 00:33:48,160 --> 00:33:49,120 Speaker 1: he went to. 611 00:33:49,440 --> 00:33:52,680 Speaker 2: He served a prison sentence for this marijuana charge, got out, 612 00:33:53,040 --> 00:33:54,280 Speaker 2: got out, and then. 613 00:33:54,360 --> 00:33:58,600 Speaker 1: Yes, a child molestation. Then he murdered a guy on 614 00:33:58,760 --> 00:34:04,040 Speaker 1: National Forest. It was a controversial case I understand where 615 00:34:04,520 --> 00:34:06,960 Speaker 1: he claimed that it was an argument over a card 616 00:34:07,000 --> 00:34:10,160 Speaker 1: game and they were friends, but basically beat him to 617 00:34:10,200 --> 00:34:15,080 Speaker 1: death with some firewood and a remote campsite. And but 618 00:34:15,880 --> 00:34:19,279 Speaker 1: he since passed on. I got word a few years 619 00:34:19,280 --> 00:34:21,120 Speaker 1: ago that he had had died. 620 00:34:21,239 --> 00:34:24,680 Speaker 2: So wow, how old a guy was he when he died? 621 00:34:24,719 --> 00:34:25,880 Speaker 2: I mean he died early. 622 00:34:26,640 --> 00:34:29,000 Speaker 3: He was probably in his fifties. 623 00:34:29,239 --> 00:34:31,640 Speaker 2: Okay, when he got out of prison the second time, 624 00:34:32,160 --> 00:34:34,799 Speaker 2: I mean you would have been like highly aware of 625 00:34:34,840 --> 00:34:35,240 Speaker 2: the sky. 626 00:34:35,520 --> 00:34:36,200 Speaker 3: Oh yeah. 627 00:34:36,440 --> 00:34:38,160 Speaker 2: But did he come back to the community. 628 00:34:38,280 --> 00:34:40,640 Speaker 1: Oh yeah, that's where he got in all the trouble so, 629 00:34:40,680 --> 00:34:43,640 Speaker 1: but but I wasn't living there anymore. Oh you see, 630 00:34:43,680 --> 00:34:47,120 Speaker 1: I since gone Tennessee, then Tennessee to Arkansas. 631 00:34:47,360 --> 00:34:49,160 Speaker 3: So my career had. 632 00:34:49,440 --> 00:34:51,759 Speaker 2: That's a wild story, man, it was. 633 00:34:51,920 --> 00:34:54,280 Speaker 3: It was a crazy sequence of events. 634 00:34:57,160 --> 00:35:00,000 Speaker 2: It's hard to understand how people could be so warped, 635 00:35:00,640 --> 00:35:04,520 Speaker 2: so dark. I guess when I hear about crazy people. 636 00:35:05,280 --> 00:35:08,480 Speaker 2: First of all, I'm grateful for many of you and 637 00:35:08,520 --> 00:35:11,640 Speaker 2: a bunch of people I'll never know that had upbringings 638 00:35:11,760 --> 00:35:15,080 Speaker 2: of which they had no control over or earned, where 639 00:35:15,120 --> 00:35:18,320 Speaker 2: men and women in their lives taught them right from wrong. 640 00:35:19,040 --> 00:35:23,120 Speaker 2: Our society has a lot more great people than crazy people. 641 00:35:23,880 --> 00:35:25,280 Speaker 2: This guy was missing something. 642 00:35:26,880 --> 00:35:30,520 Speaker 1: The only other thing with that, and there's two or 643 00:35:30,520 --> 00:35:34,520 Speaker 1: three other wildlife officers from that area that I think, 644 00:35:34,880 --> 00:35:39,240 Speaker 1: if we're interviewed, would say the same thing is that 645 00:35:39,760 --> 00:35:43,920 Speaker 1: it's just a mean person. You know, you in law enforcement, 646 00:35:44,040 --> 00:35:48,240 Speaker 1: you try to develop a sixth sense by reading people. 647 00:35:48,920 --> 00:35:49,640 Speaker 3: I mean you have to. 648 00:35:51,000 --> 00:35:54,239 Speaker 1: It's like you would with a I don't mean these 649 00:35:54,280 --> 00:35:56,319 Speaker 1: people are dogs, but it's like you would with a dog. 650 00:35:56,400 --> 00:35:57,879 Speaker 3: How close can I get? 651 00:35:58,040 --> 00:36:01,000 Speaker 1: Or you know, if you're around dogs enough, you know 652 00:36:01,600 --> 00:36:04,600 Speaker 1: you know where its space is and you might not 653 00:36:04,680 --> 00:36:05,880 Speaker 1: ever seen that dog before. 654 00:36:06,600 --> 00:36:08,680 Speaker 3: You can look that eye and see it. See how 655 00:36:08,680 --> 00:36:11,919 Speaker 3: that tale is done, how they acting? Are they sidewaysing 656 00:36:12,000 --> 00:36:14,960 Speaker 3: to you? You know, people are no different, So you 657 00:36:15,360 --> 00:36:16,319 Speaker 3: try to develop that. 658 00:36:17,200 --> 00:36:20,279 Speaker 1: And and I can remember telling the probation officer the 659 00:36:20,320 --> 00:36:22,680 Speaker 1: first time he went to prison, I said, you better 660 00:36:22,760 --> 00:36:25,799 Speaker 1: really take a hold on this one, because he's he's dangerous. 661 00:36:26,480 --> 00:36:28,600 Speaker 2: That first time you met him in the squirrel woods. 662 00:36:28,600 --> 00:36:29,959 Speaker 2: How old was he. 663 00:36:29,600 --> 00:36:34,000 Speaker 3: He was probably early twenties. How old were you late twenties? 664 00:36:34,239 --> 00:36:37,080 Speaker 2: Did that first encounter with him? Could you tell he 665 00:36:37,239 --> 00:36:38,880 Speaker 2: was Yeah, this guy was trouble. 666 00:36:39,360 --> 00:36:42,040 Speaker 1: Yeah, And and something else that I tried to do 667 00:36:42,080 --> 00:36:44,719 Speaker 1: with him. I had all authority to seize his gun 668 00:36:44,760 --> 00:36:47,400 Speaker 1: that day, but I didn't didn't want to. 669 00:36:47,760 --> 00:36:50,600 Speaker 3: It'll be overbearing. I never dealt with him before. 670 00:36:50,880 --> 00:36:52,719 Speaker 1: And I tried to explain to her, look, man, just 671 00:36:52,719 --> 00:36:54,960 Speaker 1: can't be doing it in oner to prove to you that, 672 00:36:55,239 --> 00:36:57,200 Speaker 1: you know, I'm not that bad a person. 673 00:36:57,239 --> 00:36:58,360 Speaker 3: I'm not going to take it again. 674 00:36:58,800 --> 00:37:00,600 Speaker 2: Really, So you you even show him a little bit 675 00:37:00,600 --> 00:37:05,000 Speaker 2: of mercy, and he was still that embittered against you 676 00:37:05,760 --> 00:37:09,120 Speaker 2: that he was. He wanted to kill you that day. 677 00:37:10,280 --> 00:37:14,360 Speaker 2: What comes over somebody that that think the answer is 678 00:37:14,400 --> 00:37:16,840 Speaker 2: that these people were just crazy. But to be at 679 00:37:16,880 --> 00:37:21,520 Speaker 2: a roadblock with five wildlife officers with vehicles, to think 680 00:37:21,560 --> 00:37:24,600 Speaker 2: that they could run you over and get away, I 681 00:37:24,600 --> 00:37:26,759 Speaker 2: mean where they where they high, where they on, were 682 00:37:26,800 --> 00:37:27,520 Speaker 2: they on drugs? 683 00:37:27,520 --> 00:37:30,319 Speaker 1: Where they Well that will never know, because you know 684 00:37:30,400 --> 00:37:31,960 Speaker 1: it's three days before they surface. 685 00:37:32,200 --> 00:37:36,480 Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean what they're just that crazy, I mean 686 00:37:36,560 --> 00:37:39,359 Speaker 2: that impulsive. You'd think if I mean, if you really 687 00:37:39,440 --> 00:37:41,760 Speaker 2: wanted to kill you, there'd have been much easier ways 688 00:37:41,800 --> 00:37:44,759 Speaker 2: to kill you. I guess. I guess crazy people are 689 00:37:44,800 --> 00:37:48,879 Speaker 2: just that's why they're crazy. Bizarre, man, do you think 690 00:37:49,200 --> 00:37:53,080 Speaker 2: particularly wildlife law enforcement, these guys that are embedded in 691 00:37:53,120 --> 00:37:56,200 Speaker 2: these communities and in some ways they're they're not like 692 00:37:56,600 --> 00:37:59,839 Speaker 2: standard police in that there's not as many of them. 693 00:38:00,080 --> 00:38:02,160 Speaker 2: You know, there might be like one, one or two 694 00:38:02,160 --> 00:38:05,359 Speaker 2: wildlife officers in the whole community. Or is there more 695 00:38:05,400 --> 00:38:08,680 Speaker 2: retaliation against guys like that, like just over a career. 696 00:38:09,200 --> 00:38:12,879 Speaker 1: Well, you know, I guess it could. It could kind 697 00:38:12,880 --> 00:38:18,080 Speaker 1: of be geographical. I wasn't alive during this era, but 698 00:38:18,480 --> 00:38:20,759 Speaker 1: you can look back in some of the histories and 699 00:38:20,800 --> 00:38:24,479 Speaker 1: it's always intrigued me of the Moonshine days. Yeah, so 700 00:38:24,520 --> 00:38:27,440 Speaker 1: there's been a long history in kind of the South, 701 00:38:28,400 --> 00:38:28,959 Speaker 1: if you will. 702 00:38:29,040 --> 00:38:31,920 Speaker 3: Of I don't want to say retaliation, but resentment. 703 00:38:32,280 --> 00:38:38,399 Speaker 1: Yeah, and as far as you know, conservation officers, I. 704 00:38:38,360 --> 00:38:40,960 Speaker 3: Don't know if there's that many more incidences or. 705 00:38:40,920 --> 00:38:43,920 Speaker 1: Not, but you have to be a lot more aware 706 00:38:44,120 --> 00:38:45,880 Speaker 1: that there could be. 707 00:38:45,880 --> 00:38:48,880 Speaker 2: Because you're working environment, you're by yourself, you're. 708 00:38:48,760 --> 00:38:52,200 Speaker 1: By yourself, You're you're twenty miles down a gravel road. 709 00:38:52,680 --> 00:38:55,239 Speaker 1: You may or may not have radio, sir, And even 710 00:38:55,320 --> 00:38:56,960 Speaker 1: in this day and age, I can take you to 711 00:38:57,000 --> 00:38:59,440 Speaker 1: several places within thirty minutes or right here where you 712 00:38:59,480 --> 00:39:03,120 Speaker 1: won't have Yeah, you know, so you definitely have to 713 00:39:03,840 --> 00:39:07,680 Speaker 1: have that tactical mindset, you know, or something could happen. 714 00:39:09,080 --> 00:39:12,480 Speaker 1: Crazy time in my life, I remember my dad coming 715 00:39:12,520 --> 00:39:15,279 Speaker 1: over to the hospital. He was first one I saw 716 00:39:15,320 --> 00:39:18,120 Speaker 1: when I woke up, and of course he was trying 717 00:39:18,120 --> 00:39:19,000 Speaker 1: to make light of it. 718 00:39:19,480 --> 00:39:21,680 Speaker 3: Tell me he's glad it hit me in the head. 719 00:39:22,040 --> 00:39:26,279 Speaker 3: I should be okay, typical dad. 720 00:39:26,560 --> 00:39:35,880 Speaker 2: Yeah, that truly was a wild story. On the next episode, 721 00:39:35,960 --> 00:39:38,480 Speaker 2: we'll hear about the last half of Russ's career with 722 00:39:38,520 --> 00:39:41,640 Speaker 2: the Forest Service, which will lead this old Tennessee country 723 00:39:41,640 --> 00:39:45,879 Speaker 2: boy to some far off wild places, including an unbelievable 724 00:39:45,880 --> 00:39:49,600 Speaker 2: story about working undercover and then an illegal elk hunt 725 00:39:49,800 --> 00:39:53,640 Speaker 2: in Yellowstone National Park. From working in the Western US 726 00:39:53,840 --> 00:39:57,880 Speaker 2: to flying across the oceans to train an international wildlife 727 00:39:58,120 --> 00:40:01,799 Speaker 2: task force, this next AP episode is not gonna be 728 00:40:01,920 --> 00:40:04,719 Speaker 2: one that you'll want to miss. I look forward to 729 00:40:04,760 --> 00:40:07,160 Speaker 2: talking with everyone on the Bear Grease for Render next week. 730 00:40:07,800 --> 00:40:10,239 Speaker 2: Can't thank you enough for listening to bear Grease and 731 00:40:10,360 --> 00:40:14,400 Speaker 2: Brent's This Country Life podcast. There are three things that 732 00:40:14,440 --> 00:40:17,520 Speaker 2: you can do to support us. Number One, share our 733 00:40:17,600 --> 00:40:20,280 Speaker 2: podcast with a friend and tell them about these wild 734 00:40:20,360 --> 00:40:25,000 Speaker 2: stories that you're here and here. Secondly, support the advertisers 735 00:40:25,000 --> 00:40:29,600 Speaker 2: of the Bear Grease podcast. Yep, all these silly advertisers. Man, 736 00:40:29,680 --> 00:40:33,720 Speaker 2: they're helping us a lot. And leave us a review 737 00:40:34,200 --> 00:40:36,800 Speaker 2: on iTunes. Have a great week.