WINSLOW, Maine — Tom McKenney didn’t take a traditional path into a career as a Maine game warden. In fact, if it hadn’t been for a blind moose, he might never have donned the green uniform of the state’s fish and wildlife law enforcement agency.
But on Thursday, the 46-year-old McKenney, a 10-year warden service veteran who patrols the Norridgewock area, was named the state’s warden of the year at the 136th annual awards ceremony, held in Winslow.
“I’ve always had a love for the outdoors,” said McKenney, who grew up in Harmony and graduated from Dexter High School before attending college in West Virginia. “When I returned to the state in ’95, I took the warden test, made it to the end, and didn’t get hired. I had to get working, so I took a job with a credit card bank and kind of forgot about [the warden service].”
Then, a moose changed everything.
“I found a blind moose one hunting season, and I went out of the woods, came back the next morning and it was in the same spot, next to a swamp,” McKenney said.
The cow moose tripped over a log and fell down, and McKenney later saw that its eyes were gray and glazed over.
“I called the warden service, and [Warden] Dan Carroll came. We got talking and I told him I kind of envied him for what he did, and I told him I’d taken the test before. He said, ‘Why don’t you do it again?’”
McKenney did, and a year later began the career he’d always wanted.
“Long story short, it worked out,” he said.
McKenney credited Carroll for opening the door to a new career. Carroll not only advised him to take the test, he also gave McKenney his business card and told him to call if he wanted to ride along with the veteran warden on patrols to see what the job was like.
“It meant a lot that he saw something in an outdoorsman that he’d just met, and thought I might make a good warden,” McKenney said.
Col. Joel Wilkinson, chief of the Maine Warden Service, said McKenney has perennially been among the most productive wardens and is also very active in his community.
“Tom is always the first to give other people credit, and to not take it for himself,” Wilkinson said.
During an interview, McKenney said that might be true. But in a small law enforcement service of 124 uniformed wardens, few things are accomplished alone, he said.
“Looking around the room, there’s many people who are deserving of [this honor] every year,” McKenney said. “I’m honored to receive it, but I work in a section of people and a lot of the successes that we have are a group effort.”
Also receiving awards at the ceremony:
K9 search and rescue of the year: Warden Jeremy Judd and dog Tundra, for their rescue of a hypothermic man.
K9 case of the year: Warden Kris MacCabe and dog Morgan, for their work on a case involving a youth hunter shooting too close to a dwelling.
Exemplary service awards: Wardens Dave Chabot, Ethan Buuck, Kris MacCabe and Maine State Trooper Jason Wing, for their work on a case involving several illegally shot deer in Livermore Falls; Warden Tony Gray, for work on a trespassing case in Paris that eventually led to federal charges against three men; Warden Tim Coombs, who saved a man by interrupting an attempted suicide by overdose and drug trafficking arrests of those who provide the heroin; Warden Sgt. Aaron Cross and Warden Dave Ross, for their work on a case involving the theft of traps; Warden Joey LeFebvre, for an illegal hunting case that resulted in the return to prison of a convicted murderer who was out on parole; Wardens Kris MacCabe and Ethan
Buuck, for their role in the rescue of a lost snowmobiler; Wardens Joey LeFebvre and Kevin Anderson, for a long-term investigation that led to more than 50 charges; Warden Sgt. Alan Gillis and Warden Eric Rudolph, for rescuing a man on Phillips Lake in Dedham; Warden Rick Ouellette, for administering CPR to a fallen hunter who later died; Warden Dave Georgia, for his role in rescuing snowmobilers during a blizzard; Wardens Bruce Loring, Phil Richter, Bob Johansen and Tony Gray, for a dive team recovery of a missing boater in New Hampshire after that state’s side-scan sonar boat became inoperable; Wardens Kyle Hladik, Troy Dauphinee and Bob Johansen, for their work investigating a double moose kill; Warden Chad Robertson, for his cooperative work with local law enforcement agencies on 12 deer-baiting cases and many other investigations; Investigator Bill Livezey and Investigator Josh Bubier, for an investigation of illegal guiding for deer and sale of bear parts involving 50 defendants in southern Maine; Warden Andrew Smart, for his role in saving the life of a suicidal young man in Ashland; Warden Charles Brown, for a night-hunting case two years in the making; and a fishing case.
Warden of the year: Tom McKenney.
Supervisor of the year: Lt. Dan Scott.
Colonel’s Award: David DeLorme.
Maine Warden Service Association merit awards: Chief Frank Roma, Lt. Chris Morretto and Erik Poland, for their role in the rescue of a person in the Androscoggin River.
Maine Warden Service Association legendary game warden award: Richard “Dick” Longley, who worked from 1945 to 1968.
Operation Game Thief recognition award: Michelle McAtee.
Operation Game Thief guardian award: Sgt. Aaron Cross.
Operation Game Thief board of director of the year: Peter Bartley.
