Kash Schriefer Oral History Transcript

Kash recounts growing up in rural southwestern Louisiana and his decision to become a state game warden in Louisiana because of his strong desire to protect ducks from illegal waterfowl hunting practices. He meets special agents and refuge officers who come to Louisiana to curtail the widespread hunting abuses. He recounts joining the Service in 1988, serving at various stations in Region 2.  Kash describes cases where he worked as a special agent in Oklahoma City (Oklahoma), Ft. Worth (Texas) and Monroe and New Orleans (Louisiana). Kash worked undercover hunting and fishing cases all over the country but recounts more of his work on cock fighting cases where pole traps kill owls and other birds, uncovered oil pits that kill thousands of migratory birds, the illegal exportation of Gila monsters, the illegal take of wildlife by pesticides, and lots of Lacey Act and Migratory Bird Treaty Act violations. Kash explains how Federal agents can be more effective than State game wardens in local hunting and fishing cases. He also describes working in partnership with game wardens and refuge officers and agents from around the country. Kash’s last duty station was at the port of New Orleans. Unfortunately, Kash was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease shortly after moving to New Orleans, so he had to take early retirement in 2013 after 25 years of service. Kash describes living with Parkinson’s. Although he did not mention this in the interview, Kash was the recipient of the Guy Bradley Award in 2013.