Mike Donoghue

Free Press Staff Writer

The wife of a decorated Vermont game warden is under investigation on allegations of illegally shooting a moose last month. The warden is in line as the next possible head of enforcement for the Fish and Wildlife Department.

Game Warden Greg Eckhardt said Friday there was no intent by his wife or anybody to violate the law during the Oct. 21 moose hunt in the town of Peru in northern Bennington County.

The investigation of Kim Eckhardt of Landgrove is in the hands of Bennington County State's Attorney Erica Marthage, Fish and Wildlife Commissioner Louis Porter said Friday.

Porter said the department conducted the investigation itself, and Marthage will provide an independent review.

Marthage, who was re-elected to a four-year term Tuesday, could not be reached for comment.

Kim Eckhardt, who also could not be reached for comment, has served on the Conservation Commission for the town of Landgrove, a community of about 160 people in northeastern Bennington County.

Greg Eckhardt was one of two finalists for the post of chief game warden following the Oct. 31 retirement of Col. David LeCours.

Porter said any decision on filling that post is on hold until the state's attorney rules on the case.

"Our review would lead me to believe he did everything correctly and well," Porter said, adding that Eckhardt remains on duty.

Eckhardt, who was named the Vermont Game Warden of the Year in 2004 and again in 2009, spoke freely about the incident when reached by the Burlington Free Press. This is what he says happened:

He and his wife were with an unarmed guide on the fourth day of moose season. They were about 1½ miles into the woods when Eckhardt spotted a moose. He said he fired a shot and downed the moose.

He said his wife looked over and saw a moose standing in the same location as the one her husband shot. She fired a shot within one minute and killed what turned out to be a second moose.

"I shot a moose, and less then a minute later she shot a moose," Eckhardt said. "Both were killed with one shot."

He said there was no cellphone service in the area. He field-dressed the moose, while the guide went to call for assistance. Eckhardt said he directed the guide to call Eckhardt's supervisor, and the supervisor's supervisor. He also asked him to call Maj. A. Dennis Reinhardt, the deputy chief warden.

Eckhardt said there was no effort to hide the incident.

"There were eight people there, and four of them were wardens," he said. "I made sure headquarters knew so that it would be open and out front."

He said the second moose was donated to a game supper.

The names of Eckhardt and his wife both were on the moose-hunting permit, but only one is allowed to take a moose.

In similar cases, Eckhardt said, the second person is given a warning.

Greg Eckhardt also serves as a Selectboard member for the town of Landgrove. He also is an instructor and a training assistant at the Vermont Police Academy. Among his earlier warden assignments were in the Poultney area.

Eckhardt joined the Fish and Wildlife Department as a warden in 1998. He also did a one-year tour of duty in Afghanistan in 2008 with the Vermont Army National Guard. He served 12 years of active military duty and 12 years with the Vermont Guard.

When Eckhardt was named warden of the year in 2009, supervisor Lt. Paul Gaudreau commended Eckhardt for his work ethic, his ability to conduct thorough investigations and his efforts in building community support for Fish and Wildlife law enforcement.

Contact Mike Donoghue at 660-1845 or mdonoghue@freepressmedia.com. Follow Mike on Twitter at www.twitter.com/FreepsMikeD.