Hunt for Justice: The True Story of a Woman Undercover Wildlife Agent

by Lucinda Delaney Schroeder

Book Overview

Selected for the 2007 Amelia Bloomer Project list of recommended feminist literature for young readers.For thirty years, Lucinda Delaney Schroeder held an unusual government position: she was one of the handful of women special agents with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Her job: to investigate crimes against wildlife. Unlike the majority of hunters who respect both their prey and the laws, evidence was piling up against an unscrupulous...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1592288820
• ISBN13: 9781592288823
• Release Date: April 2006
• Publisher: Lyons Press
• Length: 296 Pages
• Weight: 2.33 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 6.2" x 9.3"

Customer Reviews

You Go, Girl!

In 1974, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service hired its third female agent, Lucinda Delaney. And unlike the first two women in the agency, she was determined to do more than checking cargo and baggage for smuggled contraband. And thus began a career in which Delaney, who married biologist Lonnie Schroeder soon after, spent 30 years working undercover, bagging poachers and other hunting scofflaws. Her fascinating story has been recounted in "A Hunt for Justice." Schroeder tells of her struggles to be taken seriously in an agency that gives "old boy's network" a really bad name. A degree in criminology and an overwhelming passion for solving mysteries led Schroeder to her chosen career, and a dogged determination--some might say stubbornness--kept her in it for 30 years, despite outright and undisguised sexual discrimination and harassment, administrative roadblocks and hostility. Today's generation doesn't remember the struggles involved for women in the 1960s and '70 to be taken seriously in formerly "male" occupations. Employers could--and did--discriminate on the basis of sex, motherhood and pure bias; those women who persisted were subjected to verbal and physical harassment. It is a testament to Schroeder's passion and determination to do her job that she not only did it, but was instrumental in bringing down an international poaching ring operating in Alaska. And this case is the crux of the story. Her struggles in the beginning, building a family and juggling being a wife, mother and field agent are just background for the real story, the undercover "Operation Brooks Range" in 1991. Poachers at this time could make serious money taking hunters into Alaska for "guaranteed" trophies: moose hunts began at $6,000, sheep and grizzlies cost hunters $7,000; combination hunts were as high as $18,000. As Schroeder begins her undercover operation, at a hunter's bar called "The Bear Den, she finds out why the costs are so high: " `Wow! Pretty hefty prices,' I said, sliding the brochure and videotape into my oversized black leather purse. `Not when you consider that everything's guaranteed,' (the bartender) replied." One of the biggest violators was a guide named "Bob Bowman" (Schroeder changed the names to protect privacy). He had "all the elements of a violator--small airplanes, wealthy clients and lots of big game ..." But with 64,000 licensed guides in 591,000 square miles of wilderness, catching him was almost impossible. Until Schroeder and an informant wangled their way into a hunt with Bowman by pretending to be hunters in search of big trophies who weren't willing to take the time and hardship to hunt legally. Operating by word-of-mouth, with clients coming in from Italy, Germany and other foreign countries, staying under the radar and having an almost supernatural ability to sniff out undercover operatives (and allegedly no compunction about "eliminating" them), Bowman's operation had been going on for years, even thought the agency knew he w

Great Book!

As a female looking for a career in wildlife law enforcement this was a great book to read! Lucinda Schroeder did an excelent job writing this true story, it was hard for me to put it down at night. Because Lucinda is a female she had a great advantage over men at catching poatchers in Alaska, and this reminds us all that you don't have to be male to succeed in this line of work. The book was full of excitment, danger, humor and fun. A great read!

Fascinating true story of an undercover wildlife agent's most harrowing case.

Until her retirement in 2004, Lucinda Schroeder was a special agent for the US Fish & Wildlife Service, only the third woman to be hired by the force, and the first woman to do undercover work in the field. But for a long while she was given only small, simple cases to handle, and felt frustrated by the lack of faith her male counterparts seemed to have in her abilities to handle the rigors of the job. Finally, after years of being given disappointing, low-priority cases, Schroeder was assigned to the project this book revolves around, a case that would give her a chance to show her capabilities by bringing down a large-scale poaching operation in the Brooks Range of Alaska, but would at the same time be one of the biggest challenges she had ever faced in her career. The book opens in 1991. Schroeder, using the pseudonym Jayne Dyer, is working her way into the good graces of the friends of a man named Bob Bowman, long suspected by the Fish & Wildlife Service of using illegal methods to guarantee his clients trophy kills on the hunting charters he runs. It was thought that Bowman was using airplanes to herd animals to his clients, and later Schroeder would discover that he was violating the law in numerous other ways as well, including taking his customers onto the protected Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to hunt. It is not until the season of 1992 that Schroeder is able to get herself booked on one of Bowman's charters. But when she finally does go undercover, it is a harrowing experience. For a week she is figuratively on her own in the Alaskan wilderness with a group of poachers led by a man known to have threatened that if he ever discovered a federal agent in his camp, he would kill them. She must spend this time closely observing everything done by Bowman, his employees, and his clients, so she can later make a full report of any and all violations. She must get as much information as possible without arousing suspicions. And if anything does go wrong - if the poachers somehow discover her true identity before the trip is over - she has no way to contact her fellow agents or get herself out of the camp before her scheduled departure. Schroeder also brings a very human element to the story. In her work, she must face many personal conflicts of emotion. Her job is to protect wildlife, but she must make illegal kills in order to accomplish this. Moreover, she must present herself as an enthusiastic hunter in order to be convincing to those she is secretly investigating. At the same time, she develops friendships with the wives of a couple of the poachers, working in the kitchen at the main camp, and at times feels the strain of knowing that she will ultimately betray their trust. The story doesn't end once the undercover work is finished, however. As you can imagine (since obviously she has survived to tell the tale), Schroeder makes it through her the fieldwork part of the investigation, but this isn't the end of the case. For months a

Wildlife True Crime

In the arena of natural resources law enforcement, responsible hunters are considered among the most ardent conservationists. "A Hunt for Justice" exposes the other side of the story, where greed and disregard for the animal overcome the concept of the fair hunt. Fortunately, the Federal Investigators that protect our wildlife take on the challenge. Schroeder makes it clear that a successful undercover operation is a team effort, and includes the commitment of managers, field agents, and even family members. Her story is told in a matter-of-fact tone, and its message is definitely "Bad guys, beware." True Crime readers and wildlife enthusiasts will find something special in "A Hunt for Justice."

Bringing accountablility to the Illegal

A Hunt for Justice" is a true story that will keep you turning pages. It's a riveting account of a woman who posed as a big game hunter in Alaska to shut down one of the most sophisticated poaching operations ever organized. Even though her true identity was almost disclosed several times, she persevered under dangerous circumstances and fought for what she believed in. That belief was to make the illegal hunter accountable. This book is for hunters, outdoor enthusiasts and anyone who likes a true-life mystery full of intrigue and suspense. It is truely a good read" Clayton White Professor of Zoology