PORTLAND, Maine — A handful of Maine and New Hampshire game wardens will be playing softball against each other at Hadlock Field in Portland on Saturday.
"We have stars from each show on each team and we are just kind of battling it out to see who can bring it home!" Maine Game Warden Josh Beal said.
The goal is to have fun while raising awareness about poaching, or illegally killing wildlife.
The family-friendly event is a fundraiser to support both states' Operation Game Thief programs and International Wildlife Crimestoppers — nonprofits that support game wardens' efforts in catching poachers.
Sgt. Chris Simmons says poaching is a big problem in many states including both Maine and New Hampshire.
"This is a fun way to make money for the programs, and just a great day for game wardens to be able to relax and just forget about our jobs, forget about the woods, forget about the search and rescue, and we just come and do something fun together working with our fellow game wardens from across the state line," Sgt. Simmons said.
The money fundraised at the game will be used to boost awareness about poaching through advertising.
"What we find at times is that people are killing multiple deer for others to tag. A lot of it is happening in the daytime, but we still consider that poaching," Simmons added. "You have a set number of deer that a person can kill, and that's what it is — that's what the biologists deem will properly manage our herds. And when people exceed that, we consider that poaching ... we consider that stealing."
The fundraising game will be happening on Saturday, July 30 at 7 p.m.
Tickets for the game are $10.
Click here to buy a ticket and support the game wardens and their mission at this fundraising game.