Bear Brook: Introducing Operation Nightcat

Podcast: Bear Brook
Host: Jason Moon (NHPR)
Reported by: Nate Hedgy
Episode: Introducing: Operation Nightcat (Ep. 1)
Date: November 25, 2025

Overview of the Episode

The premiere episode of “Operation Nightcat” is a collaboration between Bear Brook and NHPR's Outside/In, hosted by Nate Hedgy. The episode explores the unraveling of one of New Hampshire’s largest poaching cases—Operation Nightcat—focusing on conservation officer Ron Arsenault’s investigation into illegal hunting and animal cruelty. The story delves into the hidden world of night hunting, the ethics of fair chase, and how a small-town community became ground zero for an investigation that would question the intersection of law enforcement, wildlife ethics, and personal morality.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Life as a Conservation Officer in New Hampshire

(01:36–03:52)

• Nate joins Ron Arsenault on patrol along the Mary Meaton River on a cold morning, observing typical law enforcement on fishing laws.
• Conservation officers are positioned as "referees of the wild," enforcing complex laws to both protect animal populations and ensure hunter conduct.
• Ron describes his job as catching “cheaters” who break game laws:

  “Nobody likes a cheater...we’re kinda the referee for the deer...we’re catching the cheaters.” (Ron Arsenault, 03:52)

The Genesis of Operation Nightcat

(04:29–05:02)

• Ron’s exposure to cheating in sportsmanship culminates in what he calls the most bizarre and significant bust of his career:

  “Operation Nightcat… one of the weirdest, wildest, darkest investigations of his life. One that made him question aspects of the justice system he had spent the past seventeen years of his life working within.” (Nate Hedge, 04:35–05:02)

• Ron reflects:

  "If you're abusing animals like this, are you abusing humans?" (Ron Arsenault, 05:02)

Community, History, and Codes of Ethics

(07:43–13:26)

• Ron, a New Hampshire native, is deeply embedded in the Lakes Region’s hunting culture—he has ticketed his own family for hunting violations, solidifying his reputation.
• The Lakes Region is described as hunter territory, with traditions like the barbershop trophy wall.
• Introduction of Tom Kelly, social media “alpha-hunter,” whose online bravado masks a repeated disregard for hunting laws.
• Nate contextualizes the "fair chase" code—ethical hunting that avoids unfair advantages and upholds a respect for wildlife—a tradition that contrasts sharply with the poaching behaviors under investigation.

Tom Kelly and the Breaking of the Rules

(13:26–17:26)

• Tom Kelly’s prior legal trouble with baiting and hunting violations is outlined, establishing him as a person of interest.
• Ron investigates a suspicious "cattle trail" and bait site near Kelly’s home, finds photographic evidence of illegal deer baiting, and begins seizing digital evidence (camera, phone).
• Technology challenges arise as Ron navigates 1.6 terabytes of data, highlighting his dogged commitment and the growing complexity of digital evidence in modern investigations.

The Federal Law Angle: The Lacey Act & Broader Conspiracy

(20:56–24:16)

• As Ron sifts through phone data, he discovers a pattern of illegal bobcat killings by a group—sharing videos, transporting animals across state lines, possibly violating the federal Lacey Act.
• Quote:

  “The poachers are the most egregious violators in our world.” (Ron Arsenault, 20:56)

• The investigation broadens as Ron alerts U.S. Fish and Wildlife, leading to the operation’s naming:

  “She was like, Operation Nightcat. I’m like, that’s perfect. I’m, like, hired.” (Ron Arsenault on his wife coining the name, 24:05)

The Raid and Explosive Unraveling

(24:38–27:34)

• Law enforcement raids Tom and other suspects’ homes, recovering taxidermied bobcats, night vision scopes, evidence of elaborate night hunting setups.
• One participant, Randy Inman, is found to have killed at least 20 animals illegally.
• The group treats poaching as a competition, documenting and boasting about their kills via night scopes and group messages.
• Quote:

  “It’s like they're playing Grand Theft Auto behind their house, except with animals.” (Ron Arsenault, 26:29)

Concerning Evidence of Cruelty

(27:34–30:57)

• Ron and the podcast team review disturbing videos showing prolonged animal suffering—particularly a deer flailing for minutes before being killed, which Ron and ethical hunters find appalling.
• Notable moment:

  “He shoots at it again. So that was two minutes long before he shot again… That’s a clean shot to the head. But Tom doesn’t take it. Instead, he watches.” (Nate Hedge, 30:04)

• After the kill, Tom mutters, “Stay down, asshole.” (Tom Kelly, 30:26)

Law Enforcement and Ethics Crisis

(30:57–31:36)

• The final disturbing revelation: several members of the poaching group are themselves law enforcement or corrections officers, raising deeper questions about power and empathy.
• Ron voices concern about the possible link between animal violence and human abuse:

  “If you’re abusing animals like this, are you abusing humans?” (Ron Arsenault, 31:27)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Fair Chase and Ethics:

  "I hate baiting… Because it’s cheating. In my book, anybody can throw a pile of grain in the woods and shoot a deer." (Ron Arsenault, 13:26)

• On Social Dynamics:

  “She shot her first deer but it wasn’t doe season and she shot a doe...I wrote my own kid for this. They're like, oh, there’s no way I'm getting out of there.” (Ron Arsenault, 08:19)

• On Investigative Persistence:

  “My wife would be… ‘so you still working on that?’ I’m like, yep, still working on it. Like, this is what we gotta do. We gotta get it, you know?” (Ron Arsenault, 17:26)

• On the Impact:

  “It just makes you wonder, like, is this happening somewhere else too? Like, if you’re abusing animals like this, are you abusing humans?” (Ron Arsenault, 31:27)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 01:36 – Nate and Ron’s patrol, intro to conservation law enforcement
• 04:29 – Reference to Operation Nightcat, the career-defining case
• 07:43 – Ron’s background and reputation, community ties
• 10:22 – Social media hunting culture, Tom Kelly’s TikTok
• 13:26 – Baiting cases, start of surveillance
• 16:02 – Collection of digital evidence, Ron's persistence
• 20:56 – Define poaching, discovery of broad violation
• 23:49 – Lacey Act implications, Feds get involved
• 24:38 – Execution of search warrants, scale of illegal activity
• 27:34 – Sharing of kill videos, escalation to cruelty
• 28:00–30:57 – The disturbing deer video, absence of hunter empathy
• 31:27 – Law enforcement connection, ethical ramifications

Episode Tone & Style

The episode balances gritty, boots-on-the-ground law enforcement storytelling with in-depth ethical reflection. Nate’s narration maintains a conversational, curious tone. Ron is blunt, passionate, and sometimes wry—a local man whose mix of humor, sternness, and sorrow at what he uncovers weaves through every segment.

Closing Notes

The episode concludes with the promise of deeper revelations in the next two installments—focusing on broader ethical and criminal consequences as the “Nightcat” case unfolds. The episode challenges listeners to confront not just the rules, but also the attitudes and institutions that enable cruelty—especially when law enforcement is involved.