GOLDEN POND, Kentucky -- Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area is fun destination for the whole family. But it’s not just the visitors that make the place a family affair.
Brothers Will and Drew Gore grew up hunting in Land Between the Lakes, and this passion for the outdoors led both to their chosen careers. Several years after those hunting trips, the brothers now serve as Forest Service law enforcement officers protecting the natural resources and visitors of Land Between the Lakes.
“The idea we can both work at the same place at the same time is a unique twist in our lives,” said Will. “The fact that we both have the desire to serve and help people and get to do it in the same uniform is very special to our family.”
Will and Drew became officers at Land Between the Lakes simultaneously in May 2024. Will transferred from the Hoosier National Forest in Indiana, while Drew transferred from the Quachita National Forest in Arkansas. The brothers are thrilled to work alongside each other and believe family traditions got them there.
“Our dad was a Tennessee State Park Ranger at Standing Stone State Park,” said Will, “and that’s kind of what led us both in that direction. But I guess we probably didn’t initially plan on it.”
After completing his forestry degree from the University of Tennessee, Will did a ride-along with a Forest Service law enforcement officer on the Cherokee National Forest. That’s when he realized this was “the dream job.”
“From then on, that was kind of my goal,” he said, “And once I got hired, I then told my brother all about it. I was like ‘this is a pretty awesome job.’ And so he went in that direction as well.”
Drew remembers wanting to be a game warden after taking a wildlife law enforcement class in college at Tennessee Tech. He was also doing an internship with U.S. Fish and Wildlife, which gave him experience in refuge law enforcement. As he began looking for jobs, Will was going through the academy for his Forest Service position, so Drew followed in his footsteps.
“Things happen and they’re going to happen for a reason, so I chalk that up to it happened for a reason,” Drew said. “We’re both here, and we’re really thankful for it.”
So, what is it like for brothers to work together so closely in the same place?
“If me and Will didn’t have a good relationship, we probably shouldn’t work together,” said Drew. “But it definitely helps, and that’s big. We’ve worked good together before, and we work good together now.”
“I can always trust him,” Drew said, “not that I can’t with other officers, but, you know, I have a higher level of confidence in his abilities and his knowledge on things. He’s my brother after all.”
Law enforcement officers are often competitive individuals, regardless of that brotherhood or being actual blood brothers. It is a drive that can bring out the best in one another - and gives some bragging rights.
“We both have a competitive nature for sure,” admitted Will, who couldn’t help but mention that he as the older brother, finished the 2024 Bridge to Bridge race at Land Between the Lakes with a faster time than Drew.
“We have to do physical fitness tests so we always compete on that, or shooting our firearms twice a year, which is always an opportunity we can challenge each other as well,” said Drew.
And better is what both brothers are aiming for.
The brothers believe one of the best parts of their job is talking to people, learning about Land Between the Lakes’ visitors and helping when they can.
“We help a lot of people after hours when it’s late at night that get stuck down roads and get turned around with a camping trailer and they get stuck,” said Drew. “Helping people is why a lot of people do law enforcement. When visitors come to recreate, things happen, and we’re here to help.”
“I see so many more people here on a daily basis than I would patrolling another national forest, and typically 80% of the time they’re all positive interactions,” said Will.
“We’re just here to do a good job and leave Land Between the Lakes better than we found it. That’s one of our career goals.”
The five law enforcement officers at Land Between the Lakes are tasked with the unique responsibility of carrying out the agency’s mission across more than 170,000 acres of Forest Service System lands. Their dedication to upholding these Federal laws and regulations ensure the safety of these natural resources and all the employees, partners and visitors who enjoy them.
