Fish and game warden are the police officers who protect the public and look after nature and wildlife. These law enforcement officers patrol around the conserving areas and waterways and ensure that the laws regarding fishing, boating, and hunting are being followed. They perform law enforcement duties, educate the visitors, and rescue the lost. The game warden career is enriching for those who are keen to help others and have a love for exploring nature.
The Fish And Game Warden appointed by the state works in different fish, park, and wildlife departments in different regions of the state, whereas federal agencies appoint the federal game warden as special agents with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Like any other law enforcement officer, fish and game warden need to fulfil some requirements to become a game warden. Besides having a healthy body, you need to have a strong personality and good communication skills.
The job is quite unpredictable and will push you to your physical and mental limits; therefore, it is essential to evaluate yourself first before applying for this career.
If you think that you have the potential to become a game warden, then keep on reading because we will provide you a detailed guide on How To Become A Fish And Game Warden
A game warden’s primary responsibility is to monitor different activities, for example, fishing and hunting. They have to make sure people are only hunting or fishing in the season, and if someone breaks the rules, they have to write them a ticket and confiscate their equipment.
A game warden job is not your regular wildlife guard but of a law enforcement police officer who is authorized to enforce state laws. They can make an arrest, write a ticket, or size any property just like other officers of states. Other than that, fish and game officers are involved in search and rescue operations as they are trained for swimming, climbing tracks, and hiking.
Besides performing all the heavy tasks, game warden duties include interacting with different individuals on a daily basis. When going through a hiring process, the communication skills of the candidate are observed closely. It is one of the game warden requirements to have a friendly yet strong personality because the officers have to deal with various types of people, they have to make sure the hunting and fishing are done in a safe environment. Communication skills are required to check up with the license, but the officers have to conduct educational programs, including different hunting and survival courses.
For becoming a game warden, you first need to meet the fish and game warden requirements. Following are the requirements for being a game warden:
The requirement for every state is different. However, the major requirement is similar in primary states. Some of the general requirements are:
There are no schools specifically for game warden education. However, there are some educational requirements that the state expects from candidates who have applied for the job. Almost all the states acquire a bachelor’s degree in a related field or an associate’s degree, but they should have a high school diploma or equivalent degree. The Fish and Wildlife Service gives more preference to individuals who have a bachelor’s degree.
If you are unsure and do not know where to start, this list will help you choose your bachelor’s program’s right major.
The basic training is 20 weeks; however, this varies from one state to another. For example, in Taxes, it lasts for 15 weeks, while it completes at 29 weeks in Virginia. During this training course, different skills are taught. Some of them are taught defence tactics, driver training, physical training, state and federal laws, first aid, emergency management, firearms, and learning about natural resources and wildlife management.
Depending on the wildlife department, game warden trainees, after completing basic training that includes a criminal investigation, law enforcement with regards to wildlife, identification of a crime scene, and electronic surveillance, have to spend extra hours in specialized training.
The new federal game wardens with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service have to complete 20 weeks of training from the Federal Law Enforcement Agency (FLETC) in Glynco, Georgia.
Other than this, the game warden sometimes is required to complete specialized training that focuses on one specific task. This is not done in routine but only if there is a need for a specialized department’s specialized officer.
However, there are tons of applicants willing to get this job every year. However, there are not many jobs in this field than other law enforcement departments; however, the industry is growing steadily. According to the Bureau of Labour Statistics, there is an increase of 0.5 % in employment. As there are fewer job openings and more competition, you need to have something unique to enhance your resume.
You might have this question in your mind: where do game wardens work?
They are not any specific area where the officers work one season they might be patrolling around and other days might be giving coaching classes. There are some fields in which the wildlife warden work;
Public service:
State | Employment Rate | Average Hourly Wage | Annual Average Wage |
Taxes | 460 | $31.83 | $66,210 |
Florida | 440 | $13.79 | $28,690 |
New York | 380 | $33.07 | $68,790 |
California | 350 | $38.09 | $79,220 |
Tennessee | 350 | $33.24 | $69,140 |
The Fish and game warden is appointed in the States through local, state, and federal agencies. Although this career is not as luxurious as some other careers are, it is rewarding for those passionate about the wildness.
Even if you are eager to join the field, you must be wondering how much money a game warden makes? Like the training program, the wildlife department officers have different salaries based on their experience and region.
There are set levels in the law enforcement department. The game wardens appointed in the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service by the federal agencies at GL-05 level earns about $33,829, plus they have chances to go up till GL-09, which is $61,031.
The majority of the game and wildlife officers are working through the state agencies. According to the BLS (Bureau of Labor Statistics), the average salary is $60,620. The salaries of the officers vary from one state to another. According to a BLS report of May 2019, Florida’s average salary is $28,690, whereas, in California, it is $79,220.
The table below shows the states that pay the highest.
States
States | Employment Rate | Average Hourly Wage | Annual Average Wage |
Rhode Island | 30 | $38.19 | $79,440 |
California | 350 | $38.09 | $79,220 |
Illinois | 160 | $35.85 | $74,570 |
Washington | 120 | $35.19 | $73,200 |
Indiana | 140 | $33.70 | $70,100 |
I hope this article answered all of your questions concerning the fish and game warden department. If you have any questions or concerns about the game warden career, comment down below, and we will get back to you.
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