Game Warden shortage nationwide

[Whiskey_Fish]

A lack of candidates is directly related to the pay and benefits. If they offered great pay and benefits for the work they would have the people. Since they don't want to do that they struggle for people. It's not a tough equation to figure out.

This is especially relevant when you consider in most states the education and experience requirements are increasing disproportionately to compensation. From my perspective this drives an increase in sourcing these job roles from retired military, which while not necessarily a bad thing, does not qualify a person for that line of work.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[ELKhunter60]

The entirety of Mississippi’s department of wildlife is largely incompetent. There’s a commission that’s made up of people with no background in wildlife who set the rules. The requirements for being a game warden are basically a physical fitness test and being able to write your name, spelling it mostly correct.

My son actually applied for a Game Warden job in Mississippi 2.5 years ago. He has a degree in Medical Biology. He initially went to college to get into Dental School to become a Dentist - but his 3.1 GPA and test scores weren't good enough. Smart kid, but not dental school level. Anyway, I always thought he would get into law enforcement since he was 3 years old, so when the dental thing didn't work out, he started checking out other options. Game Warden seemed like a great fit for his personality. He loves the outdoors, is friendly, has a flawless background - never any issues with the law, drugs or alcohol. He took the physical and passed. Then went on into the interview process. He said the interview felt like a formality. Went in, answered some questions, and out he came. Rejection letter followed a few weeks later. Ben didn't know anyone in the department prior to the interview. Didn't have any relatives working for the state. No military experience. What we found out later is most of those jobs go to folks with military experience or folks with connections. Politics is alive and well down here in Mississippi. Ben now works for the Gallatin County Sherriff's Department in Bozeman Montana as a Detention Officer and loves it. Went out a few weeks ago to camp and fish with him and I'm headed back out in September to archery elk hunt with him again. It will all work out for him, but yea, Mississippi (IMO) has a flawed hiring process for Game Wardens.

 

[willfrye027]

Sounds like you might have met WY GW Kim Olsen. I called her today asking for advice on a new to me unit. She answered all of my non resident questions and made some suggestions that I hadn't thought of. Super professional and helpful.

Only problem I have with Kim is she spills the beans on all the good spots to hunt

Just kidding, there are no secrets in that part of Wyoming. But I agree I’ve chatted with her quite a few times, she is awesome and way better than any warden I’ve encountered in Komifornia.

 

[Will_m]

My son actually applied for a Game Warden job in Mississippi 2.5 years ago. He has a degree in Medical Biology. He initially went to college to get into Dental School to become a Dentist - but his 3.1 GPA and test scores weren't good enough. Smart kid, but not dental school level. Anyway, I always thought he would get into law enforcement since he was 3 years old, so when the dental thing didn't work out, he started checking out other options. Game Warden seemed like a great fit for his personality. He loves the outdoors, is friendly, has a flawless background - never any issues with the law, drugs or alcohol. He took the physical and passed. Then went on into the interview process. He said the interview felt like a formality. Went in, answered some questions, and out he came. Rejection letter followed a few weeks later. Ben didn't know anyone in the department prior to the interview. Didn't have any relatives working for the state. No military experience. What we found out later is most of those jobs go to folks with military experience or folks with connections. Politics is alive and well down here in Mississippi. Ben now works for the Gallatin County Sherriff's Department in Bozeman Montana as a Detention Officer and loves it. Went out a few weeks ago to camp and fish with him and I'm headed back out in September to archery elk hunt with him again. It will all work out for him, but yea, Mississippi (IMO) has a flawed hiring process for Game Wardens.

Sounds like it worked out a lot better for him in the end.

 

[fmyth]

Only problem I have with Kim is she spills the beans on all the good spots to hunt

Just kidding, there are no secrets in that part of Wyoming. But I agree I’ve chatted with her quite a few times, she is awesome and way better than any warden I’ve encountered in Komifornia.

I am hunting a new to me unit that takes a non resident 20+ years to draw. I had questions about access, road conditions, current drought etc. I didn't ask for location of honey holes and she didn't offer any.

 

[willfrye027]

I am hunting a new to me unit that takes a non resident 20+ years to draw. I had questions about access, road conditions, current drought etc. I didn't ask for location of honey holes and she didn't offer any.

I’m mostly joking. I was hunting a spot and ran into another guy who was hunting the unit for the first time. I asked him how he decided on this spot. Kim told him to check it out. I was annoyed until I remembered she also told me to check it out several years prior!

Good luck on your hunt

 

[txjustin]

Crap pay


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[kscreekguy]

They have a hell of a time keeping them around in Kansas it seems. I hear they pull them into KBI and other LEO ops targeting felons and doing drug raids.

 

[DanG_07]

That doesn't surprise me at all. I've elk hunted in Idaho for the past 6 years and ran into one that was super nice! I wish there was more like him.

 

[LongWayAround]

The wardens I've interacted with in Colorado have all been friendly. The rest of the CPW on the other hand... possibly the least helpful bunch of badge wearers around.

Iowa and South Dakota state guys have always been cool too.

 

[Bowhunter02]

Passing along an article about the shortage of game wardens throughout the country. A tough job for sure. I know I'm pleased to see one, the few times that I have. I wonder how many are on this forum?

Hunting for Game Wardens: A Shortage of Conservation Officers Threatens Wildlife

I Have never once had a negative encounter with a game warden. It’s amazing what a little kindness and respect will do. Oh, and following the law helps too.

I have been blessed to by the looks of this thread. SDHNTR...it’s amazing how important it is to follow the law. Mistakes happen but when a mistake becomes a habit we as outdoorsmen all suffer when people take it upon them selves to feel the law does not apply to them. I give them credit it’s not an easy job.

 

[MattB]

Mostly good interactions and one bad one. Here in CA, a buddy killed a giant blacktail. A local guy who was a buddy of the warden's claimed my friend poached the buck and basically put the warden on my friend and me by extension (he told me that I could not talk to my friend until the case was settled). As expected, no charges were ever filed because it was all BS but that a tool.

 

[Joey D]

I really considered becoming one. But the pay just isn’t there.

 

[Fordguy]

There's definitely a shortage in the areas I frequent, though the local wardens are good respectful people. I'm not sure why there isn't funding to hire more wardens though. A few of the places I fish would pay more than a game warden's annual salary in violations every few months if they kept someone there full time. Does the money from game law violations just end up dispersed in a state pot rather than going back into wildlife agencies funds?

 

[deerhunt1988]

There's definitely a shortage in the areas I frequent, though the local wardens are good respectful people. I'm not sure why there isn't funding to hire more wardens though. A few of the places I fish would pay more than a game warden's annual salary in violations every few months if they kept someone there full time. Does the money from game law violations just end up dispersed in a state pot rather than going back into wildlife agencies funds?

Not sure about other states, but here in Mississippi the money goes to the county where the citation was issued, not to the wildlife agency.

 

[Fubarredz]

I hunt in Beeville TX and the game warden live less than 1 mile down the county road for our place, he’s really kool I think he manages Bee county and a couple of the surrounding counties. He said he’s going to retire in the next couple of years.

 

[jlh42581]

The rate of pay is atrocious for the ask. Guys wont ever hand over an extra dollar either without bitching to the moon and back. I looked into it years ago and I wouldve cut my pay at the time in half. As of now id be at 1/3, hard pass, no matter how much I love the outdoors I love my family more.

 

[Chesapeake173]

It’s only going to continue to get worse. Low pay, anti law enforcement sentiment across the country and encouraged by the current administration.....

Most GW I know are gonna retire as soon as they can


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[def90]

Not surprising.. if you look at the Colorado CPW website most of their jobs start in the $13-15/hr range on top of most being temporary 9 months a year jobs.

 

[ClearCreek]

The monies collected from wildlife violations go to the schools in the couple states (WY and NE) I have lived in.

It has been difficult to recruit game wardens for a few years now, and with the current anti-law enforcement attitude we have seen the last few months it will only get more difficult. I have several personal friends that are game wardens and most will retire as soon as they are eligible.

ClearCreek