Game Warden Job Description

Are you someone who enjoys the outdoors? Are you someone who likes to stay in the company of nature? Do you prefer wilderness over socializing? Are you someone who believes in preserving the environment and all the bounties of nature? If the answer to all these is in the affirmative, then becoming a game warden is something you can look forward to.

Job Description

To become a game warden, first of all you need to be familiar with the job profile. A game warden is a kind of law enforcement officer, who is assigned particular hunting areas, which he has to patrol, protect and preserve. For this, a game warden collects information on the condition of plants and wildlife in his area and maintains reports for the same. Also, he ensures that the hunting and wildlife codes formulated by the state and the federal governments are followed by the people. To carry on his duties, a game warden is given a uniform to wear and he also carries a weapon with him. Preserving the wildlife, ecosystems, crops, plants and animals, all fall under the job description.

It's not as if a game warden job duties are all about working in the dense forests. Game wardens perform a lot of duties from their office too. For instance, educating people, especially those who stay in the vicinity of the forests as well as tourists on the various wildlife laws and regulations, is one of the game warden job requirements. Still, the main role of a game warden remains to warn people against any wildlife law violations they might be committing. Investigating wildlife violations, collecting evidence for the same, making arrests if people are found guilty, fall under a game warden's purview as well. Sometimes, game wardens might have to be present in the courts to bring the wildlife violators to book.

A game warden has to serve as protector of people from wild animals, especially when they sometimes move away from the forest into the populated towns or city areas. In many states in America, there is a combined job profile of fish and game wardens. Such a job profile has an added responsibility of patrolling the rivers, lakes, beaches and coastlines. The basic duties remain the same as mentioned above.

Education and Other Requirements

As most of the work of a game warden entails being in the outdoors, so anyone who wants to become a game warden should be prepared to work in all kinds of climates and weather conditions. For patrolling, a game warden is given an all-terrain vehicle or a car. However, in some circumstances, a game warden might have to patrol on a horse or even by foot. Overlooking through airplanes might also be on the cards in certain states and areas.

In case you feel that you want to get into this field, you need to be aware of the career education and skills requirements for the same. The minimum requirements to enter this field vary from state to state, although some basic criteria are applicable everywhere, such as, the candidate being over the age of 21 and a US citizen, the candidate should not have committed any felony and he must have attained a four-year college degree or a two year associate degree with experience of two years in wildlife or fish law enforcement. Once you meet this basic criteria and are hired, you need to go through a training program and some on the job training, before you are accepted as a law enforcement officer.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment Statistics, in the year 2009, fish and game wardens earned a mean annual salary of around $54, 950, at the national level. Considering the fact that this is a recession proof career, becoming a game warden is an ideal option for those who are physically fit, who enjoy outdoors as well as those who want to do something for the environment!