Fish and Game Warden

If you find yourself scrutinizing the regulations before your annual deer hunt, and spend every weekend fishing, hunting, hiking, bird watching, or backpacking, then you should consider a career as a Fish and Game Warden. Working as a Fish and Game Warden is a great way to combine your love of the outdoors with your passion for protecting the animals and their habitat.

Depending on your territory, you might be assigned a patrol car, but you commonly do a lot of walking. On an average day, Fish and Game Wardens meander through miles of riverfront, mountainous, or captivatingly open terrain, in search of anyone breaking the law.

Common violations include catching more fish than the regulations allow, fishing or hunting without a valid license, hunting outside the boundaries of the approved hunting area, hunting after dark or out of season, and using unapproved weapons. You also help protect the birds and other wildlife by informing berry pickers that they are taking away a food source, and making sure pet owners keep their dogs on a leash where required.

A Fish and Game Warden is a combination of a Police Officer, Teacher, and Scientist. As a Law Enforcement Officer, you can write up warnings and tickets, and even make arrests. As a Teacher, you conduct classes that outline hunting safety and fishing regulations. And as a Scientist, you help other Scientists better understand the animals’ habitat by collecting water or scat samples while you’re in the field.