Game Warden Wildlife Biologist

A Wildlife biologist researches and monitors plant and animal habitats in specific regions in order to determine various, and specific, environmental and population dynamics. Wildlife biologists may

analyze the predator-prey relationship for a specific species within an area or the detrimental effects of pollution on a population’s health. Wildlife biologists are often responsible for collecting data and scientifically searching for animal behavior patterns. Wildlife biologists formulate conclusions and often publish their results.

Education to Work as a Wildlife Biologist

Completing a Bachelor’s degree in wildlife biology, or a very similar field, is usually a prerequisite for most wildlife biologists, as many have at least a Master’s degree and others hold a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.). Required courses for an aspiring wildlife biologist often include the following:

• biology
• zoology
• ecology

Wildlife biologist students will often take such courses as organic chemistry and statistics. Wildlife biologists examine the lives of animals in their own environments. A wildlife biologist, usually holding a Master’s degree or PhD, can choose to focus on the specialty of their choice.

Laboratory Work for a Wildlife Biologist

In addition to field work, wildlife biologists often work on conducting experiments in medical labs. Many wildlife biologists working in research departments have focused on topics in biotechnology and disease control.

Career Information for Wildlife Biologist

Job opportunities exist in research labs, working for the government, universities or companies.

You can often develop your career as a Wildlife biologist while working for a government agency, university research department, and/or a private company. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported, in 2015, that the median annual salary for a wildlife biologist or zoologist was $59,680. The top-paid ten percent earned $97,390 or more. The BLS stated that job opportunities for zoologists and wildlife biologists were expected to increase by 4% between 2014 and 2024.


Source: Wildlife Biologist

Become a Conservation Officer: Game-Warden.Org

The job title Conservation Officer is, at times, synonymous with fish and game warden, and refers to the individual who enforces state and federal laws protecting natural resources that include fish and wildlife. Conservation officers are essentially police officers who are often certified to enforce other laws, such as motor vehicle laws and controlled substance statutes, within their jurisdiction.

Career Details for Conservation Officer 

Conservation officers monitor hunters, fishermen, and trappers to ensure that they fully comply with state and federal regulations. Types of activities a Conservation Officer may be involved in:

• Enforcing state and federal statutes in campgrounds and parks
• Determining the methods used to collect game
• Checking vehicles and watercraft for compliance with state and federal laws
• Conducting educational programs on wildlife preservations
• Preparing and presenting cases in court
• Working closely with other law enforcement agencies in cases involving multi-agency jurisdictions
• Establishing and protecting the chain of custody of evidence collected during investigations of violations of fish and wildlife statues

Requirements and Qualifications to work as a Conservation Officer:

An associate’s degree is usually the minimum educational requirement to become a conservation officer, or a game warden. There are many agencies and groups that will require a Bachelor’s degree in criminal justice, biology, or environmental sciences.

Before working as a Conservation Officer, one must:

• be familiar with state and federal statutes
• possess the ability to perform the duties of a sworn law enforcement officer
• be able to conduct public presentations

The career of a Conservation Officer often involves the outdoors; due to the job being very physically demanding, most groups/agencies will require their conservation officers to be in top physical condition. Those who want to work as conservation officers must successfully pass several physical and psychological tests. Candidates must also be qualified to carry a handgun; and candidates absolutely must be able to pass an extensive background investigation.

Job Training for Conservation Officers

Training sometimes differs according to whether the conservation officer works for the federal or state government. Officers hired by the federal government usually will complete a 20-week training program, with the first 12 weeks required to be conducted at the Federal Law Enforcement Agency in Glynco, Georgia. Trainees will spend the remaining weeks in West Virginia. The training academy will successfully focus on criminal investigations and wildlife law enforcement, including the proper use of firearms and identification of wildlife. Once completing the training academy, conservation officers must spend the next 10 weeks in the field under the mentorship of a Field Training Officer before they effectively move to their assigned location.

Bear in mind that individual states will have their own requirements for training. Find out what your state requires.

Additional Skills for Conservation Officers

Conservation officers should be able to work independently. Prospective fish and game wardens with previous experience with wildlife, including as a volunteer or in a paid capacity, may find it easier to find employment as a Conservation Officer.

Facts About The Job

• Though fish and game wardens are often expected to work a usual 40-hour workweek, they are, at times, required to work evenings, weekends, and holidays. Overtime may also be required at special times.
• Conservation officers should be adaptable and prepared to work in various weather conditions and various terrain such as forests, woods, deserts, and wetlands. Fish and game wardens spend the majority of their time outdoors.
• Because officers enforce the law, conservation officers must be up-to-date with all changes in state and federal laws and regulations related to their work. Depending on the state, conservation officers may have to meet minimum continuing education requirements each year.
• Conservation officers must be willing to confront dangers, as many of the individuals that officers face can be armed. Fish and game wardens often deal with wildlife, making them susceptible to animal bites, stings, and other injuries in nature.

Other Terms, or Job Titles that serve as Conservation Officers

• Wildlife enforcement officer
• Wildlife officer
• Conservation warden
• Environmental police officer
• Fish and game warden
• Game warden
• Natural resources officer

Career Possibilities for Conservation Officers

Conservation officers usually will find viable employment with state or federal agencies. Well-trained and experienced fish and game wardens are able to advance to supervisory, or administrative positions, or even to the level of field training officers.

Salary Expectations for Conservation Officer

According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), fish and game wardens throughout the United States earned an average annual wage of $54,970 in 2015.

Source: http://www.game-warden.org/conservation-officer/

Wildlife Science Degree for Game Warden

A Wildlife Science Degree can place you in an ideal situation to work as a Game Warden.

Are you interested in a program that will prepare you to become a Game Warden by providing you with a solid understanding of the biology and ecology of wildlife species and how to properly implement management techniques to achieve desired management goals based on specific species?

Subjects Studied for the Wildlife Science Degree

A wildlife science degree program will include such topics as:

• Plant diversity/ecology
• Structure and function
• Technical skills
• Vertebrate diversity
• Invertebrate diversity
• Policy

A Wildlife Science degree is based on biology, offering students a broad spectrum education covering the thorough management of wildlife resources through the analysis of wildlife species and their needs, habitat manipulation, ecology, and the role of wildlife in our society.

Source: http://www.game-warden.org/wildlife-science-degree-for-game-warden/

Requirements to Work as a Game Warden

Game wardens serve in a major law enforcement capacity and have full law enforcement powers to enforce laws and arrest violators; therefore, it is important to remember that there are specific requirements and qualifications to work as a game warden. The following information represents the common qualifications for game warden jobs. Make sure that you pay close attention to the requirements to work as a Game Warden.

Education and Experience Requirements for Fish and Game Warden Jobs

In most cases, individuals applying for fish and game warden jobs need no previous experience. However, the majority of states require, at a minimum, an associate’s degree (60 semester units) in a program related to this field. Acceptable programs of study often include:

• Zoology
• Wildlife management
• Wilderness survival
• Water quality management
• Psychology
• Police science
• Plan taxonomy
• Physics
• Ornithology
• Oceanography
• Natural resources conservation
• Natural resources
• Marine biology
• Mammalogy
• Life science
• Law enforcement
• Herpetology
• Geology
• Geography
• Forestry
• Fisheries management
• Environmental studies
• Environmental science
• Ecology
• Chemistry
• Botany
• Biological sciences
• Animal science

Many states, such as Texas and Montana, require, at a minimum, a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university, with prior military or law enforcement experience not acceptable as a substitute for education.

Some states, including Washington State, require the completion of a Bachelor’s degree in a natural resources science, criminal justice, or a closely related field. Individuals without a four-year degree, however, may qualify if they possess a two-year college degree, along with another two years of experience in a fully commissioned law enforcement capacity.

Only a few states, like Vermont, accept experience in lieu of education. Candidates for game warden jobs in this state may qualify by either possessing at least 60 college credit hours or by possessing at least two years of experience as a certified law enforcement officer, in a military capacity, or in a natural resources field.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service prefers candidates who possess a four-year degree in wildlife management, criminal justice, or a related field.

Minimum Requirements for Game Warden Jobs

• Individuals seeking game warden jobs must be United States citizens, and they must possess a high school diploma or the equivalent. Most state wildlife departments require applicants to be at least 21, although a number of states accept candidates under the age of 21, such as California, which accepts candidates who are at least 18 years old, and Montana, which accepts candidates who are at least 20 years old.
• Individuals applying for federal game warden jobs through the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service must be at least 21 years old, but no older than 36 at the time of appointment.
• The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and all state wildlife departments demand a valid driver’s license and all require applicants who are in good health and have good, moral character.
• Good health means being in excellent physical and mental health. As such, individuals must be able to pass a medical examination, a psychological assessment, and often a strength and agility assessment. Further, candidates for conservation officer jobs must meet specific vision and hearing requirements, including peripheral vision requirements, night vision requirements, and color distinguishing requirements.
• Each department’s physical fitness assessment differs; however, individuals must usually meet minimum requirements by performing sit-ups and push-ups and completing a timed run. Other assessments for fish and game warden jobs often include handgun stability tests and swimming tests.

Disqualifiers for Game Warden Jobs

Indications of a lack of good moral character include any conduct involving dishonesty, fraud, deceit, or misrepresentation; and any acts or conduct that reflect a lack of honesty, fairness, respect for others, or respect for state and federal laws.

Individuals may not qualify for conservation officer jobs if they have:

• A state or federal felony conviction
• A misdemeanor conviction related to sex crimes, domestic violence, and fraud
• Other misdemeanor convictions within the last 5 years (or less)
• Major traffic offenses or DUI within the last 5 years (or less)
• Convictions of Class A traffic violations within the last 5 years (or less)
• Possessed, sold, distributed, manufactured, or used an illegal drug within the past 10 years (or less)
• A suspended or expired driver’s license

Source: http://www.game-warden.org/requirements-to-work-as-a-game-warden/

What is a Game Warden and What Education is Required?

Have you wondered “What is a game warden and what education is required?”

Fish and game wardens are law enforcement officers with the task and responsibility of patrolling lakes, rivers, wetlands, beaches, back country, deserts, and sometimes metropolitan areas of certain regions. The primary job of game wardens to enforce fish and wildlife laws, thus ensuring that wildlife is conserved and properly managed and that poachers and other violators are prosecuted. Game wardens are sometimes involved in undercover operations, while their important work will involve at random times jet boats, canoes, all-terrain vehicles, and even horses.
The responsibilities of game and fish wardens can vary depending on the areas where they work. Game wardens working in rural areas will often be responsible for preventing illegal poaching and enforcing hunting laws. Game wardens who patrol coastal areas will usually be enforcing boating laws and facilitating tasks such as the prevention of pollution and illegal dumping in sensitive waterways. Game wardens can also be seen working with the public on expanding public knowledge through providing public service programs and presentations. Game wardens sometimes meet with civic and community groups and clubs to discuss laws and regulations related to hunting and fishing. Game wardens often visit with landowners to encourage ethical hunting on their property in order to control wildlife populations and to assist with poaching problems.

Often, game wardens work alone. Game and fish wardens will often patrol challenging terrain and areas that prove quite remote. In addition to their patrol duties, many game wardens will accompany biologists and other environmental scientists to study wildlife or fisheries problems. This work is often crucial to the development of new wildlife initiatives or in setting the parameters of new hunting seasons.

Education and Expectations for Game Wardens

Here are some of the titles that refer to Game Wardens:

• wildlife conservation officers
• wildlife control agents
• fish and game wardens

Game wardens must be proficient in working as both law enforcement professionals and wildlife advocates. While working at either the state, or federal level, Game wardens should have a thorough understanding of state and federal wildlife laws. Additionally, game wardens must understand environmental issues that often pertain to their jurisdictions for natural resources, wildlife, and fish and game.

Usually, state wildlife departments will require that game wardens have some postsecondary education in the form of a viable and relevant Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service often shows preference to job candidates who possess a Bachelor’s degree in a specific and related field. A formal degree will usually be the minimum requirement for your federal game warden job and for many state-level game warden jobs. Make sure that you read up on the particular requirements in your state to know what academic work you need to accomplish.

Get the education you need that will set you on the right path for working as a Game Warden.

Ongoing and extensive training in many areas is usually an integral part of being a game warden. Game and fish wardens must, of course, be knowledgeable, while maintaining advanced skills in the areas of state and federal wildlife laws and regulations, as well as a thorough understanding of geography, biological, and environmental sciences as they relate to wildlife and fish.

Most state wildlife departments will require standardized exams to test a candidate’s knowledge of the important facets to the job. A comprehensive knowledge of the environmental sciences is considered quite valuable, and is reflected through the attainment of a Bachelor’s degree or graduate degree.

It is very important for game wardens to be in good physical condition, as the job can easily require one to run, hike, and swim as the job demands; violators might be running from you, after all. Game wardens should be proficient and confident in operating a boat, ATV, motorcycle, or other motor vehicles. There are times when a game warden may be relied upon to provide first aid, deliver assistance to stranded motorists, and perform water rescues. Because game wardens are law enforcement officers, they must be more than willing to accomplish and maintain appropriate firearms certification.

Federal Level Game Wardens

Working for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, within the Department of the Interior, game and fish wardens are referred to as special agents and federal wildlife enforcement officers. Federal game wardens, similar to game wardens at the state level, must always work to protect and conserve fish and wildlife and their habitats. Another essential part of the job for federal officers is to enforce federal conservation laws and manage wildlife populations through the following such tasks:

• Preventing crimes that pose an actual danger to previous wildlife resources
• Recovering endangered species
• Promoting international wildlife conservation
• Fighting invasive species
• Conserving migratory birds

The focus of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will include the following such tasks:

• Inspecting wildlife shipments into the U.S.
• Identifying and rectifying domestic wildlife trafficking rings
• Enforcing federal migratory game bird hunting regulations

Federal conservation officers often work with state conservation officers and state and foreign law enforcement agencies to collaborate on reducing threats at any level: state, national, or international. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service also collaborates with many federal law enforcement agencies, including Homeland Security Investigations, the Environmental Protection Agency, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

Within our society, we have constant threats that range from 1) habitat destruction to 2)environmental contaminants; and 3)illegal trade to 4)industrial hazards. Working consistently toward diminishing threats to our nation’s wildlife and plant resources, game wardens prove to be an invaluable contribution and asset to our society.


Source: Game Warden Org