What does a fish and game warden make

They analyze and estimate animal population data, write reports and participate in programs that are designed to promote wildlife conservation. Primary duties: An environmental scientist works to identify potentially dangerous hazards and other pollutants that could contaminate natural resources and therefore harm the livelihood of human beings and animals. They take their findings and work with other industry professionals to provide solutions to potential or immediate problems.

Primary duties: Ecologists are responsible for identifying different organisms within a particular ecosystem. They study their roles in the continuation of that ecosystem and educate local communities about the importance of these organisms to their livelihood. Beyond salary, comparable professions and primary duties, there is still plenty to discover about becoming a fish and game warden.

This section will address three additional questions about the profession. There are a variety of skills that are recommended for fish and game wardens to efficiently complete their jobs. Law enforcement policies: As fish and game wardens are considered law enforcement officers, they should be familiar with local laws directly related to areas of environmental conservation and wildlife management. They should also be knowledgeable of what they are and are not authorized to do within law enforcement.

Oral and written communication: Fish and game wardens must be able to communicate effectively through both speech and writing. They may be tasked with writing up detailed reports of an incident, writing citations and speaking with violators, hunters and fellow wardens to maintain environmental standards within their area.

Animal containment and transportation: A part of their job includes locating and capturing animals to transport to safer locations. They might be tasked with using tasers and other methods to safely complete this task. Firearm operation: As law enforcement officers, fish and game wardens are required to carry a firearm.

They should be licensed and well-trained in their use in order to be prepared in potentially dangerous situations. Physical strength: As fish and game wardens are expected to navigate challenging terrain and handle wildlife that needs to be transported, they should be physically able to perform these tasks on a daily basis.

There are a few potential risks associated with this profession. Fish and game wardens might be expected to navigate dangerous terrain, work during extreme weather situations, help capture and transport agitate wildlife and apprehend potentially dangerous individuals who have disobeyed particular environmental regulations.

Some fish and game wardens are allowed to arrest individuals who violate certain hunting laws or policies, however, this can depend on state procedures. Certain states might not allow fish and game wardens to make arrests but they can contain violators until authorized law enforcement personnel arrive.

The resources, editorial content, and school evaluations published on this site are developed independent of the schools that advertise here. This is because a variety of factors influence their earning potential, including the agency and geographic region in which they work, experience and education level, overtime pay, and other salary incentives.

The number of these professionals is projected to increase by 4. As peace officers, conservation officers are employed through local, state, and federal governmental agencies. Additional opportunities to earn even higher salaries exist here, too, with promotions to senior officer, zone officer, regional chief of law enforcement, branch chief, and division chief available, as well as promotions to specialized positions like canine officer, pilot, driver, training officer, and more.

Of the approximately 7, wildlife officers working in the U. While most state agencies have set salary schedules, additional salary incentives are commonplace. Some game wardens may be responsible for an entire county, encompassing thousands of acres of land or coastline. Game wardens patrol the land. This means that there may be days when they will patrol in degree temperatures and days when they patrol in the freezing rain or heavy snow.

Even in life-threatening weather conditions—blizzards, floods, tornadoes, hurricanes, and forest fires, for example—game wardens must be there to respond. In addition to inclement, sometimes severe, weather conditions, game wardens may have to deal with other dangerous situations, including wrangling wildlife in need of rescue or rehabilitation.

In some instances, game wardens may also deal with individuals breaking the law. These individuals may be armed and dangerous. Game wardens must be prepared to protect themselves, and exercise good judgment.

In addition to working outdoors in their assigned territory park, beach, mountain, etc. Game wardens promote outreach programs that educate children and adults about gaming laws and regulations along with wildlife conservation and public safety issues. They may be asked to deliver educational programs at local schools, talk to high school or college students about becoming a game warden, and give presentations for local organizations like a 4-H group or herpetology society.

If the event they were involved in an arrest, game wardens may be required to appear in court to testify. Some fish and game wardens are part of specialized units that focus solely on criminal investigation or search and rescue missions. These wardens may work with canines, be a part of a scuba diving or aviation team, or serve in an emergency management capacity during severe weather and natural disasters. In these cases, their standard work environments may be very different from other game wardens.

Wildlife officers with the U. S Fish and Wildlife Service may earn promotions to specialized positions in canine units, aviation, dive teams, and field training. Game wardens working in this capacity are often referred to service special agents. They investigate crimes ranging from wildlife smuggling to unlawful game hunting to illegal guiding operations. Their duties include:. The only difference is that their particular jurisdiction makes them responsible for enforcing laws related to conservation, outdoor recreation, and public safety.

And at the federal level and in most states, just like any other law enforcement officer, they have the authority to make arrests when laws are violated within that jurisdiction. Because of the important role they play in public safety and the protection of natural resources, game wardens enjoy similar salaries to other law enforcement professionals.