Fish & Game Warden

Career Overview

Fish and game wardens provide the law enforcement for regulations governing the licensing and activities of hunters and fishermen. Usually they work for the state or in large federal land preserves, for the Federal Government.

Hunters must be licensed and observe rules regarding hunting seasons, safety regulations, firearm restrictions and game limits. Fish and game wardens check hunters randomly for conformance with hunting requirements. Fishermen are also required to obtain licenses each season, to observe limits on their catch and on the size of the fish.

Fish and game wardens are also often charged with inspecting commercial fishing vessels for compliance with fishing regulations. They can issue citations and also arrest alleged offenders for certain violations.

Education

Applicants for the position of fish and game warden also must have at least two years of college experience. 42% of them have a college degree. Course hours in both police work and biological science are important. Most states hold a qualifying exam every year or two. Once hired, fish and game wardens attend a training academy lasting from 3 to 12 months, sometimes followed by further training in the field.

Current Employment

There are about 8,000 fish and game wardens in state or federal employment.

Job Outlook

The number of job opportunities in this field will expand at about the same rate as the overall expansion of all job categories - about 10% over the course of a decade.

Salary Range

Lowest 10%  $14.62  $30,400
Median Salary  $23.00  $47,830
Highest 10%  $39.32  $81,790