Any Game Wardens here?

[Doug M.]

WDFW pays better than WSP (which has amazingly bad pay); gets better gear, and their people are treated better. They are also a general authority agency by statute (full statewide authority on all criminal matters), and most of their training is better. You do generally need a real wildlife and biology type background.

 

[Texas Star]

WDFW pays better than WSP (which has amazingly bad pay); gets better gear, and their people are treated better. They are also a general authority agency by statute (full statewide authority on all criminal matters), and most of their training is better. You do generally need a real wildlife and biology type background.

Which sidearm does WSP issue? If it's the Glock 21 mentioned above for wardens, what caliber is it? I'm not familiar with the Glock line. A .45? What's their dutty ammo, inc. bullet wright?

Anyone know for the wardens in their states?

 

[thomasinaz]

I work with a few Game & Fish Officers in the areas that I cover, here in central AZ. This position is a Post certified position, and requires attending the police academy. A degree is required and they are one of the lowest paid LE positions in the state. All the G&F Officers I've worked with seemed happy and non-stressed about work. We work closely in boating enforcement/safety and G&F provides all the LE boat training in the state. A great course which includes shooting targets from a rocking boat, and other fun stuff. They also run the OHV enforcement and safety programs. They work remote areas, but usually with two or more, or with Deputy support from whatever County they are in. They carry Sig P226 or 220 as a sidearm, and have access to long guns. Here's an eagle another Deputy helped a G&F Officer rescue at the lake last week. He was sick and lethargic (the eagle, not the Deputy ) and put up little fight when he was picked up from the shore. Of course the G&F guy used his thick kevlar glove to handle this bird who was none too harmless with his long talons and sharp beak...


Hope this helps some and if you have more specific questions I can run by one of them when I see one, you can PM me.

 

[Doug M.]

Which sidearm does WSP issue? If it's the Glock 21 mentioned above for wardens, what caliber is it? I'm not familiar with the Glock line. A .45? What's their dutty ammo, inc. bullet wright?

*
WSP issues the Smith M&P in .40. It has worked out reasonably well for them except for some NDs from training issues. (One was really spectacular, and that Sergeant should have been fired and charged.) Not sure of their duty ammo, but it is likely the same they have for a while as they had H&K USP40s before the M&P. I've not shot the M&P, so I don't know what it is like, but certainly it is the best choice out there if one is going to carry the .40 for serious use. The USP was pretty nice to shoot, but H&K has one of the worst reputations for customer service in the industry. My experiences with them were awful.

I don't know what WDFW uses for ammo, but yes, the G21 is a 45 ACP. It's the least messed up and most likely to work of the Glock pistols.

 

[wildenout]

Thanks for all the help Gentleman! I appreciate everything and all the responses.

 

[Malpasowildlifer]

The job may seem romantic, but there's no way I would want to be patrolling solo out in the wilderness and have to deal with sundry meth labbers, poachers, or generic two-legged predators. God speed to those who do the job with pride and commitment.

all in a days work! Tweakers, firewood cutters, poachers and other various trailer park people are my prey!

 

[bobcat]

Frank forgot to mention that our Montana Wardens have their own show on the outdoor channel appropriately called "Wardens". It seems to be pretty representative of what they have to deal with here anyway. Good luck...

 

[Doug M.]

I believe in Oregon, the "Fins and Feathers" cops are troopers assigned to that duty for extended periods. OSP also does their basic training as an agency in a better manner than WSP - they have a pre-academy and post-academy program for their own needs, but use the same academy as real cops in the middle. I believe that in the last few years, they dumped their .40 Glocks for the S&W M&P of some type, also in .40.

Although I normally do not watch such shows, I do enjoy watching "North Woods Law", because listening to most of those guys reminds me of when I was up in Maine on a regular basis 20+ years ago. I don't miss being up in the County in the winter, but everything else, I do. It appears, at least from what we see on the show, that the wardens are not radio slaves to such an extent that they can't dig in to a problem and do a comprehensive investigation.