Growing up there’ve been all kinds of jobs I’ve had; some I hated and a few I really enjoyed. As a teenager, I worked part time for a parcel shipping company, a lumber yard, summer baseball leagues, worked two summers for Brown & Root Construction and two summers for the Texas Highway Department.
Each of these jobs taught me different things that would benefit me later in life. So many lessons can be learned through working and holding down a job, especially at an early age.
Today, I want to recognize a group of people who deserve a lot more respect than what they are given — game wardens!
It takes a special person to be a game warden. These men and women who take on the job of policing our land and waterways are a special breed, and in many cases never get the credit they deserve.
Talk about a thankless job, these folks do what very few want to do. It’s their job to enforce the rules and regulations of the hunting and fishing world. They go through intense training and schooling to become a certified fish and wildlife official.
They are constantly dealing with the public, who in many cases are carrying weapons. They must have good people skills allowing them to deal with some of the toughest people on earth, hunters and fishermen.
Most of the time as they approach people on the water or in the woods, they are often met by disgruntled anglers or hunters aggravated about being checked.
They have to deal with people with attitudes, who give one excuse after another why they don’t have the necessary licenses, or decided not to follow the rules and regulations that are in place.
Game wardens too often deal with folks who would rather lie than tell the truth. Many times, the wardens must go above and beyond the call of duty, like being first responders to help and rescue people after a hurricane or any type of natural disaster.
They are the guys who must retrieve our loved ones who may have drowned while fishing or been shot in hunting accident. This is a job very few people would ever want.
Growing up in East Texas and now living in Louisiana, I’ve been blessed to get to hunt and fish all across this great country. Hunting and fishing are privileges, not rights, and these men and women we call game wardens do a great job at making sure we are safe.
Today, I want to salute those who carry the badge while patrolling our lakes and waterways making sure the rules and regulations of the hunting and fishing world are enforced.
The next time you see or have some kind of interaction with a game warden, make sure to tell them, “Thank you,” and share that you appreciate the job they do. They’re not the enemy and are not out there just to write tickets. They are out there to keep you safe and enforce the law.
‘Til next week, good luck and stay safe while hunting or fishing. Make sure to follow the rules and regulations set by the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries in your state.