Becoming a Game Warden: Motivations for Choosing a Career in Wildlife Law Enforcement

Abstract

Conservation law enforcement is a type of specialized policing that occurs mostly in rural areas. Game wardens have the primary responsibility of enforcing hunting and fishing laws. Little research exists on the motivations for entering this branch of specialized law enforcement. This study took a qualitative approach to data collection and examined the motivations of Montana state game wardens for choosing a career in wildlife law enforcement. Three main categories for becoming a warden were identified that included a desire to work in the outdoors, a desire to protect natural resources, and other.