Ohio fish and game department

The resources, editorial content, and school evaluations published on this site are developed independent of the schools that advertise here. This includes both wildlife officers who worked for the Division of Wildlife and federal game wardens from the U. Their efforts to protect wildlife in Ohio are part of a renewed national emphasis on cracking down on wildlife crime. The competition to obtain game warden jobs in Ohio is intense, and information on how to go about obtaining these types of positions is shown below.

Wildlife officers in Ohio are the public face of the Division of Wildlife, and the agency seeks highly knowledgeable candidates of unquestionable character who have a strong work ethic. The state only accepts applications when the position has been posted on the Division of Wildlife website.

Applicants must meet the basic requirements before they can be invited to test for a wildlife officer position. Providing fisheries information to the public through publications, clinics, and personal contact is an important aspect of serving Ohio's anglers. To maintain a variety of fishing in Ohio, the division operates six hatcheries which annually propagate up to 40 million fish.

Some of the primary species produced are walleye, saugeye, channel catfish, hybrid striped bass, muskellunge, and rainbow trout. The division conducts research on Ohio's inland lakes and streams and the Ohio River to develop management practices that will improve the fisheries of these waters.

The fisheries of Lake Erie are monitored constantly, in cooperation with the other Lake Erie states and the province of Ontario, to develop management programs for this heavily fished body of water.

Fish Ohio is an annual recognition program for anglers who catch trophy-sized fish in any of 17 categories. Wildlife management consists of projects that affect wildlife populations and wildlife recreational users. These projects usually involve habitat manipulation, management of wildlife populations, land acquisition, research, or the creation of opportunities for people to enjoy wildlife.

Healthy wildlife populations depend on good habitat, so habitat maintenance and improvement receive a lot of emphasis. On private lands, efforts are geared toward incentive programs to improve habitat, especially for agricultural and woodland landowners.

Habitat manipulation is practiced more directly on the more than , acres of public land owned by the division. Public lands are important for wildlife production and for recreation, making land acquisition a high priority for the division. Some of the best hunting, trapping, and wildlife observation opportunities in Ohio occur on state wildlife areas.

Because more than 90 percent of the state's original wetlands have been lost to development, wetlands represent an especially critical habitat, and receive special attention. The division manages more wetland acres than any other public or private interest in the state. Management of wildlife populations is also a vital program area.

Biologically based seasons are necessary for both the protection and control of some wildlife populations, and these seasons provide the framework for countless hours of wildlife recreation. Many projects are aimed at restoring natural populations, and recent efforts have involved wild turkeys, bald eagles, river otters, and peregrine falcons.

Wildlife research is part of the foundation for division programs, and provides the basic information needed for setting seasons, making management decisions, and evaluating the status of wildlife populations. Research projects also pioneer new ways to tackle problems and improve existing programs. Research is carried out in cooperation with Ohio colleges and universities as well.

Mental Health: The applicant should be of sound mental health to remain eligible for hire and to finish training. Game wardens in Ohio take home a great salary while pursuing a fulfilling career protecting fish and game of his or her state. Federal and state game wardens are law enforcement officers and wildlife conservation specialists, so having a degree in an area like environmental science or wildlife management is just as important as experience in law enforcement.

Skip to content Latest News: Game warden reports increased use of prohibited e-bikes on state game lands. Project WILD is an environmental conservation education project designed to supplement existing curriculums and to create an awareness and appreciation of the wildlife resource.

A comprehensive aquatic resources education project provides angling instruction for beginners, fishing activities at the Ohio State Fair, a wide variety of fishing clinics, and Aquatic Project WILD that emphasizes the value and functions of wetlands and aquatic ecosystems. Specially trained volunteer instructors also teach hunter and trapper education courses to thousands each year. Hunter and trapper education courses are mandatory for first-time hunters and trappers.

The courses are designed to instill a code of ethics and responsibility, as well as provide instruction in special skills and equipment, wildlife management, and regulations. Clinics and classes are also offered for advanced hunters. Wildlife management consists of projects that affect wildlife populations and wildlife recreational users. These projects usually involve habitat manipulation, management of wildlife populations, land acquisition, research, or the creation of opportunities for people to enjoy wildlife.

Wildlife research is part of the foundation for Division programs, and provides the basic information needed for setting seasons, making management decisions, and evaluating the status of wildlife populations. Research projects also pioneer new ways to tackle problems and improve existing programs. A significant amount of research is carried out in cooperation with Ohio colleges and universities.

Wildlife and natural resources management requires effective enforcement of laws and regulations. Wildlife law enforcement is a unique area of law enforcement that blends criminal justice and law enforcement duties with wildlife conservation, education, and public service. Annually, wildlife officers contact thousands of sportsmen and women in the field; patrol thousands of acres of wildlife lands, Lake Erie, and inland streams and lakes.

They issue and inspect wildlife related permits, conduct criminal investigations, handle numerous violation reports, and make thousands of arrests. They also speak to hundreds of clubs and groups about conservation and wildlife programs, perform fish and wildlife surveys, and provide technical advice and instruction about wildlife management issues, hunting, fishing and trapping.