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What Is a Game Ranger?

B. Miller
B. Miller

A game ranger, also known as a game warden or conservation officer depending on the nature of the area and the part of the world in which the individual is working, is a member of law enforcement. This person is charged with protecting wildlife in a specified area through a number of different channels. The game ranger might make sure that hunting and fishing licenses are up to date, and that people are not hunting out of season and are following the provisions of the license. Game rangers might also assist other branches of more general law enforcement with investigations in the area, or conduct research on their own regarding wildlife numbers.

The purpose of designated hunting, fishing, and trapping seasons is to ensure that population levels of certain types of wildlife are kept in biologically successful levels. Poorly timed seasons could have detrimental effects on the population. An overpopulation of a certain animal, for example, could be just as damaging to habitat, and to the species health overall, as an underpopulation. It is the responsibility of the game ranger to enforce seasons and bag limits by patrolling in his or her assigned area, such as a national or state park.

Game rangers enforce hunting laws and ensure animals are only hunted in season.
Game rangers enforce hunting laws and ensure animals are only hunted in season.

There are a few different things a game ranger will need to do in the daily course of his or her job. The simplest task is making sure that everyone who is hunting, fishing, or trapping game has a current license to do so displayed on his or her person. Since some seasons have limits on the types of animals that can be shot -- antlered and antlerless deer seasons, for one example -- the game ranger will also need to inspect kills that people are making to ensure they are following the law. Generally, rangers do not need a warrant to search a vehicle the way other members of law enforcement do.

Game rangers ensure that sportsmen have the proper license.
Game rangers ensure that sportsmen have the proper license.

Aside from enforcing behavior of individuals, a game ranger may be a useful member of an investigative team on related crimes. This is because most rangers have specialized knowledge of their working areas. Frequently, rangers will assist other state or national environmental departments in performing research in the area, such as checking habitat qualities and estimated population numbers for a certain type of fish or wildlife. This type of work helps them to increase their specialized knowledge and make them more effective at their daily work.

Discussion Comments

Ana1234

@umbra21 - Game rangers in the United States have to face that kind of conundrum as well. Wolves are an interesting example. They've been brought back from extinction in some areas, but there are definitely people who would prefer that they were left as they were.

umbra21

@bythewell - The ethics of hunting and fishing are actually pretty interesting in some cases. It's not always black and white, but at the same time, often it seems to have some of the best logical decisions made on behalf of the animals.

For example, there are often debates over whether or not certain kinds of game in Africa should be hunted, given that some populations are endangered and others are overpopulated. Does hunting them give rise to more demand to hunt them or does it act as a means of deterring more hunters?

Elephants, for example, are still pretty rare and the population needs to be safeguarded. But there are places where there are so many elephants now that they are putting a lot of pressure on the ecosystem. Moving them is only a short term solution. So should people be given permits and allowed to hunt a few of them? Most people will instinctively say no, but at the same time will not feel bad about people hunting deer.

bythewell

I used to watch this TV show about game rangers who would patrol a particular shoreline and make sure that fishers and shellfish collectors were working within the legal guidelines. It was actually a lot more interesting than you might expect, and kind of nice to watch something where the aspects of right and wrong were so obviously on the side of the rangers.

The worst was when people would dump big bags of shellfish they had harvested illegally when they saw the rangers approaching. Not only did they remove hundreds of shellfish from where they were needed to keep the popular strong, they were then willing to just throw them away.

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    • Game rangers enforce hunting laws and ensure animals are only hunted in season.
      By: Chris Lofty
      Game rangers enforce hunting laws and ensure animals are only hunted in season.
    • Game rangers ensure that sportsmen have the proper license.
      By: bonniemarie
      Game rangers ensure that sportsmen have the proper license.