Conservation Warden Joe McMahon described for us the role of conservation wardens and the structure of his organization. There are 1 or 2 wardens assigned to each county in Wisconsin. Wardens function quite independently, reporting to regional lieutenants, who in turn report to captains. Their roles include the important function of educating the community about conservation issues and what they do. The wardens protect game animals and fish populations by confirming licensing, enforcement of limits, and other regulations around hunting, fishing, and trapping. Click READ MORE to read more about the presentation and to read about Joe McMahon.
Wardens' authority covers recreational vehicle enforcement; they patrol state parks and areas with lakes and streams as well as places where hunting is common. Wardens are credentialed law enforecement, and their limited authority is not restricted only to their assigned counties. They do their own investigations, in contrast with local police who hand off investigations. Wardens must be 21 or older and have a degree or complete 60 college credits within their first 5 years. Because of their independence, wardens undergo a very thorough background check; they also must pass a fitness requirement. Becoming credentialed requires 2 years, 720 academy hours, and 6 months of field training.
Joe noted that wardens can revoke licenses of those who violate conservation laws, and they deal with animal emergencies, including injured birds and abandoned fawns. He showed numeous examples of evidence gathered in his investigations of hunting, fishing, and trapping violations. Some of them were, shall we say, quite dramatic. Extra happy bucks for anyone who says the word dramatic at the next meeting!
About the Speaker: Joe McMahon has been a Conservation Warden since 2018. In addition to the regular duties of the role, Joe also functions as a Field Training Officer and DOJ Academy Instructor. He helps train new staff to become Wardens, and he specializes in Ethics, Scenarios, and Interviews and Interrogations. He grew up in the Wausau area and attended UW-Stevens Point. He earned a bachelor’s degree in resource management law enforcement with a minor in criminal justice. In his free time he enjoys being in the outdoors, spending a lot of time hunting, fishing, and trapping. He also spends time back home in Wausau with his parents on their small hobby farm.