This might be a dumb question, but any of you guys here a GW or know a GW very well?
My son is 16 and a Junior in High School and has been thinking of what to do after school. He LOVES the outdoors. Enjoys hunting, fishing, boating and all other things we do in the outdoors.
He has been getting ideas of wanting to be a LADWF Agent/Game Warden. I was just wondering what is required of them as far as schooling and what can I tell him to keep him on track in becoming one.

Any insight into becoming one is greatly appreciated. I'll be looking on the net to see if I can find other info.

Thanks

better not get any kind of game law violations... Ever

Pm me your number I know most or them in the area
Years ago you did not have to have a higher education but it is now required.
Criminal justice would be the way to go if that is what he wants to do.
If he is interested in the military I know a few are X costies

I believe he needs 60 college credits before going to a nine week academy. Its something along those lines.

not real sure about LA, but here in SC i know that it is VERY tough to become one, i think in part bc of budgets and there just aren't that many open positions anymore

They requirements are F-ed up.. You need like 3 years of college. You can major in anything.. Fricken Home Decorating will even work.. Or 2 or more years in armed forces. Cop or military.

and.... you make less than 30k per year to start.

Thanks for the replies guys. I did some looking and reading on the LDWF site. Also had him read everything to get an idea of what he's up against. I know it's a long raod to becoming one, but if that is his career choice, who am I to make him change it.

I think in SETX they prefer you to have a pointed head and not know who your daddy is


Except for our Mr. Boone he is a standup guy

Course he is 16. Many things will change between now and then. A really big thing to keep in mind is that he would work weekends and holidays for many years to come. Some folks don't mind but just be aware.

Criminal Justice in college goes along way on the road to becoming a GW. Ifin he does get excepted there's no telling where he'll be excepted, When i graduated i was going to do this and they told me Florida is where you want to be!

My father was director of LaWF for years. There are noble and effective agents. And some aren't. I got in a pissin match with one years ago on the banks of the atchafalya river.

2 year degree in criminal justic or 2 years of military or law enforcment.

I wanted to be a game warden and went to college for criminal justic for 2 semesters.

I decided to get into the oilfeild instead.. possibly the dumbest idea i ever had

Not trying to sway him one way or the other, but if he loves to hunt and fish he better find another career because he won't be doing any of that until he quits or retires. EVERY single gw I know has not hunted more than once or twice a season since they started working and most tell me that even if they had the time, that hunting is the last place they wanna be on their off time.

Thats crazy, we hunt with a couple of ours all the time that Serve our area, i once asked the question about them wanting to hunt and the man told me himself he makes time and if its your passion you'll make it happen.

i will agree with the above posts first hand. i spent 12 years with the orange county sheriffs office in florida. during that time i cross trained with the marine unit. i grew up in the water and spent more time in a boat then on land. being that i only cross trained i only spent one day a month working on the water. it was fun and a chane of pace. but if i had to do it every day it would have ruined me. the days on a boat working and not fishing, sking or just enjoying, get very long. at one day a month i could see how i would not want to be on a boat while off.

now as that relates to a game warden. now still being in law enforcement for over 20 years, ive met and know several gw. i see them all year long. when im getting excited about hunting season they are gearing up for long days and nights of work. they still hunt but not as offten as you or i. they only seem to get time off between seasons.

another thing, you have to account for your time, ie tickets or arrests. being a trooper now i have plenty of opertunity to write tickets, all year long. a gw does not have the opertunity nearly as often. that means very few or no breaks. if i stop a speeder and cut them a warning no big deal. ill wait about 2 seconds an a another will be along. gw may only come into contact with a hand full of violations a month or year. he has to justify his time, that means a ticket for every violation he can find.

i have the descretion to write or not to write. some days or times of year (christmas) i chose not to write a ticket. that gw doesnt really have that option.