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The internet is a wonderful tool and can also be great entertainment. But there are times when I wish I never turned it on, usually after reading something that frustrates or infuriates me to no end.
One such topic is the unrelentless badgering that our game wardens and waterways conservation officers receive for simply doing their jobs.
In a recent post by the Fish and Boat Commission announcing a recent event having nothing to do with law enforcement, it only took a few comments before the trolls came out. First, some said the officers are nothing more than pirates. Then another commented that they should be ashamed of having such a job.
Before long, it went on and on. One after another, commenters were expressing pure hatred for these young men and women who have dedicated their lives to protecting the Commonwealth's natural resources.
But why such hatred? It's easy to say it is keyboard bravado or just someone who got caught that now has an ax to grind. But it is so much bigger than that. It is a lack of understanding, a lack of knowing just how much these officers do each and every day.
In the grand scheme of things, very few sportsmen ever encounter a game warden or waterways conservation officer. It is usually a friendly, non-confrontational encounter or routine license check for those who do. Only a small fraction of those who hunt or fish will ever be the subject of an investigation or find themselves opposite an officer in the courtroom.
This also means that most outdoorsmen have very little idea how much these officers contribute to their ability to enjoy the outdoor activities they so love in a safe and successful manner.
Let's take a sneak peek at what some of our officers have been up to:
• WCO Hunter Shoemaker was recently recognized as the 2024 Gerald L. Griener Environmental Protection Award recipient. This annual award recognizes a WCO who has best exemplified the agency motto "Resource First" through their efforts to protect the aquatic environment. WCO Shoemaker was selected after successfully investigating 16 environmental events in his district of Lycoming County, including a potentially devastating pollution on the headwaters of a Class A Trout Stream.
• SGW James Crown, Bucks County, received a tip regarding illegal deer baiting and harvesting near Doylestown. Following SGW Crown's investigation, which included identifying over 10 bait sites on the property, the hunter confessed to baiting, harvesting multiple deer, and using his wife's tags. In total, 22 violations were identified.
• WCO Kyle Robinson, Mifflin and Northern Huntingdon counties, was recognized for his outstanding efforts to keep boaters safe with the 2024 Top Gun Award. This award acknowledges a WCO for their exceptional efforts to detect, apprehend, and prosecute Boating Under the Influence cases. In 2024, WCO Robinson conducted over 40 days of boat patrol, performed 850 boardings, and arrested nine operators for Boating Under the Influence. It is not bad for an officer who only graduated from the training academy in 2020; even more impressive is that this is the third consecutive year WCO Robinson has been so recognized.
• Five state game wardens were recently recognized for their lifesaving efforts during Tropical Storm Debby. Lt. Harold Malehorn, Lt. Jeffery Mock, Sgt. Dirk Remensnyder, SGW Benjamin Fromm, and SGW Helen Karp were part of a team of first responders activated to assist with recovery efforts following massive flooding. The combined efforts of this team saved 13 people on August 9, 2024, during flood-related rescue missions.
Next time you see one of the state game wardens or waterways conservation officers, instead of thinking "how are they going to ruin my afternoon," think about how they are spending time away from their families to protect the resources and the people enjoying them.
Think about the lost opportunities if these officers were not the line between lawful sportsmen and poachers stripping the waterways and forests bare. Think about how many lives they have saved by keeping intoxicated boaters off the waters and, eventually, the highways or by being there to pluck families from a rooftop when flood waters rise.
These are only some reasons you should support your local warden.