How to Become a Game Warden in Georgia

Georgia Game Warden Eligibility Requirements

The Department of Natural Resources in Georgia requires all the Conservation Rangers in its employment to be certified peace officers. Conservations Rangers are driven by a strong desire to protect fish and wildlife in their native habitats and have a passion for law enforcement. Georgia’s Conservation Rangers are primarily committed to managing fish and game regulations, but as Peace Officers they may be called upon to enforce any Georgia law since they have statewide jurisdiction.

Additional responsibilities in this role include protecting Georgia’s natural resources from poachers, coordinating and promoting hunter education programs, firearm and boating safety training, surveying fish and wildlife in their habitats, as well as speaking to advocacy groups on safety, regulations and conservation issues. The diversity in the Conservation Ranger role means that candidates should be prepared to demonstrate their qualifications among a pool of other strong candidates.

Listed below are the minimum qualifications needed to become a Georgia Conservation Ranger. Additional information as well as job postings are made available to the public through the website at the Georgia Department Natural Resources – Law Enforcement Division.

Basic Qualifications for a Job with the Georgia Department of Natural Resources

Age: 21 years of age or older is required at the time of the start of training

Citizenship: Proof of U.S. Citizenship or naturalization documents are required; additionally, proof of Georgia residency is required

License: A valid Georgia-issued driver’s license is required.

Military Service: If a retired member of any of the branches of United States military, a discharge "Under Honorable Conditions" is required

Work Eligibility: New employees must present original documents that establish identity and eligibility for U.S. employment opportunities as per federal law – applicants must be eligible to accept employment in the U.S.

Background and Legal History: Applicants must pass an intensive fingerprint background check in order to continue the application process to ensure that candidates have:

• Not used, transported, or purchased an illegal controlled substance in the last 5 years
• Not handled or sold a controlled substance
• Are not currently on probation
• Never been convicted of a felony offense
• Never been convicted of a crime of domestic violence, misdemeanor or otherwise
• Never been convicted of perjury or false statement
• Never been discharged or resigned under threat of discharge from any law enforcement position
• Never been charged with driving or boating under the influence of alcohol within past five years
• Not been cited with traffic violations involving the refusal to submit to a breath/blood/urine test within five years
• No more than four moving violations within the past three years

Academic Credentials: Completion of high school or GED is required. The completion of an Associate’s degree from an accredited college or university OR completion of 60 semester hours from an accredited college or university OR completion of an Associate’s degree from a Technical College is required. Georgia’s State Human Resources Department would like all applicants to note that that certificates and/or accumulated hours without an Associate’s degree do not qualify.

Additional Requirements: POST Entrance exam test scores (ASSET or COMPASS)

POST and WRD Training for Conservation Rangers

POST Basic Training:

• Georgia Criminal Law
• Accident investigation
• Driving techniques including situational control, pursuit and evasion
• Extensive Firearms training
• First responder emergency protocols for fire and medical emergency
• Homeland security
• Information systems
• Officer survival
• Laws of arrest, evidence, and search and seizures

WRD Field Training Officer (FTO) Program

12 weeks of mentorship, classroom and practical training from colleagues and senior officers

DNR Academy

• Fish and wildlife conservation laws
• Land navigation and GPS usage
• Water safety survival
• Human tracking
• Vessel Operation
• Species ID

Field Training

• Division of Fish and Wildlife-specific training and orientation
• Hunting, fishing, and boating regulations and statutes
• Performing vessel safety and violation checks
• Environmental crimes
• Small boat operations
• Extensive field training
• Probationary field-training period
• 6 months

Additional Training

• Annual in-service training updates consisting of a minimum of 20 hours each year are required.
• Additionally, advanced training opportunities are available to Georgia’s Conservation Rangers such as:
  • S. Coast Guard National Boating School
  • Federal Marine Law Enforcement Training Program
  • FBI National Academy and Command College.

Interview: Candidates will have an oral interview to evaluate experience and knowledge in the areas of hunting, fishing, boating and related outdoor activities. Outward appearance and deportment may be assessed.

Polygraph Test: A series of questions detailing past experience with substance abuse and criminal activity will be asked of the applicant

Medical evaluation: The candidate’s vision, hearing, ENT, cardiovascular, respiratory, gastrointestinal, rectal, hernia, genital/urinary, back and neck, extremities, nervous system, emotional stability, and laboratory analysis will be evaluated.

Psychological Condition: The applicant must be in suitable psychological and emotional health as evaluated by a state physician

Hearing: The applicant must be able to hear in ‘normal’ settings and be without significant hearing loss.

Vision: The applicant must have better than 20/40 corrected binocular vision with a visual field of 160+ degrees. Candidates cannot be red/green color blind.

Physical Readiness: Georgia applicants must successfully complete a physical readiness test showing that he or she is able to complete:

• ¾ mile run
• ¾ mile obstacle run
• Swim test – applicants must be able to swim 50-yards fully clothed

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities, and Desired Qualifications

• Demonstrate professional command of English that includes attention to grammar, spelling, punctuation, vocabulary, and composition; reading and comprehension for oral and verbal communication will be evaluated
• Demonstrate effective use of mathematics including advanced arithmetic, basic accounting, estimating, and data collection
• Demonstrate any Receptive and expressive bilingual skills.
• Knowledge of current principles and practices of wildlife management, law enforcement, psychology or other branches of the law
• Computer spreadsheet, word processing, email, GIS, and database knowledge in a networked environment is required; the state uses bespoke programs for training and information delivery
• Ability to take and follow orders and work under stress.
• Ability to gather information by interviewing people.
• Ability to use reasoning and judgment to make quick decisions on routine matters without immediate supervision.
• Facility with media devices with the intent to create a presentation or participate in training
• Effectively operate and negotiate a 4-wheel drive vehicle on rugged terrain
• Effectively utilize boats, snowmobiles, and ATVs for patrol and pursuit
• Effectively use firearms and train others on firearm usage and safety
• Professional development or college courses in psychology, law enforcement, sociology, natural resources management or wildlife management

Salaries for Conservation Rangers with the Georgia Department of Natural Resources

The Georgia Department of Natural Resources Law Enforcement Division shows the starting salary for new wardens to be $41,236.08 as of 2017. Wardens receive a salary bump in regular intervals throughout their careers and are also eligible for additional increases based on job performance. The DNR also offers a number of benefits to its game wardens, ranging from health and other types of insurance to tax-deferred compensation and retirement.

The Georgia Department of Labor reported that game wardens with several years of experience under their belt would typically earn $46,944 ($22.57 hourly). Salary data from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics indicated that the average salary for game wardens in Georgia rose by 13% between 2015 and 2016.

The US Bureau of Labor Statistics also indicated that game wardens in the Atlanta area earned exceptionally high salaries, exceeding the state average warden salary by 18%.

Georgia Law Enforcement Division

2070 U.S. Hwy. 278, SE
Social Circle, GA 30025
Phone: (770) 918-6408
http://www.gadnrle.org