Fish and Game Wardens

Doing volunteer work at a fish and wildlife facility is a good way to get some experience in this field and to determine whether you would like to pursue a career in the area. Of course, it would be ideal to volunteer for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, but serving with other environmental agencies (as well as environmental organizations) can be very useful as well. College students—and even students at select high schools—can apply for formal internships with various wildlife agencies. These can usually provide college (or possibly high school) credit and may even pay a small stipend.

Those who are in sixth grade through age 20 can participate in the Learning for Life program (https://www.exploring.org), which is affiliated with Scouting America (formerly the Boy Scouts of America). Participants in its Law Enforcement Exploring program learn about policing through classroom training and hands-on activities. Both young men and women may participate.

Participate in information interviews and job-shadowing experiences with fish and game wardens to learn more about the field. Ask your school counselor for help setting up these experiences.