Since 1974, Game Warden applicants must have earned a four-year college education with core courses in life sciences and be able to pass POST pre-employment testing prior to making application for a Game Warden position. The hiring process consists of meeting minimum qualifications plus department testing, oral interviews, and an extensive background investigation - review basic duties and job qualifications. During their first year, new wardens must also successfully attend the 12-week Montana Law Enforcement Academy Basic Peace Officer Training, and then successfully complete a 12-week MFWP Field Training and Evaluation Program. In this program, select senior wardens, trained and certified as Field Training Officers, put the new hires through a structured and rigorous program that introduces, teaches, and objectively evaluates critical skills, knowledge and abilities necessary and specific to the game warden profession. Only after successful completion of the above training programs, as well as receiving satisfactory quarterly performance evaluations during their probationary year, do new hires receive their appointment as a Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks Warden.
Game Wardens are sworn and commissioned Peace Officers within their scope of authority. That authority includes Titles 23 (parks & recreation, which includes boating, snowmobile and off-highway vehicle), 37 (outfitters and guides), and in some instances certain 45 (general crimes), 77 (state lands) and 87 (fish and wildlife), plus littering under Title 75 (environmental protection) - review MCA and ARM. By Memorandum of Agreement, Montana Game Wardens are under appointment as Deputy U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Special Agents and may enforce appropriate sections of the Code of Federal Regulations under the terms of the agreement. Many wardens are also reserve deputy sheriffs in the counties where they work and play a significant role in terms of the trained law enforcement personnel available to assist other law enforcement officers in rural areas.
Today the Law Enforcement Division of the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife & Parks is comprised of 70 District Fish and Game Wardens, 11 Warden Sergeants, seven (7) Warden Captains, two (2) Regional Investigators, four (4) Investigators and one (1) Investigator Supervisor, three (3) Enforcement Program Managers and one (1) Chief or Administrator. In addition, the division currently has five unsworn personnel: two (2) Program Specialists, and three (3) Administration Support personnel. There are also several Conservation Specialists, Water Safety Officers and Warden Trainees, sworn and unsworn, that assist the division on a seasonal or as-needed basis.
The game warden’s job is extremely varied and interesting, however, like most law enforcement careers, it is very demanding and stressful. There are no work schedules or set days off and, statutorily, wardens are on duty 24 hours a day. Game wardens spend about 40 to 50 percent of their time on law enforcement-related tasks, but the percentages vary with the time of the year. The following is a fairly complete list of law enforcement-specific duties:
Other non-law enforcement duties may include:
