Sayge Flores

SPCH 1321

February 10, 2020

Texas Game Warden

General Purpose: To inform

Specific Purpose: To inform my audience about the career field of a Texas Game warden

Central Idea: Although this job sounds like fun, enforcing the fish and wildlife laws demands a good education, diplomacy and experience.

INTRODUCTION

I. “There is no passion to be found in settling for a life less than the one you are capable of living”- Nelson Mandela. (Oral Citation 1) from the book Nelson Mandela By Himself: The Authorised Book of Quotations. This being said I personally believe we were not put on this earth to work a 9-5 job inside a tiny cubical all our life. Instead I feel it’s our duty to help make this world a better place for generations to come. (slide 2)

II. (Oral Citation 2) According to Texas Parks and Wildlife Game Wardens, often referred to as wildlife officers, conservation officers, or fish and game wardens, are recognized members of wildlife conservation teams. The primary job of these wildlife officers is to enforce all fish and wildlife laws, thereby ensuring that wildlife is conserved and managed and that poachers and other violators are brought to justice. How did I become interested in this career? Well, like many of people growing up in Texas I enjoyed hunting and fishing growing up and was lucky enough to grow up on a ranch that had multiple fishing ponds and an abundance of wild game (deer, doves, hogs etc.) As years went by my family started to lease out our ranch for hunting which lead to my first encounter with a Game warden and after talking with him for some time I knew that was the career I wanted to pursue! PREVIEW STATEMENT:

Today I’ll be sharing key information about my career. I’ll be giving you some background on the field of wildlife conservation, share what I learned from an interview with a local game warden, and talk briefly about the future of this career.(slide 3)

TRANSITION: Let’s get started by getting the background on this career field.

BODY

I. The Game Warden’s career has been around for over a hundred years.

A. (Oral Citation 3) An article on the Texas Parks and Wild website stated that in 1895 the legislature created the Fish and Oyster Commission to regulate fishing. This was the beginning of the Game Warden as a career. (slide 4)

B. The Game Department was not added to the commission until 1907.

C. The legislature placed authority for managing fish and wildlife resources in all Texas counties with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department when it passed the Wildlife Conservation Act in 1983. (slide5)

Transition: Now that you know some background, I would like to tell you about my interview with a local game warden.

II. I was lucky enough to interview via email Officer Greenwalt, the Johnson County Game Warden. slide 6)

A. He shared the path he took to get this job. (slide 7)

1. Earned bachelor’s degree in Biology

2. Started ride-alongs with local game wardens.

3. Applied many times and didn’t give up.

4. Checked on several four- year universities who had internships or ride-alongs built into their course requirements.

B. He told me about what he liked most and least about his job.(slide 8)

1. No typical days. No telling what calls will come in or what you will run into while on patrol.

2. Not an “8 to 5” job: the calls received and the time of year dictate when you should be working.

3. Many time being “on-call” requires some sacrifice on you and your family though. You may be required to work odd hours and holidays. When everyone else is not working, you will be busy.

C. He shared advice about pursuing this career. (slide 9)

1. Decide if you want to pursue a wildlife management job or a law enforcement job.

2. Work towards your bachelor’s and start ride-alongs.

Transition: Now that you have heard about my interview, let’s talk about the future as a Game Warden.

III. The future of the game wardens is secure. (Slide 10)

A. (Oral citation 4) According to Stephen L. Eliason’s article “Life as a Game Warden: the Good, the Bad and the Ugly,” game wardens are facing many changes in their jobs:

“Although the primary responsibilities of game wardens have historically been associated with the enforcement of fish and wildlife laws, mounting evidence suggests that wardens are becoming more like their traditional police counterparts because of the wide range of occupational responsibilities they are increasingly asked to assume.”(slide 11)

B. One thing that will never change in this job is the risk that each officer faces in law enforcement. (Oral citation 5) According to an article in the New York Times, a Texas man was executed for fatally shooting a game warden nine years ago. It was during a shootout after a 90-minute chase that began when he was suspected of poaching. James Freeman was suspected of illegally hunting at night in Wharton County, Texas when a game warden spotted him. (slide 12)

C. (Oral citation 6) According to Fish and Game Warden, an online text book, the average starting salary for a game warden is at its all-time high. New recruits can receive anywhere between $35,000 and $55,000 for their first year. This covers the seven-month-long academy program. (slide 13)

Transition: In conclusion, here is a brief review of what we talked about.

Conclusion

REVIEW I gave you some background on the field that is wildlife conservation / game warden. You heard some of the information from my interview with Officer Greenwalt, and finally I talked about the future of my career. (slide 14) II. After my interview, I have gained more motivation to continue pursuing this career. My plan after TCC is to transfer to A&M Kingsville where there is a game warden program. After I graduate from college with my degree in Wildlife Management, I plan on applying to the game warden academy. (slide15) My future life in the natural beauty of Texas’s public lands among the deer, the hogs, and many other creatures is my idea of heaven. I will be proud to protect our precious wild resources while bringing violators to justice. (slide 16)

Works Cited

Auerbach, Michael. Fish and Game Warden. N.p.: n.p., n.d. Great Neck Publishing, 04 Jan. 2013. Web. 6 Feb. 2016.

Eliason, Stephen L. Life as a Game Warden: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly. Number 3 ed. Vol. 13. N.p.: n.p., n.d. International Journal of Police Science & Management. 30 Apr. 2014. Web. 6 Feb. 2016.

Game Wardens Bust Centerville Poaching, Burglary Ring. 8th ed. Vol. 32. N.p.: n.p., n.d. Texas Fish & Game. Texas Fish & Game. 10 Dec. 2015. Web. 6 Feb. 2016.

“How to Become a Fish and Game Warden in Texas.” How to Become a Fish and Game Warden Conservation Officer. N.p., n.d. Web. 06 Feb. 2016.

Mandela, Nelson. Nelson Mandela By Himself: The Authorised Book of Quotations. London: Macmillan, 2011. Print.

“Texas Executes Man For Fatally Shooting Game Warden.” New York Times. N.p., 27 Jan. 2016. Web. 6 Feb. 2016.