by Sarah Craighead Dedmon

Washington County game wardens have made statewide front-page news this year, playing vital roles in the rescue of a missing Cutler man in January, and then in the rescue of two Topsham women in February. 

Next week, anyone with an interest in joining their ranks can learn more at a Maine Game Wardens recruitment meeting to be held at 6 p.m. on Monday, April 10, at the University of Maine at Machias.

Who should attend and learn more?

“Anybody interested in protecting and preserving the natural resources in our state,” said Maine Game Warden Sgt. Josh Beal. “You don’t need a college degree, you need to be 21 years of age and have a high school diploma or GED; there isn’t an age limit so that you can be hired at any age.”

Game wardens, says Beal, enforce what are known as “Title 12” laws.

“Those are laws that address hunting, fishing, trapping, recreational vehicle laws, ATVs, boats, and snowmobiles,” Beal said. “We’re also responsible for all the search and rescue within the state and inland waters.”

Across the state of Maine, the warden service plans to hire about eight new wardens. There is currently one vacancy in Washington County, with several more expected to open up in the next three to five years. 

Attendees at next week’s meeting can expect to learn about the warden service’s hiring process and extensive training program, which begins with attending Maine’s Police Academy for 18 weeks, followed by 12 weeks in Advanced Warden School. After that, new wardens attend a 12-week field training program that takes them to different regions across the state, including Machias. This year, new wardens will train here April 17.

“The wardens that are there will tell a little bit about their story, what got them interested in the service, and their experiences,” said Beal. “There will be an open forum for questions and answers and plenty of time for people to mingle after and ask more specific questions.”

Pre Registration for next week’s event is encouraged but not mandatory. Interested attendees can register here https://tinyurl.com/3wdaanh4.

“Whether they’re a teenager or a college-age person, or maybe somebody who used to think they wanted to be a game warden but now they’re in their mid-thirties and in a career, we’d encourage anyone who is interested to attend,” Beal said.