fatfootdoc Report post Posted May 4, 2007 Why do you think I did not move back to Flagstaff when I was done with residency and med school. Too many California rejects who moved to Flag to get away from it all, only to try to make it more like where they came from!!!! ag Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cmc Report post Posted May 4, 2007 I think you hit our problem right on the head. I noticed something about the people in the Dept. Durring the awards presentation a whole lot of them were hired right out of school from California. The California wave is coming. I know our own WM in the Globe area was hired from Oregon. Never hunted, and didn't even know the area when she arrived. She seems like a descent person, but my problem is why not recruit and hire people from our own state. I am sure their are a lot of tree hugger attitudes coming along with these new recruits. They try, trust me, but lack of qualifying applicants from our home state is an issue. The bigger issue is pay. Compare a WM recruit to DPS recruit. The DPS officers pay right out of the academy is higher than a WM. in fact the department loses lots of qualified people after they join the academy when the recruits stat to talk bout what they get when they get out. I think the DPS even pays out extra if you live in rural area, WM's don't get that. Also remember that WM is not just a badge and gun. To me they have a much higher responsibility when you toss in caring for an entire GMU of wildlife, habitat, as well has to be a law enforcement. Part, cop, part biologist, and part habitat specialist. no offense to DPS folks but they don't have to plan time in their day to stop off and count leaves of grass to monitor forage as well worry if the next gut they pull over is going to try and kill them. Dive head first into a four day old sun rotten elk in July to try and recover a bullet. Granted one thing they have in common is that both of them will soon be hated by many residents of Az when they graduate and put on the uniform, which is a dam shame. No i ponder this often... I haven't seen websites bashing DPS officers as bad as folks bash WM's and their job... Yea sing me up for that job... I have the utmost respect for any LEO, be it DPS, WM, TPD, or whatever. you folks deserver so much more respect than you get. cmc Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DesertBull Report post Posted May 4, 2007 I was under the impression that the large increase in fees was to help with the pay rate, among other things. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
fatfootdoc Report post Posted May 5, 2007 A buddy of mine left here to be a game warden in Oregon and his starting salary was more than his boss's was in AZ and he was only 3 years from retirement!!! Key issue here is in Oregon the game wardens are actually state troopers and are paid as such. It is a shame that AZ does not do that. I wanted to work for game and fish until I found out the starting salary!! That changed my mind very quickly!! Think about it though, the guys and gals that really enjoy hunting are the last ones to want to work for AZGFD , you work darn near all the hunts! Where is the fun in that?! No wonder they are getting a bunch of non hunters as officers! AG Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cmc Report post Posted May 5, 2007 AZ wildlife managers are state commissioned peace officers. That's the same as a Phx police officer, a DPS officer and other police officers. same academy just a different uniform and department. about the only thing financially they have going for them is a rock solid retirement that isn't going anywhere. base requirements for WM's are a college degree in either wildlife or criminal justice. it's usually those that get the degree in criminal justice that jump ship to other agencies for better pay. cmc Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
muskrat Report post Posted May 5, 2007 Is it typical that states combine Wildlife Management functions with enforcement functions? In Maine and New Brunswick (my only other experiences) - game wardens were game wardens and wildlife managers were wildlife managers. I wonder if the current system in AZ is effective? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
