HISTORY OF WYOMING WILDLIFE LAW ENFORCEMENT

For a more complete history of the Wyoming wildlife law enforcement and management please read Neil Blair’s “The History of Wildlife Management in Wyoming”, 1985, WGFD.

1869 – 1st Wyoming Territorial Legislature passed a bill offering some protection and regulated the sale of fish and game, but set no limits.
1885 – 1st state fish hatchery built.
1899 – Albert Nelson named the first state game warden and served three years. Salary was set at $1,200/year from which he had to pay $3/day to deputy state game wardens.
1901 – D.C. Nowlin named second state game warden.
1903 – Hunting licensing system enacted.
1911 – State Game Commission established.
1921 – State Game & Fish Commission established.
1929 – Game and Fish Fund established and controlled by Commission. Commission given the authority to open and close seasons.
1937 – Game Wardens required to pass oral and written exams as hiring requirement. Game Warden housing established. Commission given more authority and autonomy.
1941 – Enforcement uniform officially adopted by Commission, which was a western style hat, boots and shirt with the antelope insignia designed by Ten Sleep Game Warden Archie Pendergraft on the left sleeve.
1947 – Commission approved rust colored shirt, black fore-in-hand necktie, Eisenhower jacket and Guy Weadick western hat for the dress uniform.
1949 – Game Wardens allowed to retire at 65 with a state retirement.
1952 – There were 31 Game Wardens employed.
1964 – Commission required B.S. degrees in game, range or natural resource management for Game Warden hiring requirement.
1965 – There were 44 Game Wardens employed.
1973 – Wyoming Game Wardens Association formed. Recodification of Game & Fish laws.
1974 – Biologists lost enforcement authority and all wildlife enforcement done by Game Wardens.
1975 – Game Wardens issued .357 magnum revolvers. New Game Wardens required to complete basic law enforcement training at the Wyoming Law Enforcement Academy in Douglas.
1980 – Wyoming Wildlife Protectors Association formed and a toll free phone number to report wildlife poaching was in operation.
2008 – There were 50 Game Wardens employed.
2013 – The Wyoming Game Warden Association turns 40!
2014 – There are 60 Game Wardens employed.

WYOMING STATE GAME WARDENS

Since the beginning, the State Game Warden has been in charge of wildlife management and enforcement in the State of Wyoming. Over time the position name has changed, but duties have remained essentially the same.

1899-1901 – Albert Nelson
1901-1910 – D.C. Nowlin
1911-1913 – D.F. Hudson
1914 – W.H. Seebohm
1915-1918 – Nate Wilson
1919-1920 – William Judkins
1921-1922 – Bruce Nowlin
1923-1924 – Frank Smith
1925-1926 – A.A. Sanders
1927-1930 – Bruce Nowlin
1931-1934 – Robert Hocker
1935-1936 – Andrew Martin
1937 – A.J. Martin
1938-1942 – Lester Bagley

1943-1944 – Jim Simpson
1945 – R.R. Rousseau
1946-1947 – Archie Pendergraft
1948-1952 – Charles Hanscum
1953-1958 – Norbert Faass
1958 – Fielding Peterson
1958-1963 – James White
1964-1965 – Earl Thomas
1966-1972 – Howard Robinson
1972-1989 – Rex Corsi
1989-2011 – Jay Lawson
2011-2019 – Brian Nesvik
2019-present – Rick King

WYOMING GAME WARDENS ASSOCIATION OFFICERS

The Association was formed in 1973 and in a tribute to the officers elected to lead the association and who kept the association an active participant in Wyoming wildlife law enforcement and worked for benefits for association members, we thank their efforts and dedication.

    

1973-1974
PRES Max Long
VP Dave Bragonier
S/T George Carson

1975-1976
PRES Chuck Ward
VP Duane Hyde
S/T Dennis Smith

1977-1978
PRES Terry Cleveland
VP Kay Bowles
S/T Gary Brown

1979-1980
PRES Ray Arzy
VP Chuck Thornton
S/T Chuck Repsis

1981-1982
PRES Chuck Oakley
VP Ernie Wampler
S/T Doug Crawford

1983-1984
PRES Chuck Repsis
VP Tim Britt
S/T Terry Cram

1985-1986
PRES Dave Avey
VP Jay Lawson
S/T Tom Varcalli

1987-1988
PRES Bill Haley
VP Rick Pallister
S/T John Demaree

1989-1990
PRES Rick Pallister
VP Lin Bashford
S/T John Demaree

1991-1992
PRES Bernie Holz
VP Jerry Longobardi
S/T John Demaree

1993-1994
PRES Dave Hays
VP Tim Fagan
S/T John Demaree

1995-1996
PRES Tim Fagan
VP Joe Gilbert
S/T Tim Fuchs
TREAS John Demaree

1997-1998
PRES Joe Gilbert
VP Scott Norelius
S/T Tim Fuchs
TREAS John Demaree

1999-2000
PRES Scott Norelius
VP Ron Iversen
S/T Tim Fuchs
TREAS John Demaree

2001-2002
PRES Ron Iversen
VP Alan Osterland
S/T Tim Fuchs
TREAS John Demaree

2003-2004
PRES Roger Bredehoft
VP Todd Graham
S/T Tim Fuchs
TREAS John Demaree

2005-2006
PRES Todd Graham
VP Mark Nelson
S/T Tim Fuchs
TREAS John Demaree

2007-2008
PRES Mark Nelson
VP Brian Nesvik
S/T Tim Fuchs
TREAS John Demaree

2009-2010
PRES Brian Nesvik
VP Craig Smith
S/T Jason Sherwood
TREAS John Demaree

2011-2012
PRES Craig Smith
VP Irah Leonetti
S/T Jason Sherwood
TREAS John Demaree

2013-2014
PRES Irah Leonetti
VP Bill Robertson
S/T Jason Sherwood
TREAS John Demaree

2015-2016
PRES Bill Robertson
VP Kelly Todd
S/T Jason Sherwood
TREAS John Demaree

2017-2018
PRES Kelly Todd
VP Daniel Beach
SEC David Ellsworth
TREAS John Demaree

2019-2020
PRES Daniel Beach
VP Teal Cufaude
SEC David Ellsworth
TREAS John Demaree

2021-2022
PRES Teal Cufaude
VP Kim Olson
SEC Kristen DaVanon
TREAS D.K.

1974-1975
PRES Dave Bragonier
VP Ernie Wampler
S/T Terry Cleveland

1976-1977
PRES Duane Hyde
VP Bob Sexton
S/T Tom Toman

1978-1979
PRES Jim Oudin
VP Ray Arzy
S/T Gary Shorma/Tim Britt

1980-1981
PRES Chuck Thornton
VP Chuck Oakley
S/T Dennis Almquist

1982-1983
PRES Chuck Repsis
VP Tim Britt
S/T Terry Cram

1984-1985
PRES Dave Avey
VP Jay Lawson
S/T Tom Varcalli

1986-1987
PRES John Talbott/Bill Haley
VP Bill Haley/John Demaree
S/T Bob Trebelcock/John Demaree

1988-1989
PRES Rick Pallister
VP Lin Bashford
S/T John Demaree

1990-1991
PRES Kent Schmidlin/Bernie Holz
VP Bernie Holz/Jerry Longobardi
S/T John Demaree

1992-1993
PRES Dave Hays
VP Tim Fagan
S/T John Demaree

1994-1995
PRES Tim Fagan
VP Joe Gilbert
S/T John Demaree

1996-1997
PRES Joe Gilbert
VP Scott Norelius
S/T Tim Fuchs
TREAS John Demaree

1998-1999
PRES Scott Norelius
VP Ron Iversen
S/T Tim Fuchs
TREAS John Demaree

2000-2001
PRES Ron Iversen
VP Alan Osterland
S/T Tim Fuchs
TREAS John Demaree

2002-2003
PRES Roger Bredehoft
VP Todd Graham
S/T Tim Fuchs
TREAS John Demaree

2004-2005
PRES Todd Graham
VP Mark Nelson
S/T Tim Fuchs
TREAS John Demaree

2006-2007
PRES Mark Nelson
VP Brian Nesvik
S/T Tim Fuchs
TREAS John Demaree

2008-2009
PRES Brian Nesvik
VP Craig Smith
S/T Jason Sherwood
TREAS John Demaree

2010-2011
PRES Craig Smith
VP Rick King
S/T Jason Sherwood
TREAS John Demaree

2012-2013
PRES Irah Leonetti
VP Bill Robertson
S/T Jason Sherwood
TREAS John Demaree

2014-2015
PRES Bill Robertson
VP Kelly Todd
S/T Jason Sherwood
TREAS John Demaree

2016-2017
PRES Kelly Todd
VP Daniel Beach
S/T Jason Sherwood
TREAS John Demaree

2018-2019
PRES Daniel Beach
VP Teal Cufaude
SEC David Ellsworth
TREAS John Demaree

2020-2021
PRES Teal Cufaude
VP Bill Brinegar
SEC Kristen DaVanon
TREAS John Demaree

2022-2023
PRES Kim Olson
VP Dustin Shorma
SEC Kristen DaVanon
TREAS D.K.

Wyoming Game Warden Badges Through the Years - 1899-Present

Original Badges

    

Early Badges


Early Badge


1940s Badge


1990 Centennial Badge


1920s Badge


1960s Badge


Current Badge

Photos from the Past


1950s Group Photo


1950s Game Warden


Planting fish around Buffalo.


Field Uniform


Sid Clark, Laramie Game Warden


Chuck Ward, Casper Game Warden


Bob Brown, Wheatland Game Warden


1967 G&F Truck


Darwin Creek, Pinedale
Game Warden


1961 G&F Divers


Don Larson, Jackson
Damage Control Warden


Ernie Wampler, Jackson Enforcement Specialist


Bird Stocking – 1961


Les Donahue, Newcastle
Game Warden; Russ Pollard,
Douglas Enforcement Specialist


Pet Muchmore, Medicine
Bow Game Warden


Tom Toman, Torrington Game Warden (right)


Laramie Peak Bighorn Sheep Transplants 1969


1988 WGFD Confiscation Sale, Tim Britt Auctioneer


1950s Turkey Transplants


Bob Brown, Wheatland Game Warden


Early Antelope Census


Jim Arnoldi, Green River Supervisor (center), and Jim June, Green River Biologist (right)


John Aeschbach, Dayton Game Warden


Les Donahue, Newcastle Game Warden and Scott Norelius, Casper Damage Control Warden (right)


1972 Emergency Feeding Operation in Little Sandy near Farson


1972 Emergency Feeding Operation in Little Sandy near Farson


1972 Emergency Feeding Operation in Little Sandy near Farson


Beaver Trapping and Relocation in the 1950s


Early Elk Trapping and Transplanting


Early Elk Trapping and Transplanting

  
Dress Uniforms


Circa 1960s


Bill Dooley, Meeteetsee Game Warden


Ivan Bartels checking a Hunter


Dave Bragonier, Cody Game Warden


Bob Sexton, Laramie Enforcement Specialist


Doyle Thompson, Saratoga Game Warden


Fred Yeaman, Casper Supervisor (left)


John Hyde, Game Warden Trainee;
Jim Johnston, Sundance Game Warden;
Sid Clark, Moorcroft Game Warden


Paul Breed, Sheridan Game Warden


Ray Arzy, Kemmerer Game Warden


Tom Ward, Evanston Game Warden


Deer Trapping in the Beaver Hills, 1963, Terry Cleveland (left)


1988 Game Warden Aptitude Testing


Bob Ferguson, Medicine Bow & Cokeville Game Warden


Dubois Checkstation 1969


Harold Odde, Lander Damage Control Warden


Jim Oudin, Cody Wildlife Investigator


Kay Bowles, Dubois Game Warden (left), Darwin Creek, Jackson Supervisor


Scott Norelius, Sundance Game Warden


Game Wardens Gary Shorma, Jim Johnston, Walt Bond


1972 Emergency Feeding Operation in Little Sandy near Farson

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