Chasing and catching “bad guys”: The game warden's prey

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Abstract
This paper is a descriptive analysis of the most dangerous aspect of the job of game warden: the apprehension of poachers. Based on data from interviews with 31 game wardens, the author describes the actions of game wardens in attempting to enforce wildlife conservation laws. Extensive quotes from interviews with game wardens are presented. The analysis is focused around their responses to several guiding questions regarding those characteristics that distinguish poachers in terms of probability of apprehension. These include (1) experience in poaching, (2) the number of people with whom the poacher works, (3) remaining seclusive, (4) geographic mobility, and (5) hunting in a familiar area. Additional questions were intended to facilitate the description of the law enforcement aspect of the warden's job. Comparisons between game wardens and urban police officers are made, including the dangers of the job and the use of informants.

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