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My dream as an elementary student was to become a game warden some day. (at my 30th H.School reunion some years ago, I was reminded of this by former schoolmates!) A person who made a difference in this decision was our local Pennsylvania Game Protector in Dauphin County. The year was 1965 or '66 when I was 13 or 14. My friends and I played ice hockey on a pond in the middle of a local game refuge, posted of course with many No Trespassing signs. The pond was about ½ mile inside the refuge. We found a dead deer, frozen into the ice, and thought that we should tell SOMEBODY...like the local game protector. Of course, I was chosen and made the call. Fully expecting to have him chew me out and show up at our home to arrest me as I 'confessed' our trespass, I was very happy to have a calm discussion with him. He thanked me for the information, advised me that it was dangerous to ice skate on such a remote pond where no one might ever find us if we got in trouble, and encouraged me in my love of the outdoors. I don't know his name and never met him. But, that day confirmed in my heart that I would become a 'game protector' too. I've never forgotten his even-tempered approach, calm demeanor, and desire to help a young man when he could have verbally let me have it. It took many years to attain that goal, but I believe his example has helped me as I have dealt with the public daily for the past 25 years.
Sincerely,
Captain Doug Huckins
Calif. Dept. of Fish and Game
Monterey, CA
In the
early 1990s, the idea of a museum was introduced as a way 
for the profession
to honor its fallen officers.
As time went on, and as the public and media became increasingly interested in the work we do, it occurred to us that we had not one, but two missions: not only to honor the profession's heroes, but to educate the public about them.
The museum building and programs are being created with
those two primary goals in mind.
“We believe that by educating the public about natural resource protection, we can help create better conservationists across this continent.”
“By introducing the heroes of our profession, especially those who have given their lives in the line of duty, we can make the matter of natural resource protection real, immediate and personal to our visiting public.”
In the 1990s, initial response to the Museum project and
early fundraising efforts were successful, so as the new millennium approached,
we forged ahead. With a temporary museum facility positioned in a beautiful
spot in the heart of the North American continent, our dream started
becoming a reality.
| The International Peace Garden on the Manitoba/North Dakota border was selected as the site for our museum for its natural beauty, central North American location and recognition as an international tourism destination. |
Initially,
our Game warden Museum site included a small temporary exhibit building
and a "discovery trail" that
wound through an aspen forest, past wildflower beds and a waterfall and
around Lake Udahl. Officers who have fallen in the line of duty were
honored along the walk. With the help of our partners we also installed
our first major indoor exhibit 
and a learning platform on the lake.
Within the first few years of the effort and with just a small temporary
facility,
we attracted visitors from around the world, hosted guest speakers and
wildlife professionals and completed five seasons of summer conservation
programs for children.
With
the success and growth we experienced, the museum quickly outgrew its
temporary facility. After 12 years' planning and fundraising, we
began working on the final points of the permanent Museum's Phase I construction
plan with our architects. As of mid-2004, we had raised 70% of our Phase
I fundraising goal of $500,000. Construction on the permanent site commenced
in the summer of 2004.
Seeing
steady progress, even through a series of weather delays, Phase I
of the Game Warden Museum permanent building started taking shape.
Game
Warden Museum Celebration Day, hosted July 21, 2004 at the International
Peace Garden, was a benchmark in the
profession's and museum's history. More than 400 conservation officers,
their families
and other honored guests gathered near the museum construction site
to celebrate and dedicate the project.
As of January 2005, construction on Phase I of the Game
Warden Museum permanent building is nearing completion and the project
has reached 80% of its phase I fundraising goal.
To
continue recognizing the profession's heroes, fallen officer monuments
are being
created – one
for each jurisdiction in the US and Canada – and installed in the
Memorial Garden on the museum grounds.
Champions
of our profession such as officers of the year, life-saving heroes,
rescue award recipients
and others will be celebrated for their achievements throughout the facility
and in our programming. Individual efforts may also be recognized through
the sponsorship of engraved paving stones.
We are
actively pursuing 100% participation in the museum's Fallen Officer
Memorial project by all
Canadian and US Conservation Enforcement jurisdictions to help support
the completion of the memorial cairns. A primary public fundraising
effort is underway promoting the sponsorship of 500 paving stones – meeting
this goal will nearly cover the remaining costs of the Phase I building
project and create 500 additional opportunities for individuals to be
honored.
I'd like to sponsor a Paving Stone
We look forward to our first full season of operation in
2005, running from June 1st through August 20th, Thursday through Monday
from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm.
We anticipate the Game Warden Museum becoming the centralized collection point for significant items from the profession: vintage uniforms, vehicles and vessels, decoys and badges and a range of tools used in Wildlife enforcement are among the items we are assembling. The museum will also collect and catalog both historic and contemporary photos in a comprehensive image archive of the profession. The museum will house and preserve these items for the profession and use them in exhibits to educate the public.
Our long term vision includes the development of a fund for additional conservation protection projects such as an annual scholarship program, inter-agency training curricula and a visiting officer program.
In meeting its primary goals, the North American Game Warden
Museum also meets other important needs:
:- creates a centralized information
resource for media and the public
:- houses the archives for the profession
:- establishes an institution for
the development of a vital profession
With
the help of Conservation Officers across North America and our dedicated
public and corporate supporters, the Game Warden Museum's range of programs,
exhibits and other resources will be continually expanded with the goal
of CELEBRATING NATURAL RESOURCE PROTECTION.