Home of the oldest statewide law enforcement agency, serving the citizens of West Virginia since February 1897. The Law Enforcement Section is primarily responsible for the enforcement of the game and fish laws and rules. Officers in the section carry on a continuing program of Hunter Education and Boating Safety Education, as well as enforce laws relating to littering, forestry, state parks, environmental/solid waste, pleasure boating, and whitewater rafting. 

Natural Resources Police Officers are the most visible of the division employees. A highly visible force of uniformed officers is a deterrent to violations of the natural resources laws. They also respond during times of emergency such as floods and other natural disasters, as well as assist the State Police during times of strife.

Game wardens in West Virginia work for the state’s Division of Natural Resources and are known as Natural Resources Police Officers. West Virginia lies entirely within the Appalachian Mountains, and the state boasts more than 50 state parks, state forests, and management areas. West Virginia’s combination of mountains, rivers, and plateaus creates a diversity of habitats and a beautiful place to live and work. Natural Resources Police Officers in West Virginia frequently work in tandem with special agents from the US Fish and Wildlife Service to protect the state’s animals and plants, because state and national natural resource areas and recreation areas overlap.

Natural Resources Police Officers in West Virginia also perform search and rescue operations, take part in natural or manmade disaster recovery, and even work undercover to apprehend wildlife violators. This creates significant challenges for West Virginia’s Natural Resources Police Officers. These officers must not only be highly proficient in law enforcement and rescue techniques, they must also be highly knowledgeable about West Virginia’s ecology and natural habitats. Therefore, the Division of Natural Resources sets the bar high for those it hires to be Natural Resources Police Officers.

Applicants with a thorough understanding of the requirements and application process for these positions will be better suited to present their relevant background and skillsets in the best light to enhance their chances of being chosen. Read on to determine which qualifications to showcase in order to become a successful game warden applicant.

You may contact the Law Enforcement Section by writing to the following address.

Law Enforcement Section
Division of Natural Resources
324 Fourth Ave
South Charleston, WV 25303
DNR.Law@wv.gov

Featured Articles

9 go-to lakes and streams to help you plan your Gold Rush trip

Nine easy-to-access Gold Rush stocking locations where you can cast your line for a last minute trip. With 50,000 golden rainbow trout, 68 stockings and a chance to win a lifetime fishing license, the West Virginia Gold Rush is the…

7 bucket list items to help you plan your Gold Rush trip

Explore West Virginia’s natural beauty and catch a prized golden rainbow trout with our ultimate Gold Rush fishing trip bucket list. The sixth annual West Virginia Gold Rush is March 28 – April 8. This exciting event offers anglers an…

Wildlife Resources Report: Sectional Meetings

2023 Sectional Meeting Regulation Proposals Questionnaire On this Feb. 15, 2023 edition of the WVDNR Wildlife Resources Report, Chris Lawrence of WV Metro News talks to WVDNR Wildlife Section Chief Paul Johansen about the annual sectional meetings on March 13…

Wildlife Resources Report: Deer Project

On this Feb. 15, 2023 edition of the WVDNR Wildlife Resources Report, Chris Lawrence of WV Metro News talks to Brett Skelley about a study on whitetail deer in three areas of the state to gauge what’s killing the deer…

Archery in the Schools provides inclusive program for kids to learn valuable life skills

After two years of not having an in-person state Archery in the Schools tournament to look forward to, students in West Virginia finally have something to be excited about. The state Archery in the Schools program, which returned to in-person…

French Creek Freddie Facts To Get You Ready For Groundhog Day

You might know French Creek Freddie as West Virginia’s most popular weather-predicting groundhog, but do you know the story of how Freddie started forecasting or how he got his name? Get ready for Groundhog Day celebration at the West Virginia…

Five ways you can help protect wild woodland box turtles

When was the last time you saw a box turtle in the wild? Did you, like so many of us, enjoy watching its slow, steady plod through the grass? Were you treated to the sight of a turtle stretching its…

WVDNR highlights habitat and stream restoration project in Monongahela Forest

GLADY, W.VA. — More than 2,000 acres of wildlife habitat in the Monongahela National Forest is being restored thanks to a collaborative project between the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources and United States Forest Service. The work is being…

What you can do to help West Virginia’s official butterfly

The next time you notice a monarch butterfly, with its brilliant orange and black wings rimmed with white dots, take a good long appreciative look. Monarchs used to number in the billions. Since 1976, the world population of monarch butterflies…

40,700 pounds of trout stocked in 38 waters throughout West Virginia

The year might be coming to an end, but there’s still plenty of fish to catch in West Virginia. In October, we stocked more than 40,000 pounds of trout in 38 waters around the state. The final trout stocking of…

Updated license system makes buying license and checking game easier

Buying a hunting and fishing license and checking game in West Virginia just got a lot easier thanks to our upgraded electronic licensing and game check system.

Second split of WV’s fall turkey season to open Oct. 25

West Virginia’s second split of the fall wild turkey hunting season will open in select counties on Oct. 25. The first fall season, which included all 55 counties, opened on Oct. 9 and closed on Oct. 17. “The first week…