Hunting season is back in our area, and it’s also a busy time for the state’s game commission as they train new game wardens. Gary Sinderson has the story of one man following in his father’s footsteps and his own dream to become one.
At 22 years old, Blaine Groshek is where he wants to be outdoors, training to be a game warden.
“So I grew up there and, you know, hunting, fishing, growing up in the outdoors. My life revolved around that. You know, that’s just how it was.”
Grosheks current office is also his vehicle
“To get traffic traffic for 318.”
After graduating from Penn State, where he interned with the game commission, Groshek first went to the commission’s classroom training.
“We’ve learned wildlife management, habitat management, law, law enforcement.We learned to shoot. We learn to drive. We learn to do everything.”
Now the training has him out in the field with supervision from other game wardens, making checks, talking to hunters.
“Oh yeah, I down there on. Yeah, yeah.”
You know, at a time when the game commission’s visibility is heightened, game wardens are among their most visible employees enforcing wildlife and conservation laws. Groshek’s father was a game warden, and Groshek stresses.
When they’re working with hunters and others, wardens are also educators.
“It’s great that they are out here enjoying the resource, and I’m doing things right and that’s what we want to see. That’s the ultimate goal. Education law enforcement is voluntary compliance with the law, especially some as highly regulated as hunting.You know, it’s a very highly regulated sport just for because we use it as a wildlife management tool.”
