Nine Ohio DND Division of Wildlife officer cadets training

Columbus — The 33rd Ohio Wildlife Officer Training Academy is underway with nine cadets training to become wildlife officers for the Ohio DNR (ODNR) Division of Wildlife.

By the end of their training, these cadets will be ready to serve the public and play an essential role in the conservation of Ohio’s natural resources. These dedicated individuals will fill vacancies and ensure that each of Ohio’s 88 counties has an assigned wildlife officer.

The nine cadets were hired from a pool of more than 1,000 applicants and will complete 21 weeks of Ohio Peace Officer Basic Training and 10 weeks of specialized training from the Division of Wildlife. Training includes law enforcement procedures as well as skills for wildlife and fisheries management, communications, vehicle operations, advanced firearms, and self-defense.

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The newest Ohio wildlife officers, listed here with their hometowns, will graduate in March 2027 and be assigned to individual counties or serve in an at-large capacity in the wildlife districts.

Alec Bullard, Hamilton

Maison Carter, Millersburg

Skyler Hayes, Little Hocking

Tobias Hindman, Davenport, Iowa

Matthew Hullum, Findlay

Riley Jordan, Mount Gilead

Tyler Mox, Delphos

Owen Via, Pleasant Hill

Jonathan Wolfe, Long Bottom

Ohio wildlife officers have statewide authority to enforce wildlife regulations and protect state lands, waterways, and property. As state law enforcement officers, they contribute to public safety in their local areas and Ohio’s great outdoors. They also speak to hundreds of clubs and groups about conservation and wildlife programs, perform fish and wildlife conservation duties, and provide technical advice and instruction about wildlife management issues, hunting, fishing, and other outdoor related recreation.

For information on the Division of Wildlife and its programs, visit wildohio.gov. To learn more about Ohio wildlife officers, go to ohiodnr.gov/careers and click the Becoming an Ohio Wildlife Officer icon.