I think one of the coolest jobs ever is being a Texas Game Warden, but I could never do it because I have issues seeing colors (and being able to distinguish red from green is a requirement).

If you’ve ever dreamt about spending your time in the woods protecting our natural resources then you need to get your application in now.  I mean right now.  Go do it.

http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/business/jobs/postings/game_warden_cadet/

But before you throw your name in the hat to attend the Game Warden Academy you need to know there are a few requirements that must be met first.

You must have a Bachelors Degree, be drug free, and pass a background check.  The minimum age to begin training is 21 and there is no maximum age. So, all of you cubicle dwellers in your mid-30′s dreaming of a job outside can apply without fear of rejection due to age…but you can be rejected because you’re physically unfit.  To be blunt, if you’re reading this while sitting in a pile of Twinkie wrappers, it’s been decades since you’ve done any “ups” (push-ups, chin-ups, sit-ups…), and you can’t remember the last time you ran more than 20 yards then there is a good chance you won’t make the cut.  Yes, they will check this.  You can’t come rolling in and expect them to take your word for it that you stopped training for the Ironman Triathlon to be a game warden.  They actually make you run a specific distance in a certain amount of time, swim (again a specific distance in a certain amount of time), and do some other halfway athletic stuff.  So get in shape.

I won’t go through all the requirements since you can read them at the above link but in a nutshell you need to be an educated individual, who is physically fit, with good communication skills and a desire to work in law enforcement before you will be accepted into the 30 week training program.  That’s right, 30 weeks.  This isn’t some weekend survival camp where they teach you how to tell the difference between berries you can eat and those than can kill you.  There is some dedication involved, which is the way it should be.  It would be irresponsible for the state to just hand you a gun, a badge, and a fish identification book then send you on your way.

If you want to see some of what a game warden has put up with on a regular basis then check out their notes at the link below.  Hopefully none of you reading this are in them.

http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/newsmedia/releases/?req=20120201c&nrtype=all&nrspan=2012&nrsearch=