The Trail Less Traveled: Trail takes a turn

Published 11:07 pm Thursday, November 13, 2014

“Writers don’t retire; I will always be a writer.” — Andy Rooney

Well, boys and girls, I hung it up. I hung my uniform shirt on the kitchen chair for the last time. After more than 36 years with the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources, Law Enforcement Section, I put in my papers and officially retired in October. If I told you that it was easy to write those words, I would be lying to you big time.

I have always said that law enforcement officers and military personnel are often very guilty of falling into the “what we do becomes who we are” syndrome. I am sure that I was as guilty of that as anyone who has ever worn a uniform. There are dozens of people who have never known me as anything else but the conservation officer, the game warden, the guy they call when there is a problem with game law problems. (And a lot of other things you wouldn’t believe.)

But as painful as it might be, I started to see the other side of it.

“Well gee, Larry, how long are you going to work?”

The big issue that made it possibly harder for me to hang it up than some others is this — I worked with absolutely the best bunch of guys anyone could ask for. I mean, the natural resources police officers in the district where I was captain are the best there is. They are professionals and they get the job done every day with never enough pay and usually not the credit due to them. I want to say it was my honor and privilege to work with them every day.

So you could say, “Larry, that is good and all, but what has this got to do with an outdoors column about hunting and fishing?”

Well, it has been my experience that when it comes to game law enforcement, sportsmen for the most part want to hear about the endeavors of officers in the field. (We will explore more “game warden stories” in the future if the readers and the editors want.) There was a time friends, when I lived that. There was a time in my career, before I got into more administration, that I was what my guys in the field called a “real game warden.”

Like officers everywhere, I went through all the years of calls to go out in the middle of the night, dealing with crazy people and crazy animals, as well as some weather and conditions that would not be rated as “nice.” I know that many in the public still do not really know what conservation officers and game wardens actually do on the job, and I sure didn’t when I started in 1978.

Believe it or not, I saw a lot of death, and it was not until years later that I began to realize that maybe I was not 8 feet tall and bulletproof, and that these things do affect you. Please don’t take this the wrong way. There are lots of conservation officers and other police officers out there who went through more than me, but I saw my share.

I want to make it clear, however, that I worked through any hardships on the job on my own free will and I always felt I had the best job anyone could have. I was intricately involved in what I loved: hunting, fishing and wildlife conservation. I felt then, and still do, that if you loved the outdoors and wanted to be in law enforcement, this was the job to be in.

Since there is never enough time or space when we have our little chats, I want to leave you with this before we go. I want you — the sportsmen, the hunters and fishermen out there — to think about something. If you do any outdoor activities in your state, the conservation officer, game warden, ranger, whatever you call them, should be one of your best friends.

That’s right! I say you need to get to know the officers that work your area. If you don’t know them, call them. Maybe you can actually meet sometime and have a cup of coffee.

This relationship can be mutually beneficial. He can tell you things about game and places to go in your area, and I can almost guarantee you know things he will want hear.

Now friends, I know this area can be complicated. Some of you out there say you have had a “bad day with the game warden.” Please remember that it is impossible to enforce the law and make everybody happy. Wildlife law enforcement officers are human and have bad days like you and everyone else. I don’t think it does any good to hold this against them for the rest of your life.

So I am going to continue down this trail we talked about when I started this column. Looking at the quote up there some of you probably think it is presumptuous of me to now think of myself as a writer, and you may be right, but if I am not a writer, let’s just say I want to strive to be one.

I have told everyone that I didn’t retire to sit in a rocking chair.

Maybe in 20 years or so — but not now.

“The Trail Less Traveled” is written by Larry Case, who lives in Fayette County, W.Va. He has been a devoted outdoorsman all of his life and is a contributing columnist for The Daily Citizen. You can write to him at larryocase3@gmail.com.