January 2025 - 10

NEWS
Afton Senior Game Warden James Hobbs works on a moose capture. Hobbs was named the 2024 Shikar-Safari Wildlife Officer of the Year for Wyoming. (WGFD photo)
Hobbs named 2024
Wildlife Officer of the Year
CHEYENNE - Afton Senior Game
Warden James Hobbs was named the 2024
Shikar-Safari Wildlife Officer of the Year for
Wyoming. The award, given annually in every
state and Canadian province by Shikar-Safari
Club International, honors a wildlife officer
whose efforts during the year display outstanding
performance and achievement.
" James represents and exemplifies a Wyoming
game warden and the Wyoming Game
and Fish Department, " said Brad Hovinga,
Game and Fish wildlife supervisor in the
Jackson Region. " As a passionate wildlife
manager, a relentless law enforcement officer
and a true spokesman for his community
and the department, James is a pillar of the
community and everything a Wyoming game
warden should be. "
Hobbs has been with Game and Fish for
17 years and was named the game warden in
Afton in 2016. Hobbs began his Game and
10 | January 2025
Fish career as a game warden trainee in the
Sheridan Region in 2007. He spent one year
as a warden in Alpine and then was the game
warden in Lovell for five years. Hobbs also
worked for the Idaho Department of Fish
and Game in Idaho Falls prior to coming
to Wyoming.
" Receiving this award is a humbling experience.
So many excellent officers before me
have received this award, and I am honored
to be included in their ranks, " Hobbs said.
" Receiving it makes me want to strive to be
even better and work harder for the protection
of wildlife, which is what matters most.
This accomplishment would not have been
possible without other team members, prior
and current mentors and the hunting public
who I work so closely with. Thank you for
the recognition. "
Hobbs has inspired other wardens with his
work ethic and dedication to wildlife and his
relationship with his community. He also has
built a reputation as a strong law enforcement
officer in the pursuit of apprehending wildlife
violators.
" He has the amazing ability to recognize
when a situation warrants a heavy-handed
approach to a chronic poacher, or a lighter
educational experience where the benefit of
the doubt is given and a valuable learning
experience takes place, " Hovinga said.
In 2024, Hobbs put together a residency
case that led to the illegal taking and seizure
of several trophy big game animals. The fines,
restitution and incarceration time were considerable
penalties for this wanton wildlife
violator.
Hobbs has worked closely with other
department personnel for nearly a decade
managing and educating the public about the
Wyoming Range mule deer herd.
- Robert Gagliardi, WGFD

January 2025

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of January 2025

January 2025 - 1
January 2025 - 2
January 2025 - 3
January 2025 - 4
January 2025 - 5
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https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/january-2025
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/december-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/october-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/september-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/august-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/july-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/june-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/wyoming-wildlife-may-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/april-2024-e-edition
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/march-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/february-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/january-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/december-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/october-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/september-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/august-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/july-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/june-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/may-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/april-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/march-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/february-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/january-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/december-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/october-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/september-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/august-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/july-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/june-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/may-iak-special-issue
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/april-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/march-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/february-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/january-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/dec-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/october-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/september-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/august-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/july-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/june-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/may-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/april-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/march-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/february-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/January2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/December2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/September2020
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