COLUMBUS – The 33rd Ohio Wildlife Officer Training Academy is underway with nine cadets training to become wildlife officers for the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Wildlife, including one with local roots.
Riley Jordan hails from Mount Gilead.
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 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, Ohio
- Maison Carter, Millersburg, Ohio
- Skyler Hayes, Little Hocking, Ohio
- Tobias Hindman, Davenport, Iowa
- Matthew Hullum, Findlay, Ohio
- Riley Jordan, Mount Gilead, Ohio
- Tyler Mox, Delphos, Ohio
- Owen Via, Pleasant Hill, Ohio
- Jonathan Wolfe, Long Bottom, Ohio
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.