October 10, 2005

The job of South Carolina's natural resources law enforcement officers has expanded since the first appointment of county wardens in 1905, but the essential work ethic has remained the same: protecting and conserving South Carolina's natural resources. This year marks the 100th anniversary of game and fish law enforcement in the Palmetto State.

No real game laws were passed in South Carolina until the 1890's and even then there were no effective provisions for enforcement. A bill was signed into South Carolina law in 1905 that provided for each of the state's forty-six counties to have game wardens. This was one of the early steps away from the mindset that natural resources are an inexhaustible crop to conserving resources for future generations.

Under the 1905 law, game wardens, with names like L.P. Reeves of Reevesville in Dorchester County, Henry Buck of Marion and Bright Williamson of Darlington were tasked with the, "...protection of game, game birds and insectivorous birds..."

One of the major tasks of early game wardens was getting convictions for non-resident hunters and anglers - there was no provision for a resident license at the time of the 1905 law. A law had been passed in 1892 requiring non-resident licenses, but few people had ever bothered to purchase one. Game wardens drew no salary, but received one half of the fines they collected and one half of the fees of the non-resident licenses they sold and as might be expected, law enforcement improved.

"Numerous improvements in hiring and oversight have come about over the years and now a South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (DNR) law enforcement officer has a wide array of responsibilities," says Colonel Alvin Taylor, DNR deputy director for law enforcement. "Officers certainly investigate everything from violations of game laws to littering, but their emphasis is also on education and conservation."

Before assuming their duties, new officers must complete an eight-week course at the Criminal Justice Academy plus an additional five weeks of intensive DNR field training. Upon completion of the training, officers are also proficient in firearms safety and defensive driving.

South Carolina has about 200 full-time natural resources enforcement officers who patrol more than 31,000 square miles of the state's lands and inland waters. Officers also patrol 750 miles of tidal shoreline and marine waters, to the state's territorial boundary 3 miles offshore and beyond on special federal assignments.

Throughout the state's 46 counties, DNR officers oversee laws and regulations pertaining to more than 390,000 registered boats, some half-million licensed hunters and anglers and the multi-million dollar coastal fishing industry. Officers enforce Wildlife Management Area regulations and statewide litter laws, instruct hunter and boating education, conduct statewide search and rescue operations and perform community service.