Department of Conservation to offer virtual ‘A Day in the Life of a Conservation Agent’ class Feb. 24

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What’s it like to be a Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) agent? Join Perry County Conservation Agent Chris Doran for a virtual in-depth presentation of his not-so-typical workday during “Conservation Careers: A Day in the Life of a Conservation Agent,” a free virtual program on Wednesday, Feb. 24 at 6 p.m.

Doran will tell his story of the joys and challenges of protecting Missouri’s fish, forests, and wildlife as a licensed peace officer. For him, a day at the office usually begins around sunrise and sometimes lasts long after sunset. He spends little time at his desk, but a lot of time in a truck, in the woods, or in a boat.

Advance registration is recommended and can be completed online here.

“Conservation agents are the law enforcement officers for the agency,” Doran said. “They are responsible for enforcing a wide range of laws related to conservation and public safety.”

The duties of a conservation agent are almost always interesting, vary with the season, and are sometimes risky. During warmer months, he may check fishing permits, catch a violator operating an illegal net, or arrest a person who is using an electrical device to take fish illegally.

His duties related to hunting are generally performed during colder months, and the workload and responsibilities are determined by the needs of his assigned county. Some agents may primarily check waterfowl hunters, while others may work mostly with upland game hunters.

“My main objectives include enforcing laws pertaining to hunting, fishing, trapping, boating, habitat preservation and environmental protection,” he said, “and I’ll be talking about how I tackle those topics each day on the job during this program.”

You’ll also learn what risks are involved during law enforcement endeavors because violators are almost always armed, especially during hunting seasons, Doran said.

Questions about this event can be emailed to MDC Perry County Conservation Agent Chris Doran at Chris.Doran@mdc.mo.gov.

Virtual and in-person event registration:

The first step in registering for a program is creating a profile at www.mdc.mo.gov/southeastevents. Once a profile is created and event registration is complete, additional details about programs will be sent via email. If you’re having difficulty registering online, you may contact the phone registration vendor at 1-888-283-0364. Event call center hours are Monday – Friday, from 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. This phone number is for event registration only.

Information about age-specific monthly programs can be found online at www.mdc.mo.gov/southeastevents.