Backroads Law - True Stories of South Dakota Game Wardens

How the Conservation Officers Trained the Commissioner

By Berdette Zastrow

Berdette Zastrow served on the Commission for South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks from 1987 – 1994, serving as chairperson in 1990. She was born and raised on a farm near Groton and then farmed with her husband, Bruce, at Columbia on the James River. She is an avid big game hunter and angler, and shares the tradition with four grandsons. After retiring from actively writing outdoor features for magazines and newspapers, she has written two books about her hunting adventures.

This story was published in INTERNATIONAL GAME WARDEN magazine, Winter 1993-94, near the end of Berdette’s time on the commission. It is reprinted with permission from the author.

“This button runs the siren, these are the special lights, this button runs this radio and that button runs that radio. Oh yeah, here’s the shotgun, remember it’s a pump, and here’s the .38 to put in your purse. Now remember the checklist on what to do if I get into trouble. OK, now we’re set—let’s go!”

While sitting in the conservation officer’s pickup with a look of overwhelming confusion and terror, off we went to find some deer “shiners.” And so, my “hands-on” training of “what it’s like to be a conservation officer” began.

When I was first appointed to the South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks Commission, I received a phone call from my local conservation officer inviting me to lunch. It was not a division director from our head office in Pierre, it was not anyone from our regional or district office who called me, it was the conservation officer (CO).

“Lunch” turned into a three-hour presentation of just some of the philosophies, reasons behind decisions, discussions of current issues, and a lot of time spent on officer duties. Was I bored? Heck no! I found it fascinating!

What was really incredible was the fact that officers chose their profession to enhance their love of the outdoors and wildlife, not for the money. I also remember a lot of time spent discussing “privatization of wildlife.” Having to deal with this issue ever since I started on the commission, I really learned to appreciate that first lecture. I soon found out that this conservation officer, and later, those in neighboring counties, were walking encyclopedias on wildlife and a ready resource for me on many issues.

At the time I was appointed, conservation officers were given the directive not to speak to commissioners, which was incomprehensible and unacceptable to me. How could commissioners get any firsthand field input? COs are the department, as far as the constituency is concerned. They are the ones who receive complaints, compliments, suggestions and ideas because they are “out and amongst ‘em.”

What better way to know what’s going on out in the field than contact with these “public receptors?”

Recognizing the background in wildlife they were giving me, I took advantage and sought out their input whenever possible. Due to that fact, I acquired a great deal of respect for the wildlife law enforcement profession. Only later did I learn that they are many, many times more likely than any other law enforcement officer to be assaulted on the job.

There were some scary times when I was “riding shotgun” scouting for shiners that really drove that point home. The first night we found some illegal, beered-up characters who made the officer and me very nervous and I thought, “Now I know why I was taught all the procedures in the pickup before we left.”

Later, working with an airplane giving us the location of a suspicious vehicle that had driven into a farmyard. We drove to that yard, and it was then I realized a firearm could be aimed at us out of any window in the house. It was experiences like these which really made me appreciate what our officers live with and how they lay their lives on the line, all for the protection and preservation of wildlife.

Of course, some of these early “shotgun rides” were not without humor. Working with two officers, each in their own pickup and communicating by radio, a meeting place was set in a particular area where shining had been taking place. We were stopped, called each other—in the dark, blackout lights only. In frustration, the officer I was with started the pickup, took off for another road, but then slammed on the brakes. The second officer’s pickup was right in front of us! Stopping in time but somewhat shaken, we all got out and I remember the officers nervously laughing, “Boy those headlines would’ve been good — Two Game Wardens Kill Commissioner!”

Spending time in the field with officers is extremely valuable to me. I get involved in the same situations and watch how they handle people. That is fascinating. I am always amazed how they can turn an irate, screaming, negative individual into a quiet, agreeable and sometimes pleasant little lamb, all by using their personality, with plenty of common sense and psychology.

Watching this diplomacy is a real treat. I saw this happen with a hot-headed neighbor of mine, not knowing exactly what would happen. I observed this again with another CO as a carload of irate strangers approached. That time the officer was in plain clothes and we never identified ourselves until the confrontation was over, and those people were pleased with what they had been told. Many lessons can be learned by using this quiet, positive, common-sense approach and I try to take advantage of this knowledge whenever the situation arises.

A few years ago, the commission lowered the walleye limit in the state, which was met with strong opposition from various special interest groups. A few months later, I was with an officer during a road check and it was a delight to watch how he visited with the people but still acquired all the information he needed. The situation turned out very positive and it’s nice to watch our guys receive the compliments, too. I’ve observed relationships between COs and landowners and I was proud to have the landowners tell me they really like and respect their conservation officer.

I have lived on a farm all my life and thought I knew a lot about wildlife, their habitat, etc. Due to COs, I have received an education on wildlife and land management that rivals college classes, I’m sure. I have always respected wildlife, but never as intensely as I do now. When I was driving, I’d see wildlife here and there—nothing like the critters I can see now because I was taught how to look for them in their habitat and have fun observing them.

At the time of my appointment, I was a pheasant “flusher” only, but had grown up fishing with my father. I guess the officers saw that I needed some help in the hunting area so they went to work on me. My husband only hunted pheasants and, being as busy as he was on the farm, was happy that I would have some hunting instructors. Because of the officers, I now love hunting of all kinds and appreciate their efforts immensely. From all types of waterfowl to grouse, turkey, pheasants, whitetail and mule deer, I have enjoyed them all.

I am still receiving encouragement for two more species on my list—antelope and elk. I’ve been helped with fishing tips, too. When an officer recently looked into my sparse tackle box, I was quickly given a shopping list of lures, followed by lectures on fish biology. It was a CO who first talked me into hunting alone—something unheard of to me. I tried and learned a lot about myself and the wildlife I pursued. In addition to being a landowner, it’s also from the COs that I learned just how bad or good some hunters’ ethics are, a great concern to all of us. It was also a CO who gave me the idea for my personalized license plate: “I HUNT 2.” (Other commissioners hunt and “I HUNT TOO.”

Berdette Zastrow is pictured after a successful hunt.

I attend most of our regional CO meetings, seeking input from the field. It’s there where I become aware of situations that I will ultimately have to handle or make a decision upon at the commission table. These meetings are where many ideas are born, where season-setting schedules start, where problems are discussed. When making commission decisions, this background information is invaluable. I don’t know how an intelligent decision can be made without input from the field.

It’s not only the COs in my immediate area who have advised me in the past and still continue to do so. Except new hires, I have the advantage of knowing all the COs in the state and readily seek their input if/when needed.

Commissioners have to make decisions affecting the entire state and we need information on many issues in many parts of South Dakota. I appreciate very much the working relationships I have with our COs as knowing and working with them has done a tremendous job of making my commission work easier and more meaningful with more intelligent decisions.

Working together and coordinating efforts between commissioners and COs can accomplish many goals, with the ultimate decisions being made for the good of everyone and the resource. Commissioners can help COs in their jobs, too. I never thought I’d feel proud disposing of a road kill, but I did! Coming...