FWP AT WORK Shirley Swecker, Region 3 Office Manager

THE FRONT LINE

SHIRLEY SWECKER

ONE THING ABOUT WORKING the front office: There’s never a dull moment. The other staff and I are constantly answering questions that come in by phone, by e-mail, and from people visiting the headquarters. We provide answers about fishing, hunting, trapping, wildlife viewing, licensing, permits, state parks, regulations, residency requirements, wounded animals, game damage, private ponds—you name it.

We have to be human encyclopedias, familiar with every rule and regulation you can imagine, from youth hunting opportunities to the latest mountain lion quotas to explaining the difference between a cutthroat trout and a rainbow trout. Sometimes we have to be very patient and diplomatic, like the time an out-of-state visitor came in to the office and, after looking at the mounts on the wall, asked me how long it takes for a deer to turn into an elk.

Because we need to know pretty much everything that goes on in FWP, all of us in the front office get out and visit state parks, wildlife management areas, and fishing access sites whenever we can. We also interact with biologists, technicians, park managers, and other FWP employees to learn what’s happening in their field jobs.

In addition to providing information to the public and managing our seven highly skilled front office staff, I do administrative work such as typing, budgeting, and scheduling meetings.

Working the front office is exciting and often challenging. We do get some angry calls, especially over bison or wolves. But for the most part our customers are wonderful and just want to know more about FWP and what goes on here. People are passionate about their fish and wildlife, and that’s great. I love my job and am proud to represent this agency to the many people who call or stop by.