FITCHBURG - For Ryan Caputo, becoming Green County's new conservation warden is a natural fit.
Caputo was assigned to the county March 9 and since then has been getting to know the state Department of Natural Resource's properties and other DNR staff working in or with Green County. He's also been fielding phone calls from people with questions about DNR services or complaints about DNR rule-breakers.
But by Monday, April 8, he was ready to dive into work in the conservation, environmental and outdoor recreation community. One of his first major events was the DNR spring wildlife and fisheries proposed rules hearing and annual Conservation Congress county meeting Monday night at the Monroe Middle School.
"I love the variety of work this job offers," Caputo said in a DNR news release announcing his assignment, "from working with hunters, anglers, wildlife watchers and others looking to enjoy the outdoors to working with kids and helping them develop an appreciation for the outdoors and the environment. For me, this is the best job I could ever have."
Caputo recently completed a year of specialized warden training during which he worked at temporary duty stations in Wood, Brown, Milwaukee and Price counties in Wisconsin. Caputo has also worked as a park ranger at Peninsula State Park, as a deputy sheriff for Winnebago County and as a deputy warden in Poynette.
Green County is the first permanent duty station for Caputo, who grew up in the McFarland area. The DNR places wardens as is best for the state but also takes into consideration the warden's family dynamics, Caputo said Monday.
"It just happened to work out well for me," he added.
Joe Frost, warden supervisor for the Green, Iowa, Lafayette, Richland and Grant counties warden team since May of 2012 and a 15-year veteran of the Wisconsin conservation warden corps, encouraged Caputo to apply for a warden job.
"Ryan's background and previous law enforcement experience were in his favor in the recruitment and training phase of becoming a conservation warden," Frost said in the announcement. "We're glad to have Ryan on board at his duty station. He'll definitely have a positive impact on natural resources, outdoor recreation and environmental protection in Green County."
Caputo said he always wanted to be a game warden. He set a course at an early age for working in natural resources, and by the time he was 14, he was a volunteer hunter safety instructor. He graduated from college with a major in forest management and a minor in environmental law enforcement.
Caputo advises youths interested in conservation work to get involved in their communities.
"Get as much varied experience as you have time for, especially in outdoor recreation activities," he said in the news release. "Volunteer, and consider studying (in) a natural resources field in school."
Caputo's off duty time is spent with his family - hunting, fishing and trapping whenever they can. He resides in northern Green County.
Caputo was assigned to the county March 9 and since then has been getting to know the state Department of Natural Resource's properties and other DNR staff working in or with Green County. He's also been fielding phone calls from people with questions about DNR services or complaints about DNR rule-breakers.
But by Monday, April 8, he was ready to dive into work in the conservation, environmental and outdoor recreation community. One of his first major events was the DNR spring wildlife and fisheries proposed rules hearing and annual Conservation Congress county meeting Monday night at the Monroe Middle School.
"I love the variety of work this job offers," Caputo said in a DNR news release announcing his assignment, "from working with hunters, anglers, wildlife watchers and others looking to enjoy the outdoors to working with kids and helping them develop an appreciation for the outdoors and the environment. For me, this is the best job I could ever have."
Caputo recently completed a year of specialized warden training during which he worked at temporary duty stations in Wood, Brown, Milwaukee and Price counties in Wisconsin. Caputo has also worked as a park ranger at Peninsula State Park, as a deputy sheriff for Winnebago County and as a deputy warden in Poynette.
Green County is the first permanent duty station for Caputo, who grew up in the McFarland area. The DNR places wardens as is best for the state but also takes into consideration the warden's family dynamics, Caputo said Monday.
"It just happened to work out well for me," he added.
Joe Frost, warden supervisor for the Green, Iowa, Lafayette, Richland and Grant counties warden team since May of 2012 and a 15-year veteran of the Wisconsin conservation warden corps, encouraged Caputo to apply for a warden job.
"Ryan's background and previous law enforcement experience were in his favor in the recruitment and training phase of becoming a conservation warden," Frost said in the announcement. "We're glad to have Ryan on board at his duty station. He'll definitely have a positive impact on natural resources, outdoor recreation and environmental protection in Green County."
Caputo said he always wanted to be a game warden. He set a course at an early age for working in natural resources, and by the time he was 14, he was a volunteer hunter safety instructor. He graduated from college with a major in forest management and a minor in environmental law enforcement.
Caputo advises youths interested in conservation work to get involved in their communities.
"Get as much varied experience as you have time for, especially in outdoor recreation activities," he said in the news release. "Volunteer, and consider studying (in) a natural resources field in school."
Caputo's off duty time is spent with his family - hunting, fishing and trapping whenever they can. He resides in northern Green County.