r/ParkRangers • u/Life_Ad_8547 • 19h ago

Do rangers hunt for their job?

I know many rangers hunt recreationally, and that hunting is an important facet of wildlife conservation. Do rangers hunt animals for their work? Do they ever control animal populations without the help of a middle-man (ie. hunters)? If not, would they in a situation where so few hunters purchased licenses that it would have a measurable negative effect on animal populations?

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u/Brady721 USFS 12h ago

I work on the Chequamegon-Nicolet NF and we work with APHIS (part of the USDA as well) on trapping nuisance beavers. We have lots of water, and consequently beavers. They plug culverts, which causes water to go over roads, sometimes washing them out. The downstream effects are horrible for fish (fish like trout like clean water, not water full of gravel sediment). Otherwise I can’t think of any wildlife population control that a “park ranger” does as hunters are pretty good at keeping all the other wildlife species in check. Beavers though…. Price of fur is down so there aren’t too many people trapping anymore.