A rescue of a blue heron is just one of many new experiences for Oconto County’s new Department of Natural Resources conservation warden.
Paul Hartrick and two other DNR officials earlier this year climbed a tree near the Oconto River in Stiles to rescue a blue heron that was hanging upside down, its leg caught in fishing line. The three were able to cut the line, capture the bird and transport it to a wildlife facility to have it checked for injuries.
“Every day is different,” said Hartrick, who was named to the local warden job in March.
His job involves a variety of tasks, like responding to emails at the Oconto Falls Ranger Station, investigating a call about overbaiting fish, patrolling a stream or helping a farmer deal with a manure spill.
Hartrick, who grew up in the Fremont area near Appleton on what had been his mother’s family’s farm, said as a child, he could go out in the woods and play all day.
“I appreciated it very much and wanted to make sure it was there for future generations,” he said.
He graduated in May 2013 from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point with a degree in forest management and environmental law enforcement. He spent two college summers as a park ranger at Buckhorn State Park and Roche-a-Cri State Park.
The DNR hired Hartrick in January 2014. He spent the following year completing his required field training, including on-the-job training traveling around the state with conservation wardens, specialized boat, ATV, snowmobile and accident training, and a 520-hour police academy course.
The Oconto Falls Ranger Station was Hartrick’s first choice for assignment, in part because of its proximity to Peshtigo, where his fiancee is from. He began working at the Oconto Falls office in March and said the area is similar to where he grew up.
“I like it a lot. There’s a good mix of farm and forest, a good mix of deer and bear hunting, a good mix of everything, really,” he said.
Perhaps the only drawback of the job for Hartick is a lack of time for deer hunting. Hunting is one of his favorite things to do, and deer hunting season is the DNR’s busiest time of year. He said he was grateful to hunt the one chance he got in 2014.
Hartrick said he’d like everyone to know the DNR does its best every day to field calls and answer questions.
“Not everyone will always understand all the rules and regulations, and that’s why we’re here, to be there for the public,” he said.
Previous to Hartrick’s hire, Oconto County was without a warden since November when Lee Posusta, who was based in Lakewood, was released during his probationary period. His predecessor, Mike Stahl, retired from the DNR in June 2014.
