Meet Mark!
What do you do for the Wyoming Game and Fish Department?
I am a Habitat and Access Biologist. In this role my main duties are to manage and maintain Wildlife Habitat Management Areas and Public Access Areas that the Commission owns or manages. I also am involved in many of the habitat improvement projects associated with the Platte Valley and Baggs Mule Deer Initiative.
 Where are you initially from, and what city do you live in now?
I grew up in the small community of Evansville, Wisconsin. I currently live in Saratoga, Wyoming.
What path brought you to a career with Game and Fish?
I grew up hunting and fishing just about everything I could in Wisconsin, often wandering down to my uncle’s basement to look at his western mounts, and reading all I could about hunting elk and mule deer in the west, specifically those written by Chuck Adams in the magazine Bow and Arrow Hunting on the rack in school library. Working alongside my dad managing our property in Wisconsin and spending as much time outside as possible, I was well on my way to a career in conservation. My passion for hunting and conservation, along with the opportunity to continue pole vaulting, led me to attending the University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point, majoring in Wildlife Ecology and Management.
I had worked on farms, in construction and tinkered in operating and maintaining all the equipment used. When I came across the description of what the Habitat and Access Branch was on the Department's website while looking for jobs, I knew that with the previous employment experience I had, along with my education, that working for Game and Fish in this capacity would suit me rather well.
 Why is the work you do important?
The work I do is important because it ensures that Wyoming's wildlife have places specifically for them, and that those places are accessible to the people of Wyoming or those visiting to enjoy those resources as well.
What is your favorite Wyoming wildlife species?
My favorite Wyoming wildlife species is the Greater sage-grouse. From watching them on leks in the spring to pursuing them with my dogs in the fall, they are just a darn cool bird and uniquely Wyoming.
Who is your conservation hero?
I don’t have just one, but if I had to choose it would be Aldo Leopold. He is one of the true forefathers of conservation.
 What is your favorite part of your job?
Being out on the landscape regularly to watch how wildlife uses it and interacting with users on Commission properties.
What advice would you give someone who wants the same career as you?
Learn everything you can about the career, attend volunteer opportunities and take the opportunity to ask questions of those already working in the field. Build a diverse skill set that will set you apart. Maintain a positive attitude and strong work ethic. It is a small profession — who you know and leaving a positive impression is just as important as what you know.
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