John Pokallus and Rob Shipe are new game wardens within the Wyoming Game and Fish Department’s Lander Region. Pokallus fills the Senior Game Warden position in West Rawlins left vacant when Warden Teal Cufaude transferred to Saratoga and Shipe fills a vacant warden position that will focus on watercraft duties and assisting senior game wardens throughout the region. Wyoming game wardens are responsible for wildlife law enforcement and education, damage and prevention, data collection, and wildlife management duties.
Shipe (pictured above) grew up in Michigan and received a bachelor’s degree in biology for Oakland University in 2013. He began his career at Game and Fish as an Aquatic Invasive Species Technician in Green River. In 2016 he became a game warden in Green River until he transferred to Lander this past April.
Warden Shipe says “I enjoy kayaking, hiking, fishing, golfing, hockey, and hunting (especially ducks). I love the diversity of the Lander Region; being able to work sage grouse in the desert one day, and up in the mountains checking elk hunters the next, and getting on the kayak checking fisherman in between.”
Warden Pokallus grew up in Gillette and holds a B.S. Wildlife, Fisheries, and Biology Management and Environmental and Natural Resources and a M.S. Ecology. After completing his Master’s degree, he worked in Seattle, Washington as a research scientist in the private sector. In his spare time he volunteered as a firefighter/EMT and was exposed to the field of public service.
He decided to return to Wyoming in 2016 and combine his passion for conserving wildlife and public service by becoming a game warden. He graduated the Academy in 2017 and began his career in Casper before transferring to the West Rawlins District this September.
Warden Pokallus says “I am excited to begin learning the area. Rawlins offers a diversity of wildlife resources and recreational opportunity. I look forward to serving the Rawlins community and contributing to the conservation and growth of the vibrant wildlife resources the area supports.”
You can contact Pokallus at 307-328-0313 and Shipe at 307-332-2688.