Texas warden named “Wildlife Conservation Officer of the Year”

Game Warden Daniel Roraback has been named the 2013 Texas Wildlife Conservation Officer of the Year by the National Wild Turkey Federation.

Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Director Carter Smith presented the award to Roraback at the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission meeting Thursday.

Roraback began his career with TPWD when he graduated with the 54th cadet class at the Texas Game Warden Training Academy in 2009.  He is currently stationed in Red River County in northeast Texas.

As the president of the Pioneer Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation, Roraback organizes numerous Jake events for local schools, as well as organizing trips for local youth to experience turkey, waterfowl and deer hunting.

As a warden in a county bordering Oklahoma, Roraback learned the various hunting and fishing laws of that state, and has teamed up with Oklahoma wardens on numerous occasions to enforce game and fish laws on the Red River.

Roraback has also been involved with cases including a range of crimes involving aerial permit violations, criminal trespass and animal cruelty. He also makes numerous hunting cases annually and consistently maintains a high rate of conviction.

He was also selected to be a part of the department’s highly specialized SCOUT team, serves as a Glock armorer and a role player for simunitions training.

The NWTF was founded in 1973 and strives to uphold hunting traditions and the conservation of more than 9.6 million acres of wildlife habitat. Since 2000, the NWTF has annually recognized game wardens from North America for enforcement activities related to wild turkeys. This marks the 14th year this award has been presented to a Texas game warden.

Source: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department