By Yoseline Hyink, Wildlife Manager II Yuma, Arizona Game and Fish Department.

Far from what many people may think, considering my career as a wildlife manager at the Arizona Game and Fish Department, I don’t come from an outdoorsy family. I grew up in Yuma, Arizona and my parents are from the other side of the border, a small town near San Luis, Sonora, Mexico. My family is business oriented with backgrounds in business administration.

Although I wasn’t raised hiking, hunting, or fishing I’ve always loved being in nature and the outdoors. When I went to college as a young adult, my passion for the outdoors took off to another level. Just stepping outside and feeling the sun on my skin is such a beautiful feeling.

While my sisters pursued business degrees following in our family’s footsteps, I was a bit of a black sheep and obtained a Bachelor of Science in Natural Resources with an emphasis in Wildlife Conservation and Management from the University of Arizona in Tucson.

During my time in college, I met a lot of like minded young adults who shared my passion but also introduced me to different aspects of conservation and career paths that I could pursue. This was when I seriously began considering a career with the Arizona Game and Fish Department, it sounded unreal.

When I started working for the Arizona Game and Fish Department as a wildlife manager in 2017, my family was concerned about the law enforcement aspect of my job. You are a state-certified peace officer as well as a wildlife biologist.

The police academy was challenging mentally, physically, and emotionally. From the moment you start training to become a wildlife manager to when you actually start patrolling your respective district is about a year. It is a long, arduous training process but it helps prepare us for working on our own in remote locations. The past six years have been an incredible journey and I've learned so much along the way!

Coming into my career at the AZGFD, I was afraid that I would be looked down on because of my lack of background in the field and because it was so male-dominated. I couldn’t be more wrong! I had the misconception that people would judge me because I didn’t have a hunting background or because I was a small female. Every man (and woman) I've worked with at AZGFD has only encouraged me to be the best version of myself. Everyone believed in my abilities and provided me with valuable constructive feedback. All of this has led me to be the wildlife manager I am today. I am truly grateful for everyone I work with and has mentored me along the way.

A lot of Hispanics, including my own family at one time, aren’t aware of what the AZ Game and Fish Department is or what they do. I take every chance I can to spread awareness and help educate our Latino community in hopes that it may inspire future generations and let them know that working in conservation is an option for them as it has been for me.

Like many Latinas, I was raised in a very traditional home where we are told since we are little girls that "you need a man to protect you." Times have changed, and I think it’s important for women to realize their strength and worth.

My work in conservation has empowered me and given me the confidence to do what I love for a living: conserve and protect AZ’s wildlife and outdoor resources so that it is available for my children and future grandchildren to enjoy just as I do every day.

Some risks are involved, but I love my job because every day is different. It is truly a blessing. There are wildlife managers scattered throughout Arizona. The wildlife and environment in the southwest is quite different from the wildlife up north or out east, so my daily work duties may look a bit different from my counterparts in other parts of the state.

In Arizona, wildlife managers are 50% law enforcement officers and 50% wildlife biologists. That being said, we patrol outdoor recreation areas where people frequent year-round. We're out patrolling to protect AZ’s resources by ensuring people are respecting the wildlife and recreating safely and responsibly. We also conduct surveys where we monitor game species like bighorn sheep, deer, and others in our respective regions because scientific survey data influences our management decisions, including setting hunting limits and allocating tags. Surveys also help us get a better understanding of non-game wildlife populations like migratory birds and endangered and threatened species.

Working outdoors allows you to have many incredible experiences, but one particularly special to me was when we were doing a bighorn sheep capture near Yuma. Bighorn sheep live and thrive in the mountains, and during these captures the animals are monitored to ensure they are healthy for translocation. I remember holding the horns of this magnificent animal to control its head while the veterinarian worked on drawing blood and administering vaccines. I could feel the ram’s warm breath on my chest, through my jacket. It was such a powerful moment to be holding such an incredibly beautiful animal and one that I will never forget.

I'm so grateful to have a career that I love and not just a job that pays the bills. I always encourage young adults to find a career that will truly bring them joy, not just something that they think will be financially rewarding.

Women are powerful and capable. I work with strong, confident women every day! Do not be discouraged if you find someone who doubts or discourages you from doing what you love. If you're passionate about something, go for it. You won't regret pursuing your dream or calling. Anything worthwhile takes a lot of work and is rarely easy. I am living proof you can accomplish your goals, just don’t give up and never stop believing in yourself.

Watch interview with Yoseline Hyink

Blog: My work in conservation has empowered me and given me the opportunity to do what I love for a living.