Ryan Locke Named Georgia Game Warden Of The Year

Ryan Locke was named DNR’s 2020 Game Warden of the Year.

Ryan Locke

Locke is assigned to one of the busiest lakes in the nation as the Boating Safety Officer on Lake Lanier. Away from the lake, he investigated a poaching case and gathered enough evidence to identify 63 violations on seven different poachers. The violations included hunting deer at night, hunting from a vehicle, hunting from a public road, possession of over the limit and numerous license offenses.

Dean Gibson, who is assigned to Talbot County, is the recipient of the James R. Darnell Award as the runner-up to Game Warden of the Year.

Gibson devoted 925 hours to wildlife enforcement, and in the community he taught wildlife education to 4-H kids, attended a kid’s fishing event at a Public Fishing Area and spoke to various media outlets about boating safety.

“These Game Wardens have emerged as leaders this past year,” said DNR Commissioner Mark Williams. “They work hard every day to enforce the conservation laws of the state and to ensure public safety, and I applaud their contributions.”