Wildlife officer: Charles McMullen

FREMONT — Charles McMullen went to college not knowing what career to pursue. He had good grades, but he spent about a year and a half being undecided. Eventually, McMullen decided on an environmental biology major because he liked the outdoors. When McMullen was a junior, he added a criminal justice minor because he thought it would be interesting, and he had time to fill. McMullen enjoyed the criminal justice classes but knew he didn't want to be a police officer. He discovered being a wildlife officer would be a good fit for him. Pursuing the job The Ohio Division of Wildlife was hiring while McMullen was still attending college so he couldn't apply at that time. The next time hiring opened up, McMullen was doing concrete construction work, and he was given a good offer to stick around. The offer, however, fell through. Positions opened again in 2020, and McMullen was hired. "I'm glad the offer fell through because being a wildlife officer is much better than construction work," McMullen said. Now, McMullen is going on two years as a wildlife officer, patrolling Sandusky County. He's originally from Hartville in Stark County. His expertise in concrete work did prove to be useful when a public wildlife area needed new concrete. "Charles jumped in to help the crew, and the project was completed in short order, improving the safety and appearance of the area for everyone. He is a true team player," said Jim Quinlivan, the law enforcement program administrator for the Ohio Division of Wildlife. Some Ohio counties are more seasonal, McMullen said. But in Sandusky County, he stays busy year-round. "There's always something going on. We have deer, walleye and waterfowl," he said. During the summer he keeps a close eye on the Sandusky River for fishing violations as well as litter. "Litter is just awful," McMullen said. He will spend time observing fishermen from afar and make a list of everything a person tosses on the ground. Once the person leaves their trash behind, McMullen stops them and issues a citation. When it's deer season, McMullen will check hunters in the field. He also studies the harvest records because he can uncover violations from them. One thing McMullen enjoys is working nights. He said it's important to patrol during the night because anything can happen — dumping trash, drugs, spotlighting and other things. He wants families to feel safe while fishing at night. "I do contact people doing the right thing at 1 o'clock in the morning. They're out catfishing and having a good time," McMullen said. Passion for the outdoors Personal interests and work tend to overlap for wildlife officers. McMullen recently picked up waterfowl hunting and likes the public land access Sandusky County offers. He spends a lot of free time hunting and fishing. "I like it for the peace and quiet to get away from everything and just relax," he said. "It's a great way to relax and unwind. "Everyone is tied to their phone these days. If you can get outside and away from screens and just do something, it's good for you." Being outside definitely has health benefits, he added. There's hiking involved, so it keeps people active. Another passion McMullen has is birding. He began birdwatching at an early age with his uncle and grandpa. To learn more about birds, he took an ornithology class in college. Then birdwatching became a hobby of his. McMullen has since traveled to southern Texas, Costa Rica, Bolivia and a few countries in Europe where he was able to see all kinds of birds. According to his supervisor, Kevin Newsome, McMullen's knowledge and appreciation of birding set him apart from many other officers. He was a big help at last year's Biggest Week in American Birding event at Magee Marsh Wildlife Area in Oak Harbor. Sandusky County and around the western basin of Lake Erie has some of the best spring birding opportunities in Ohio. "I enjoy birding because if I see an animal, I like to be able to identify what it is," McMullen said. "Birds are easily viewable anywhere you go, so it is a good hobby for traveling." To learn more about becoming a wildlife officer visit: ohiodnr.gov/careers. Coming soon: The Register plans on featuring other wildlife officers throughout its coverage area. Stay tuned for: • Matthew Smith, Huron County