International Wildlife Crimestoppers (IWC), in partnership with Guidefitter, named Senior Conservation Officer Meghan Roos of the Idaho Department of Fish and Game the recipient of the 2026 IWC Guidefitter Game Warden of the Year Award. Officer Roos received the award during International Wildlife Crimestoppers’ annual conference in July.
Established in 2021, the IWC Guidefitter Game Warden of the Year Award recognizes an active conservation law enforcement officer whose service, leadership, investigative accomplishments and dedication to protecting fish and wildlife set the highest standard for the profession. Nominations are submitted by wildlife agencies throughout the United States and Canada and evaluated by IWC’s Awards Committee through a competitive selection process.
“Senior Conservation Officer Roos exemplifies everything this award represents,” said Patrick Walsh, president of IWC. “Her relentless pursuit of justice, remarkable investigative abilities, commitment to mentoring fellow officers, and genuine compassion for both wildlife and the public make her one of the finest conservation officers in North America. Her work has protected Idaho’s wildlife resources today while strengthening conservation law enforcement for generations to come.”
Over the past several years, she has led some of Idaho’s most significant wildlife crime investigations. Her work on a complex multi-year poaching investigation involved 27 search warrants, uncovered widespread wildlife violations across multiple jurisdictions, and ultimately resulted in lifetime hunting revocations and more than $180,000 in fines, fees and restitution against the primary offender. Her professionalism and investigative expertise earned praise from prosecutors throughout Idaho for successfully managing one of the state’s most intricate wildlife crime cases.
Immediately after that case Officer Roos launched another investigation that began with three illegally killed deer and ultimately exposed a massive poaching operation involving more than 15 suspects, over 200 illegally taken animals and 165 documented wildlife violations. Uncovered were widespread illegal harvests of elk, deer, bears, mountain lions, turkeys, raptors, waterfowl, and other wildlife. Her determination transformed what initially appeared to be an isolated incident into one of Idaho’s most significant wildlife crime investigations in recent history.
“Senior Conservation Officer Roos consistently demonstrates courage, compassion, professionalism, and an unwavering commitment to wildlife conservation and public service,” Idaho Department of Fish and Game District Conservation Officer Randy Sullivan wrote in his nomination. “Her investigative accomplishments, mentorship, community engagement, and personal integrity make her an outstanding representative of the conservation law enforcement profession.”
As part of the award, Guidefitter presented Officer Roos with a $1,000 gear voucher, continuing its commitment as the exclusive sponsor of the IWC Guidefitter Game Warden of the Year Award.
Most Popular
