Kim Olson, a senior game warden from Baggs, Wyoming, has been honored as the 2023 Shikar-Safari Wildlife Officer of the Year for Wyoming.

The Shikar-Safari Club International is a conservation-based organization that awards deserving wildlife law enforcement officers in all states, provinces and territories in the U.S. and Canada. The annual award honors an officer whose efforts show outstanding performance and achievement among commissioned conservation law enforcement personnel.

Wyoming Game and Fish Department Chief Game Warden Rick King lauded Olson’s commitment in a release announcing the honor, sharing that “Olson is a dedicated and exceptional wildlife officer. Her strong work ethic inspires those she mentors and resonates with the community she serves.”

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Olson previously spent over eight years with Utah’s Game and Fish Department. And with almost 20 years of experience with Wyoming’s Game and Fish Department, Olson now oversees one of the largest districts in the state, covering nearly 3,000 square miles.

Her patrol area extends from the continental divide west to the Bitter Creek and Cow Creek-Powder Wash roads south of Interstate 80 to Colorado, encompassing towns such as Wamsutter, Savery, Dixon and Baggs. Olson’s district stands out as one of the busiest hunt areas for deer and elk in Wyoming.

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Olson’s dedication goes beyond traditional law enforcement, as she invests considerable time and effort in coordinating with landowners and the Wyoming Department of Transportation to facilitate the movement of big game across highways using right-of-way fences.

Beyond her law enforcement duties, she dedicates time toward teaching hunter safety and instilling conservation ethics in Wyoming students through school programs.

Game and Fish officials also praised Oslon as an “invaluable asset” given her “extraordinary ability to make objective decisions, attention to detail and development of creative solutions to difficult cases.”

Olsen said she was “very surprised and honored to be chosen” to receive the recognition, noting that “there are a lot of good game wardens in Wyoming.”

“I have always tried to do what is best for wildlife and to be their voice,” Olson said. “I think it’s just that simple.”

Olsen acknowledged many memorable —and surprising — moments over the course of her career, which she said is often aided by the irregular nature of her work. She noted that every day is different and shared a story about one particularly memorable moment when “a bear answered the door” of a cabin she was called to.

Through her continuous advocacy for wildlife, Olson has served as a mentor and inspiration to younger wardens.

King called Olsen “an excellent role model to new game wardens and her local community,” and applauded her “natural ability to foster a conservation ethic and inspire those around her to pursue a career in wildlife management and conservation.”

The Shikar-Safari Club International will recognize and present Olson with her award on March 12 at the Game and Fish Commission’s meeting in Pinedale, Wyoming.

Olson also earned a trip to the North American Wildlife Enforcement Officers Associations’ annual convention, which will be held this summer in Penticton, British Columbia.