Smith: Hirschboeck honored as state's top field warden

Paul A. Smith
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
DNR conservation warden Mike Hirschboeck (center) was awarded the Haskell Noyes Efficiency Award as the state's top field warden for 2016. Haskell Noyes III of Mequon (left) and Chris Noyes of River Hills carry on the tradition of presenting the annual award started by their grandfather in 1930.

WATERFORD - When Mike Hirschboeck served in the Middle East as a U.S. Marine during Operation Desert Storm, he didn't think a lot about the hunting and fishing he could have been doing back home in Racine County.

"Had a job to do, so focus on it and get it done," said Hirschboeck, describing his mind-set.

But when he returned to Wisconsin in 1996 after serving seven years in the Marines and attaining the rank of sergeant, things changed.

Hirschboeck not only resumed the outdoor activities that he and his twin brother Mark cut their teeth on growing up in Wind Lake, but he pursued a career in conservation law enforcement, eventually getting hired as a Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources conservation warden.

Mike Hirschboeck's life story has several striking similarities to one Haskell Noyes of Milwaukee (1886-1948). Noyes served for U.S. forces in Europe during World War I and upon his return "plunged deeply into conservation matters of all kinds," according to a biography.

Noyes would go on to become a Wisconsin conservation titan, a man who helped form and later serve as chairman of the Wisconsin Conservation Commission (forerunner to the Natural Resources Board) and was an ardent supporter of the state's warden force.

At one point, Noyes used his own funds to buy uniforms for the poorly-equipped warden force of the Depression era.

And in 1930, he established the Haskell Noyes Wisconsin Conservation Warden Efficiency Award.

The award, often referred to as "The Watch" for the gold timepiece given to each winner, recognizes Wisconsin's top field warden.

It seemed fitting, then, that Hirschboek was the most recent Watch recipient.

The Haskell Noyes Efficiency Award winner receives a gold watch from the Noyes family.

Hirschboeck received the award May 20 in Waterford before a crowd of about 120 people, including 19 wardens (15 active and four retired) and six members of the Noyes family.

For the last 87 years, Noyes or his descendants have funded and personally presented the award. The winner is selected by DNR warden supervisors.

"I looked at Mike's list of accomplishments and figured he had to have been a warden for more than 50 years," said Haskell Noyes III of Mequon. "Very impressive and we're very pleased to present this year's award to him."

Haskell Noyes III was joined by wife Meg and their daughters Stefanie Noyes Dugan of Milwaukee and Lindsey Noyes Touzios of Wauwatosa, as well as Chris Noyes and his wife Ann of River Hills.

Haskell Noyes III and Chris Noyes are grandsons of the program's founder.

The two men, and their cousin Bob Banks Jr. of Brule, have been the principal shepherds of the tradition over the last decade.

Emerson Noyes of Cedarburg, Chris' father, passed away in 2009; he was the last surviving offspring of Haskell Noyes.

It was clear from the large crowd and the vitality of the ceremony that "The Watch" tradition is alive and well.

The state's chief warden, Todd Schaller, attended and participated in the festivities. 

A warden honor guard marched in with the state and national flags.

Milwaukee warden Gervis Myles sang an inspiring acapella rendition of the national anthem.

At a time when DNR funding and staffing levels are under attack and some legislators would like see warden powers curtailed, the atmosphere of the ceremony was heartening for those of us who know wardens are crucial to successful natural resources management.

Modest by nature, Hirschboeck, 47, had to endure the limelight for an evening. 

If it got too bright, he had his twin brother, Mark (also a Marine vet), to stand in. 

"By the end of the night, he might have got more hugs and kisses than I did," Mike Hirschboeck said.

The DNR has had no case of mistaken identity when it comes to Hirschboeck's achievements. 

Over the last 11 years, Hirschboeck has helped crack wildlife shining and poaching rings, busted a supervisor for ordering staff to use heavy equipment to bury garbage at the Southern Wisconsin Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Union Grove, rescued stranded wildlife, helped start a Learn to Deer Hunt program and served as a firearm instructor for the agency.

That's the short list. Chief warden Schaller said Hirschboeck really shines in "how" he does his job.

"Mike is more than a conservation warden," Schaller said. "He's part of the community."

Kevin Mickelberg, an area warden supervisor, said few wardens have established such an extensive range of contacts in their area.

Representatives of the Waterford Police Department and Racine County Sheriff's Department and various conservation clubs were on hand to share their appreciation.

Hirschboeck deflected the credit for the award to everybody he works with, his family and his parents, Jack and Yvonne.

"My dad and mom always taught us to do what's right, no matter how much it hurts," Hirschboeck said. "I'm not standing here because of any one thing I've done. I've always viewed any success as due to the people around you and the relationships you have."

His father passed away in 2000, but Yvonne was on hand, as was Hirschboeck's wife Geri and daughter Ellie.

So, too, were eight prior Watch recipients: Bruce Benning (1981), Dave Algrem (2004), Kyle Drake (2005), Jeremy Peery (2009), Ted Dremel (2010), Russ Fell (2012), Jesse Ashton (2014) and Barry Fetting (2015).

All the winners are deserving and no two are alike.

The latest recipient provided a rare connection across the decades to the award's founder.

Hirschboeck, who came home from fighting overseas to protect the natural resources of Wisconsin and serve his fellow citizens, said he plans to keep his warden post in southeastern Wisconsin.

The Watch is inscribed with "Faithful Able Service."

Hirschboeck, and the Noyes family, are strong, living examples that would surely make Haskell Noyes proud.