Art Haugen

To a lot of people Art appeared as a firearm and hunting fanatic. To a large degree that is true. The same can be said of his work as a Conservation Officer, protecting and managing Saskatchewan's natural resources. If anything was worth doing, then Art put everything into it and ensured that it was done right.

Being a Conservation Officer was not just a job to Art. Rifles, archery, hunting and fishing were not just hobbies to Art. These things WERE very much Art Haugen. He lived these things. Art's parents related a story on how his father mentioned to Art that he was going to shoot his deer early, before they got too jumpy from other hunters. Art replied, "Don't let me catch you or I'll run you in". This is not to say Art was an over zealous enforcement officer, or that he would charge his own mother or father. Art had a clear picture as to what was right and wrong and if you chose to be wrong, then Art would let very little stand in his way to see that your were caught and answered for your actions

Lee Murray

Lee Murray commenced working with the Department on May 30, 1966 in the Dorintosh District. In his 26 years there, he came to know the district inside and out. Lee Murray was the perfect example of a career patrolman and he influenced a great number of new conservation officers over the years. Lee was respected by the staff he worked with and by the local people in the area as someone who knew his job and who did it well.

Lee Murray enjoyed doing enforcement. It was extremely difficult for a hunter or fisherman to pull something on Lee. On a few occasions Lee had to pursue some individuals on foot. No one ever got away from Lee as he was renowned for his stamina and strength in the bush.

Lee Murray was also very experienced in the suppression of forest fires. He could always get the fire crews to do their best and everyone was more comfortable on a fire when Lee Murray was around. Lee Murray was also known for his practical jokes, and in his 26 years with the Department many newly hired Conservation Officers felt the brunt of Lee's practical jokes. Lee was seldom caught with his guard down and only on a very rare occasion would a joke be pulled on him. Lee made his work fun and it was contagious to the people he worked with Lee's desk was easily picked out by the depth of paper on it. He spent as little time there as possible as his true love was working outdoors. Whether it was doing wildlife surveys or elk hunting patrols Lee exhibited that extra spark that showed everyone he was doing what he really enjoyed.

Murray Doell

Conservation Officer Murray Doell was born on February 15, 1958 and was on active duty fighting a wildfire near Buffalo Narrows in northwestern Saskatchewan when he lost his life in a helicopter crash on August 17, 1990

Officer Doell worked with Saskatchewan Parks and Renewable Resources as a Conservation Officer since 1983 and was stationed in Pierceland, Saskatchewan at the time of his death. He was 32 years of age and was single.

Officer Doell was an extremely dedicated officer who cared deeply about protecting the natural resources of the province. Officer Doell played a unique role as he was one of the two original undercover operators working with the Provincial Enforcement Branch in the special investigations unit. Over a three year period, he spent considerable time on several long-term undercover investigations. His abilities as an operator resulted in the cracking of a large wildlife trafficking ring in the Loon Lake area, and subsequently the largest Wildlife Act fines in the province's history at the time

Officer Doell also worked for over a year as an instructor in Renewable Resources at the Northern Institute of Technology in Prince Albert to train new conservation officers in the province. He was able to instill in many of these potential officers his love and respect for the natural resources of this province and the requirements to protect them.
Officer Doell was a professional in every way and treated all people with dignity and respect. He was thought of very highly by his fellow officers, his students and all members of the public, as evidenced by the attendance of over 1, 000 people at his funeral. He represented Saskatchewan Conservation Officers in several activities and was a participant in the Law Enforcement Olympics in Edmonton and the Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics.

Kevin Misfeldt

KEVIN MISFELDT was born on February 11, 1959 in Melfort, Saskatchewan, and lost his life while on duty in an aircraft accident on January 24, 1997. The accident occurred along the Alberta/Saskatchewan border when the aircraft went down while Saskatchewan Environment and Resource Management personnel were conducting white-tailed deer surveys. The department pilot and regional wildlife biologist also died in the accident. Kevin loved being a Conservation Officer. He loved God's creation and lived to protect it. He tried to ensure other people he dealt with appreciated it as well. Kevin was an educator. He did many school visits. He enjoyed talking with children and never missed an opportunity to educate a young hunter in the field. Kevin was also a very level headed officer. He was able to stay calm in a stressful situation, whether it was dealing with 200 men on the fire line, a forest fire raging out of control, or an angry hunter or landowner. He was always level headed. He had a passion for hunting and was a very knowledgeable and skilled hunter. He would know what field to hunt, what bluff to push, where the game would come from and what time it would show up. Kevin's family and friends always looked forward to his hunting stories. He would cover every aspect of the hunt without embellishing the story. He was so excited about the first moose he shot with his bow, that by the time he was done telling the story you could close your eyes and visualize the hunt yourself. Kevin didn't waste his life. He rarely missed an opportunity to say a kind word or do a good deed. He defied human nature by thinking positively rather than dwelling on the negative. He was active in his church and he taught Sunday school regularly. His faith was important to him, as it was to his family. He was a kind, patient and gentle man. Kevin was a good husband, father, son, brother and friend. He lived for his wife Tarena, and their children Brent, Jostein and Karena. His life was a blessing.

ALFRED BLAIR NEWLAND was in the first resource training class in 1963 at Kelsey Institute in Saskatoon. In the spring of 1964 he was transferred to Emma Lake where he worked as a Conservation Officer under another officer Red Smith. When he graduated in 1965 he went to work at Danbury and then moved to Cumberland House. Cumberland House district was a heavily hunted area full of ducks, geese and American hunters. There was also a very good moose population which contributed to heavy patrolling by boat in that area.

On November 19, 1965 Conservation Officers Alfred Newland and Gordon Cockwill were on a game patrol traveling in the Cut Beaver Lake area. They were traveling in a Bombardier through low willows. All of a sudden bullets began to fly. One of two hunters had somehow mistaken the Bombardier as a deer while the other hunter thought it was a moose and fired several shots at the tracked vehicle from approximately 450 feet. One bullet struck officer Newland killing him instantly. The provincial government named Newland Bay on Namew Lake in his memory.

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Forerunners of the modern day conservation officer, Provincial Game Guardians patrolled vast areas of Saskatchewan at the turn of the century. They traveled on snowshoes, or by dog train, saddle horse or team, canoes and boats, and when necessary by freight train.

Our site is dedicated to those that have gone before us, those who currently carry the badge and those that will follow in our footsteps.

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