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Three Named To Kansas Hunter Education Hall Of Fame
Two Wildlife and Parks employees, one businessman newest inductees.

Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks

PRATT Kansas - -(AmmoLand.com)-The Kansas Hunter Education Instructor Association (KHEIA) — an independent group of volunteer instructors — has recently inducted three people to the Kansas Hunter Education Hall of Fame.

• Stacy Hageman, Zenda
• Wayne Doyle, Pratt
• George Peterson, Topeka

Join three others in the Hall of Fame, which was opened in 2006.

Hageman is administrative assistant for the statewide Hunter Education (HE) Program, working out of the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP) Pratt Operations Office. In nominating her, Gary Coleman, Valley Falls, called Hageman “the silent, usually taken for granted, driving force behind the Hunter Education Program in Kansas. She is the ‘go-to’ person in the office who gets the job done and gets it done right. Without her knowledge and expertise, the program would certainly have a few more bumps in the road. She has juggled job and family and has always been a delight to work with.”

Peterson is a 33-year volunteer instructor from Topeka who has been referred to as a “fundraiser extraordinaire.” In their nomination letter, Mary and Gene Peterson, also of Topeka, noted that George has taught more than 5,500 students and is now teaching children of his original students. He has been honored with KDWP’s Order of the Buffalo — a special honor for exceptional hunter education instructors — twice, in 1978 and 2005, and has been president and secretary of the Shawnee County Hunter Education Association.

“George helped raise approximately $50,000 for improvements to the hunter education facilities at Shawnee State Fishing Lake,” the Petersons noted in their nomination. “He served on the Friends of the NRA committee for four years and helped raise thousands of dollars to promote shooting sports and hunting in Kansas. He is also NRA certified to teach ‘Refuse To Be a Victim,’ a program designed to teach women safety strategies.” Peterson has many other HE-related certifications and affiliated memberships, including being a life member of the NRA and serving as vice-president of the Kansas State Rifle Association.

Tim Wright, Topeka, nominated Doyle for the Hall of Fame. Doyle has been statewide coordinator for KDWP’s Hunter Education Program since 1998 and has been involved with the program for 25 years. “Under Wayne’s guidance, the HE program has grown by leaps and bounds,” Wright’s recommendation states. “He has used innovative tools and technology to expand and improve the scope of the program.”

Wright noted that Doyle’s accomplishments include incorporating Laser Shot hunting simulators into the program; developing an instructor intranet for ordering supplies and setting class schedules and rosters; equipping instructors with trailers and supplies for trail walks, live fire, and archery equipment; working with instructors to incorporate computer technology in the classroom; and developing an alternative delivery class where students spend several hours of study at home followed by a day of hands-on training in the field.

Criteria for nominees to the Kansas Hunter Education Hall of Fame include a minimum of 15 years service as a certified HE instructor, any KDWP employee, or anyone who has given significant support to the HE program. Nominees do not have to be KHEIA members. Selection is limited to a maximum of five inductees per year, and awards are to be presented at least once every three years. Previous inductees include Ed Augustine, Junction City; Lloyd “Butch” Harris, Topeka; and Dean Wieners, Leoti.

About:
The Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks is a cabinet-level agency with a Secretary appointed by the Governor. A seven-member, bipartisan commission, also appointed by the Governor, advises the Secretary and approves regulations governing outdoor recreation and fish and wildlife resources in Kansas. The commission conducts business during regular public sessions.

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Arizona Outdoor Hall Of Fame To Honor 4 New Inductees

Arizona Game and Fish Department

PHOENIX, AZ - -(AmmoLand.com)- The Arizona Outdoor Hall of Fame class of 2009 will induct two individuals and two groups whose contributions and service have benefited Arizona’s wildlife, habitats and outdoor heritage.

The new inductees, who will be honored Friday, Aug. 21, at the Wildlife for Tomorrow Foundation’s Arizona Outdoor Hall of Fame banquet at the Scottsdale Resort and Conference Center, 7700 E. McCormick Parkway in Scottsdale, are:

Dr. Robert Ohmart. During a long and distinguished career as a zoology professor at Arizona State University, Dr. Ohmart enthusiastically taught undergraduates and coached more than 40 graduate students in an array of studies ranging from raptors to tortoises and bighorns to burros, as well as the habitats they required. His pioneering work on restoring riparian vegetation along the lower Colorado River contributed significant insights into the complexity of Southwestern riparian systems.

Frances Werner. The first woman appointed to serve on the Arizona Game and Fish Commission (appointed by then-Governor Bruce Babbitt), Ms. Werner has long been a strong advocate for cooperation between governmental agencies, the public, and the various resource users, She has served on many boards and committees of wildlife and land management agencies, including Arizona Game and Fish, the Bureau of Land Management and the Arizona State Land Department.

Mesa Hunter Education Instructor Team. Started in 1974, this program has been dedicated to meeting the hunter education needs of residents in the East Valley for 35 years. The program has been coordinated by a total of four chief instructors since that time and currently has 55 active instructors who graduate about 10 percent of all of the state’s hunter education graduates. Since 1996, the team has accumulated over 29,000 volunteer hours teaching hunter education to more than 5,400 students.

Yuma Valley Rod and Gun Club. Started in 1936, the club has expanded into a vibrant and energetic family organization of more than 300 members dedicated to supporting the enhancement and protection of wildlife, habitat, wildlife-dependent outdoors recreation, and public vehicular access on public lands. Since the 1960s, volunteers have taught hunter education and firearms safety to thousands of youth and adults. Club members also volunteer their time and efforts to numerous habitat improvement projects, conduct wildlife and outdoor recreation-related events, and are politically active.

The Arizona Outdoor Hall of Fame was established in 1998 by the Wildlife For Tomorrow Foundation to honor those who have made significant contributions to Arizona’s wildlife, the welfare of its natural resources, and the state’s outdoor heritage. Selections for induction are made each year by the board of directors of the Wildlife For Tomorrow Foundation from a list of nominations submitted.

The Aug. 21 banquet starts with a social hour at 6 p.m., followed by dinner and the awards ceremony. Tickets are $70 each or $700 for a table of 10. Table sponsorship opportunities are available as well for $1,000.

To download a reservation form, visit www.azgfd.gov/w_c/ArizonaOutdoorHallofFame.shtml and click on the link near the bottom of the page. Completed forms should be mailed to Wildlife for Tomorrow Foundation, 14646 W. Harvard St., Goodyear, AZ 85395, or they can be e-mailed to wildlifefortomorrow@cox.net.

For more information, contact the Wildlife for Tomorrow Foundation at (623) 204-2130.

About:
The Arizona Game and Fish Department prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, national origin, age, or disability in its programs and activities. If anyone believes that they have been discriminated against in any of the AGFD’s programs or activities, including employment practices, they may file a complaint with the Director’s Office, 5000 W. Carefree Highway, Phoenix, AZ 85086-5000, (602) 942-3000, or with the Fish and Wildlife Service, 4040 N. Fairfax Dr. Ste. 130, Arlington, VA 22203. Persons with a disability may request a reasonable accommodation or this document in an alternative format by contacting the Director’s Office as listed above.

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