Hunter and bowhunter education instructors honored
Hunter and Bowhunter Education Instructors received service awards from Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks at the annual Region One Instructor Workshop held Saturday, March 5 at Flathead Valley Community College in Kalispell. A total of 44 Instructors received Hunter Education or Bowhunter Education service awards ranging from 5 to 45 years of service. All service award recipients receive a plaque; additional awards include: 10 year: engraved knife; 20 year: FWP belt buckle; 30 year: voucher for purchase of a firearm; 45 year: Filson vest. A number of other awards were also presented.
A highlight this year was the Instructor of the Year Award presented to Patricia Allick, a longtime Bowhunter Education Instructor from Kalispell. For over 28 years, Pat has brought techniques from her career as a teacher into the Bowhunter Education Program. This past year, Pat developed a deer mannequin used in demonstrating field dressing techniques in the classroom and at workshops. Also notable was Phil Crismore’s 45 year award, and Dave Helmrick’s 30 year award, a milestone marked by a voucher for purchase of a firearm. Other instructors reached the quarter-century mark, and 20-year mark.
A number of instructors were awarded challenge coins. These presentations are important because the instructors who received them were nominated by their peers for this honor.
2016 Service Awards span hundreds of years of experience and include:
45-year Hunter Education Award: Phil Crismore, Sanders County
35- year Hunter Education Award: Ricky Brabec, Ron Hvizdak, Lincoln County
30-year Hunter Education Award: Dave Helmrick, Lincoln County
25-year Hunter Education Award: Andy Larsson, Lake County; Gary Mocko, Lincoln County
20-year Hunter Education Awards: Don Bothwell, Jeff Moser, Flathead County; Keith Barrows, Rocky Santorno, Lake County; Lisa Brown, Sanders County; Lee Ressler, Lincoln County
20-year Bowhunter Education Awards: Jim Vashro, Bob Windauer, Flathead County
15-year Hunter Education Awards: R.J. Devitt, Ray Garth, Gerry Hurst, Marc Long, Charlie Stafford, Timber Stevens, Flathead County; Daniel Lilja, Robert Paro, Sanders County
15-year Bowhunter Education Award: Neil Textor, Lincoln County
10-year Hunter Education Awards: Breezy Adams, Kip McKessick, Karen Porteous, Brandy Quimby, Flathead County; Carollee Weisberger, Boss Weisberger, Lincoln County
5-year Hunter Education Awards: Kayli Burback, Larry Keyes, Michael Leib, Kaleb Griepp, Jon Hewitt, Ron Huntsinger, Flathead County; Jerry Gingerich, Catherine Jenks, Julia Jenks, Robin Jenks, Marshall Moody, Michelle Swagger, Lincoln County.
5-year Bowhunter Education Award: Tim Doll, Marshall Moody, Michelle Swagger, Lincoln County.
All Hunter and Bowhunter Education Instructors are volunteers for FWP. They provide safety, ethics and firearms and archery equipment handling training to young students across Montana. In Region One (northwest Montana) more than 300 instructors train about 2,000 students each year.