A Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources warden supervisor, in 1997, noticed Minnesota was awarding an ethical hunter for just that, conducting him or herself in a manor above and beyond simply following hunting rules and regulations.
Steve Dewald, now a retired warden in La Crosse County, garnered support and help for the idea from a La Crosse newspaper and two outdoors writers.
The award was to be statewide, citizen-nominated, and committee selected for someone who put his or her actions above and beyond time in the field.
The first award, in 1997, went to Jim Olson and his younger friend and hunter, Mike Kasten, both of Onalaska, Wisconsin. This hunting team, on opening weekend of the Wisconsin nine-day, gun deer season, discovered a buck carcass that had presumably fallen from a vehicle during transport after visiting an in-person registration station; common at that time.
Olson and Kasten spent considerable time giving up their own hunting to identify and locate the distort hunter and present the deer to him.
Being the first year of the award, the three member committee of Dewald, Bob Lamb, and Jerry Davis took note of the action from the parties involved and determined Olson and Kasten to be the first winners. At that time plaques and a newspaper article were the recognition.
The committee set some guidelines to follow, instituted a nomination procedure to make the committee aware of the ethical act involving hunting, and publicizing the award to receive nominations.
Another winner just a few years ago involved a ruffed grouse hunter who had pulled into a public hunting area parking lot in northern Wisconsin and was approached by a pair of hikers who planned to make use of the trails to enjoy a fine autumn day.
The hikers were unaware a hunting season was ongoing and were reluctant to venture out onto the trails but the grouse hunter spent 30 minutes explaining public land, assuring the hikers they had a right in spite of other users being there. The grouse hunter ended the conversation by telling the hikers he would head out in an opposite direction and explained he was using a shotgun, not a rifle and they would be safe. When the grouse hunter returned hours later, the hikers’ vehicle was still parked in the lot.
A fellow grouse hunter nominated the ethical hunter.
An act of the nominee may be directed toward a person, or game being hunted, or the habitat in which a hunt is being conducted.
The four-person committee has been focusing on singular actions or events, as those described above rather than individuals who have long-term conservation-related programs they support.
Several years ago the committee sought a corporate sponsor for the award, who would provide a prize, so to speak, for being named the DNR ethical hunter for that calendar year.
The next award, the 2024 Ethical Hunter, will be awarded in May 2025 for actions that occurred during 2024.
Vortex Optics, headquartered in Iowa County, Barneveld, Wisconsin is now the cooperate sponsor. Vortex, since agreeing to be a corporate sponsor, has presented winners with an item or several from their quality binoculars, rifle scopes, and range finders. They also toss in a cap and a tour of the facilities at Barneveld, where the presentation is held each May.
The WDNR presents a wood plaque to each winner.
On occasion, more than one winner is named, with all being given the same prizes.
There are no age categories and some years hunters in their teens have been declared winners and given the same prizes and plaques.
This award points out to the public that not only are hunters almost always following the rules but are also likely to go above and beyond and put others ahead of themselves while hunting.
Written nominations should contain the name, address, and telephone number of the witness or witnesses.
The public is encouraged to submit, by mail or email, nominations for consideration at any time during the calendar year up until February 15 of the following year to: April Dombrowski, DNR Recreation Safety Outdoor Skills Section Chief; Department of Natural Recources; 101 S. Webster St.; Box 7921; Madison, Wisconsin 53707-7921; or email April.Dombrowski@wisconsin.gov
Deer and turkey hunters continue to mount registrations with 62,842 deer and 2,793 turkeys taken so far during various seasons.
Don Martin, at Martin’s in Monroe, remarked that one archer has purchased and filled seven deer authorizations during the archery season. Tom Lochner, a sales clerk at Wilderness Fish and Game in Sauk City, Wisconsin, reminds gun deer hunters to be aware of a second deer rut about the time the season opens November 23. Doug Williams, at D W Sports Center in Portage, Wisconsin suggests hunters be on the lookout for uncommon wildlife including wolves, bears, coyotes, and bobcats, as well as deer. Travis Anderson, WDNR wildlife biologist in Iowa and Lafayette counties said recent rains have slowed pheasant hunters.
Alex Lease, at Outdoor Addiction in Blue Mounds, Wisconsin has sold his one stop shop for deer hunters and the new owner will not be processing venison or taking deer donations this season.
Contact Jerry Davis, a freelance writer, at sivadjam@mhtc.net or 608.924.1112.
