Hunter, Bowhunter Education Instructors Honored

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Hunter and bowhunter education instructors from north central Montana were honored recently in Great Falls.

Two instructors – Ed Erickson of Conrad and Drew Uecker of Great Falls – were honored for 30 years of teaching.

Besides Erickson and Uecker, 34 other instructors received service awards ranging from 5 to 35 years.

In addition to the instructor awards, two individuals were recognized. John Nelson of Chouteau County received an award for many years of service to the program and the promotion of the shooting sports in Chouteau County. And Rusty Sparks, manager the IX Ranch out of Big Sandy, received FWP’s Outstanding Hunter Behavior Award for working with youth elk hunters on the ranch.

Lt. Gov. John Bohlinger attended the April 5 reception to hand out the awards.

All instructor award recipients receive a plaque; additional awards include: an engraved knife for 10 years, an FWP belt buckle for 20 years, a .357 pistol for 30 years, a monogrammed jacket for 40 years, and a hall of fame plaque for 50 years.

In FWP Region 4, almost 300 volunteers teach hunter and bowhunter education. These instructors certify more than 1,000 students each year.

Region 4 hunter-bowhunter instructor awards by years of service and county:

35 YEAR HUNTER – PLAQUE  

HUGO JOHNSON – GLACIER

W REID STUART – PONDERA

ARTHUR HABEL – TETON

30 YEAR HUNTER – PLAQUE & GUN  

EDDY ERICKSON – PONDERA

DREW UECKER - CASCADE



20 YEAR HUNTER – PLAQUE & BUCKLE

CLAYTON KETCHAM – TETON



15 YEAR BOWHUNTER – PLAQUE  

BILL DOBYNS – TOOLE

10 YEAR HUNTER – PLAQUE & KNIFE

HOWIE LOW – CASCADE

MICHAEL SPRAGUE – CASCADE

JOHN HADCOCK – PONDERA

BRENT POPIEL – PONDERA



10 YEAR BOWHUNTER – PLAQUE & KNIFE

JAMES CARROLL – CASCADE



5 YEAR HUNTER – PLAQUE  

REMINGTON CAMPBELL – CASCADE  

JEREMY ENGLAND – FERGUS

TERRY WILKES – CASCADE

CURT CRACHY – CASCADE

LYLE BENJAMIN – TOOLE

CHRISTOPHER MCVEDA – CASCADE

JOHN RAPPOLD – PONDERA

RONNIE GIBSON – CASCADE

LYNNE GIBSON – CASCADE

DANIEL HARTMAN – FERGUS

PAUL BRADLEY – FERGUS

LEE ZEHNTNER – MEAGHER

MARIAN LEIFER – TETON

CARLY (JOE) KUHN – CASCADE

LILY FARR – FERGUS



5 YEAR BOWHUNTER – PLAQUE  

REMINGTON CAMPBELL – CASCADE  

EDWINA RIOS – TETON

CURTIS OWEN – CHOUTEAU

BRAD BIRCH – PONDERA

BOBBY CLAYTON – MEAGHER

CLAY DIXON – CHOUTEAU

JAMES STARR – TOOLE

CARLY (JOE) KUHN – CASCADE

CORY LOECKER – CASCADE

Drew Uecker
Drew Uecker Cascade County receives award from Lt. Gov. John Bohlinger left.JPG

John Nelson
John Nelson center with Jodie Bulter Chouteau County hunter education chief and Lt. Gov. John Bohlin

Ed Erickson
Ed Erickson Pondera County receives award from Lt. Gov. John Bohlinger left.JPG

Rusty Sparks
Rusty Sparks IX Ranch with Outstanding Hunting Behaviour Award.JPG