BILLINGS — Some of the teenagers who took Ted Moore’s first hunter education class in 1963 now are old enough to have grandchildren in the program.
Moore, the longest-serving hunter education volunteer in Yellowstone County, was recognized with a plaque May 10 for 45 years of work with the Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks classes.
James Knight of Laurel was named volunteer instructor of the year by FWP Region 5 game wardens. Knight has taught hunter education for 28 years and has been active in bowhunter education classes in Billings and Laurel for the past 15 years. Knight was awarded a rifle, donated to the wardens by Scheel’s Sports Shops in Billings, and will have his name engraved on a plaque in the Region 5 headquarters lobby.
More than three dozen other volunteer hunter education and bowhunter education instructors from throughout south central Montana also were recognized by Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks for five-year benchmarks in their efforts. Those honored at an annual banquet in Billings included:
40 years of hunter education: Robert Mihalovich of Roundup.
25 years of hunter education: Steve Martin of Harlowton, Claire Simmons of Big Timber and Gary Levine and William Sauers of Billings.
20 years of hunter education: Carl Muthman of Billings and Terry Brumfield of Reed Point.
15 years of both hunter education and bowhunter education: Michael Fribley of Springdale.
15 years of hunter education: Richard Waltner of Columbus, Adam Olivas of Molt, and Peter Borowick, Kevin Prior, Carl Zabrocki, Frank Ewalt, and Ronald Walters, all of Billings.
15 years of bowhunter education: Donald Lindsay of Hardin and James Knight of Laurel.
10 years of both hunter education and bowhunter education: David Hoagland of Molt.
10 years of hunter education: Perry Icopini, Brian Stiff, Peter Knapp, Holly Fox and Robbin Cline, all of Billings.
Five years of both hunter education and bowhunter education: Denny South of Absarokee and Todd Spear of Melstone.
Five years of hunter education: Michael Manweiler of Roberts, Carrie Klempel of Joliet, Gilbert Terry Wyers of Laurel, and Kevin Gillen, Tyler Dildine, Eric Olsen, Michelle Clark and Brian Thorson, all of Billings.
Five years of bowhunter education: Bill Holland of Park City, Paul Halfpop, William Molina and Steven Battaglia of Hardin, and Robert Ash and Brandon Fleury of Billings.
State law requires those born after Jan. 1, 1985, to complete a Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks hunter education class before they can buy a license. And first-time bowhunters in Montana must complete the bowhunting class before they can apply for special archery permits or hunt during archery-only seasons.
Both hunter and bowhunter education classes are taught exclusively by volunteers who are certified by Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks.
-FWP-
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