FWP Region 4 hunter and bowhunter education instructors recognized for service

GREAT FALLS — Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks recently honored the service of central Montana hunter and bowhunter education instructors at a workshop in Great Falls. At the 2023 Region 4 workshop, twenty instructors were awarded for service milestones, ranging from 5 to 25 years. The latest honorees are listed below.

The heart of Montana's hunter and bowhunter education programs are its dedicated volunteer instructors, who keep Montana's hunting traditions strong by promoting safety, ethics, and responsibility and by mentoring new hunters. 

FWP currently relies on 937 volunteer hunter and bowhunter education instructors across the state to teach these programs to both youth and adults. These instructors have more than 13,000 combined years of teaching in Montana, with an average of 14 years of volunteer time per instructor.

“The people who volunteer their time to teach new hunters are passionate and dedicated to Montana’s hunting tradition and to teaching firearm safety,” said Dave Hagengruber, FWP regional communication and education program manager. “These instructors serve their communities and Montana hunters in a very meaningful way, and they deserve sincere thanks from all of us.”

For anyone interested in the future of hunting, improving sportsmanship and safety in the field, and teaching an appreciation for the vast hunting resources in Montana, FWP encourages them to sign up to become an instructor. For more information, visit fwp.mt.gov/education/hunter or in north central Montana, call Dave Hagengruber at 406-454-5845.

For more information on hunter and bowhunter education in Montana, including upcoming courses, please visit: https://fwp.mt.gov/hunt/education.

Region 4 Instructor Service Awards

 

5 year bowhunter education

Jay Kolbe – White Sulphur Springs

 

5 year hunter education

Jessica Goodhart - Geyser

Rich Hamill – Great Falls

 

10 year bowhunter education

Shawn Appley - Shelby

Lynne Gibson - Great Falls

 

10 year hunter education

Shawn Appley - Shelby

Brad Moore – Big Sandy

Owen Stone - Geraldine

Earl Taylor – Fort Benton

Doug Wrobel - Great Falls

 

15 year bowhunter education

Eric Jolma - Winnett

 

15 year hunter education

Eric Jolma - Winnett

Marilyn Kalina - Roy

Scott Tinklenberg - Highwood

 

20 year bowhunter education

Brad Birch - Conrad

Cory Loecker - Cascade

Edwina Rios – Cut Bank

 

20 year hunter education

Lynne Gibson - Great Falls

Ronnie Gibson - Great Falls

Joe Kuhn - Great Falls

Colleen Pegar – Big Sandy

 

25 year hunter education

Howie Low - Great Falls