Wisconsin DNR seeks nominations for 2022 Ethical Hunter Award
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is accepting nominations for the 2022 Wisconsin Ethical Hunter Award. Nominees are selected based on exceptional moral actions and character while out in the field.
Established in 1997, the Wisconsin Hunter Ethics Award recognizes a hunter whose action is symbolic of Wisconsin’s hunting heritage. This honor represents an outdoor tradition enjoyed responsibly, respectfully and safely.
“Ethical actions come in many forms,” said Major April Dombrowski, DNR Recreational Safety and Outdoor Skills Section chief. “Examples could include helping another person during a hunt or taking steps to protect our natural resources. Over the years, award recipients have returned lost gear, helped others find lost game or assisted another hunter facing a challenge of some kind.”
Any hunter or non-hunter can nominate a licensed Wisconsin hunter for the Wisconsin Ethical Hunter Award for their actions during the 2022 calendar year. Although many nominations result from gun deer season, ethical actions can occur during a squirrel hunt, turkey hunt, waterfowl hunt or other Wisconsin hunting season.
A four-person committee reviews the nominations and selects the person deemed most deserving of this award. The annual honor’s creators are Bob Lamb, retired outdoors editor of the La Crosse Tribune; Steve Dewald, retired DNR conservation warden supervisor, and Jerry Davis, a retired UW-La Crosse biology professor and outdoors writer.
The nomination committee focuses on singular actions or events rather than individuals who have long term conservation-related programs.
Written nominations must contain the name, address and telephone number of the witness or witnesses, or be aware of the behavior which led to the nomination.
The public is encouraged to submit nominations for consideration for the award. Submit nominations by Feb. 15 to: April Dombrowski, DNR Recreational Safety Outdoor Skills Section Chief Department of Natural Resources, 101 S. Webster St., P.O. Box 7921, Madison, WI 53707-7921 or email her at April.Dombrowski@wisconsin. gov.
