KALISPELL — Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks recently honored the service of its Region 1 (northwest Montana) hunter and bowhunter education instructors at an annual workshop in Kalispell.
The annual workshop is an opportunity for FWP staff and instructors from each region to review the program, discuss updates and new equipment, and to celebrate the volunteerism of the instructors. The heart of Montana’s hunter and bowhunter education programs is the corps of dedicated volunteer instructors. They stand as examples of how each hunter should demonstrate ethics, behavior and responsibility to themselves, landowners, other hunters and the resource.
At the 2022 workshop, several instructors were awarded for service milestones, ranging from five to 65 years. The latest honorees are listed below.
Among those honored was Montana’s longest serving instructor, Bob Larsson of St. Ignatius. Larsson, 92, still helps in classes, working alongside his adult children and grandchildren who have followed in his footsteps and also serve as hunter education instructors. Larsson was the state’s second certified instructor after the Montana Legislature created the hunter safety program in 1957. Larsson’s son, Andy, accepted the 65-year award in Kalispell on his behalf.
Richard Hjort of Libby received recognition for 45 years of service as a hunter education instructor and 35 years as a bowhunter education instructor.
“The men and women who volunteer to mentor new hunters are passionate and dedicated to Montana’s hunting tradition and to teaching firearm safety,” said Dillon Tabish, FWP regional communication and education program manager. “These instructors serve their communities in a very important way. They deserve a sincere ‘Thank you’ from all of us.”
If anyone is interested in the future of hunting, in improving sportsmanship and safety in the field, or teaching an appreciation for the vast hunting resources in Montana, FWP encourages them to sign up to become an instructor. Visit fwp.mt.gov/education/hunter for more information or call Dillon Tabish at (406) 751-4564.
Region 1 Service Milestones
5 Years (Bowhunter Ed)
Jason Clinkenbeard, Arlee
Tom Fieber, Polson
Sam Nease, Kalispell
Michael Pierce, Hot Springs
5 Years (Hunter Ed)
Jason Clinkenbeard, Arlee
Joshua Harmon, Kalispell
Max Mayer, Rollins
Seth Moore, Yaak
Sam Nease, Kalispell
Michael Pierce, Hot Springs
Oby Schulz, Arlee
Ryan Schwegel, Kalispell
10 Years (Bowhunter Ed)
Colette Morgan, Plains
10 Years (Hunter Ed)
Perry Brown, Columbia Falls
Chris Crane, Columbia Falls
Russell Hunt, St. Ignatius
Colette Morgan, Plains
Jessica Nease, Kalispell
15 Years (Bowhunter Ed)
Rebecca Doyle, Noxon
William Swagger, Libby
15 Years (Hunter Ed)
Dean Hazuka, Marion
Rick Nease, Kalispell
Alan Osborn, Troy
William Swagger, Libby
20 Years (Bowhunter Ed)
Robert Larsson, St. Ignatius
20 Years (Hunter Ed)
Richard Bondy, St. Ignatius
Robert Larsson, St. Ignatius
25 Years (Bowhunter Ed)
Ron Clarke, Whitefish
Jeremy Plummer, Somers
25 Years (Hunter Ed)
Rod Day, Kalispell
Peter Drowne, Bigfork
Ed Ferruzzi, Trego
Patrick Fish, Whitefish
Penny Fish, Whitefish
Wade Fish, Whitefish
Jeremy Plummer, Somers
Brian Sommers, Kalispell
Tim Stoddard, Whitefish
30 Years (Hunter Ed)
Lonny Quimby, Columbia Falls
35 Years (Bowhunter Ed)
Pat Allick, Kalispell
Roger Allick, Kalispell
Terry Comstock, Eureka
Richard Hjort, Libby
45 Years (Hunter Ed)
Richard Hjort, Libby
65 Years (Hunter Ed)
Robert Larsson, St. Ignatius
